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Paralegal Specialist

Department of State Headquarters See More Job Openings by This Employer

Full Time
$121,785/year

Washington, DC

August 27, 2026 Paralegal

Job Description

Summary

The position is located in the Office of the Legal Adviser (L), Human Rights and Migration (HRM). The Office of the Legal Adviser advises and represents the Bureaus and missions of the Department; the Secretary and senior leadership; and, through the Secretary, the Executive Branch on all legal and legal policy issues arising in connection with U.S. foreign policy and the work of the Department.

Duties

Conducts legal and information research using a variety of databases and/or document management systems; searches for legal precedent in indices and computerized legal reference systems, and analyzes their applicability to individual issues.
Prepares reports, exhibits, memoranda, and statistical analyses to be used by attorneys and diplomatic representatives.
Acts as lead subject matter expert on the issuance of legal and legislative preservation directives, discovery, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) coordination and document production to outside partners and opposing counsel.
Prepares detailed reports and tracking information on legal activities, cases, and international negotiations, analyzing data for reports and tracking.
Maintains and updates legal databases and SharePoint sites and uses the latest available Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to organize information for inclusion in legal work products.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship is required.
Incumbent will be subject to random drug testing.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all the required qualification requirements described below by the closing date of this announcement.

NOTE: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements, by the closing date of this announcement.

Time-In-Grade Requirements: Federal applicants must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade to satisfy time-in-grade restrictions, per 5CFR 300, Subpart F.

Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal service which provided the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties of the position.

Qualifying specialized experience must demonstrate the following:

Experience in foreign policy and international affairs.
Experience in analyzing and evaluating information derived from a variety of sources.
Experience reviewing and/or preparing various legal documents and forms.
Experience using technology related to legal research, discovery, artificial intelligence, and information management.

There is no substitute of education for specialized experience for the GS-13 position.

Education

Education requirements do not apply to this vacancy announcement.

Additional information

To request a reasonable accommodation for additional time on the timed sections of the assessment, please submit your request using the “Request a Reasonable Accommodation” button within the Assessment Application.

For all other reasonable accommodations at the U.S. Department of State, please contact the Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) at OAA@state.gov.   

OAA is responsible for reviewing and adjudicating reasonable accommodation (RA) requests for the Assessment Battery being used for this announcement.  The following applies to all RA requests:

RA requests cover additional time on timed sections only.

Applicants submitting a RA request MUST attach supporting medical documentation signed by a licensed, treating medical provider. The documentation should describe the nature, severity, and expected duration of the condition, identify the relevant medical condition or diagnosis, and explain the basis for the requested extension.  RA requests that do not contain supporting medical documentation attachments at the time of initial request may be subject to further review.

Note: the following documents do not, on their own, qualify for automatic approval of the RA request: Schedule A letters, VA benefits letters, or SSA letters.

Applicants MUST submit their application before the vacancy closes, even if pending an accommodation decision.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully follow instructions related to medical documentation provided in the vacancy announcement prior to beginning the RA process.

Applicants will have 48 hours after their RA request is adjudicated to complete the assessment battery.  Scores generated after the allotted timeframe will not be admissible and the applicant will not be considered further for the vacancy.

If a different type of RA is needed, please contact OAA directly at OAA@state.gov.

If eligible, situational telework agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval.
Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to other similar positions in this Bureau for up to 240 days and may require a higher or lower security clearance. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions.
Agency & Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP & ICTAP): View OPM’s  CTAP & ICTAP eligibility website for more information. You must be rated in the Well-Qualified category and submit supporting documents under the required documents section of this announcement to receive selection priority consideration. To be considered Well-Qualified applicants must: score an 85 or above, meet Minimum Qualifications, and demonstrate proficiency in some, but not all major aspects of the position.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Salary

$121,785/year

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