TRAVEL REQUIRED:

Not required

RELOCATION AUTHORIZED:
Relocation expenses reimbursed No

KEY REQUIREMENTS:
Help

U.S. citizenship is required.

Conditions of Employment If selected for this position, you will be required to:

• Obtain and maintain a top secret Tier 5 clearance. For more information visit OPM Mythbuster Page.
• Submit to a drug test prior to your appointment and random drug testing while you occupy the position.
• Males born prior to December 31, 1959 must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• Walk, stand, bend, carry light items such as papers and books.

Basic Qualifications:

GS-11: You qualify for the GS-11 level (starting salary $68,036) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS 9 level performing duties such as: using document and online research tools (e.g., Lexis, Court Link, cyberFEDS, Pacer, internet) to conduct basic fact and legal research; assisting with preparation for federal trials and/or administrative hearings, to include document and witness preparation; general case management and organization of paper and electronic files; assisting in discovery by reviewing and organizing materials received in discovery, and reviewing, redacting, and processing paper and electronic documents for production in discovery; fact-checking motions, memoranda, and other documents prior to filing with courts/administrative bodies; updating and maintaining paper and electronic case databases; and filing pleadings and other documents with administrative bodies in electronic and paper format. OR

Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; or L.L.M., if related. OR

A combination of graduate level education and experience. This will be calculated using your résumé and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.
 
GS-12: You qualify for the GS-12 level (starting salary $81,548) if you possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level performing duties such as: assisting with civil litigation and employment law, including cases involving claims based on Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Rehabilitation Act, and/or complex litigation (i.e., class actions); using document and online research tools (e.g., Lexis, Court Link, cyberFEDS, Pacer, internet) to conduct advanced fact and legal research; assisting with preparation for federal trials and/or administrative hearings, to include organizing documents and exhibits, drafting pre-trial disclosures, and witness preparation; attendance and/or case management during federal trials and/or administrative hearings; general case management and organization of voluminous paper and electronic files; reviewing, organizing, redacting, and processing paper and electronic documents for production in discovery, as well as review and organization of materials received in discovery; reviewing and summarizing transcripts from depositions and various federal court and administrative proceedings; cite-checking and fact-checking motions, memoranda, and other documents prior to filing with federal courts and administrative bodies; assisting with deposition preparation, including preparing exhibits and reviewing/editing deposition outlines for attorneys; filing pleadings and other documents with administrative bodies in electronic and paper format.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience):  Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade or equivalent grade band in the Federal service.

Qualifications Must Be Met: The qualification requirements listed above must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Apply for this exciting opportunity to assist the Office of the Chief Counsel in meeting the agency’s unique dual mission of investigations and protection. This Paralegal Specialist position starts at a salary of $68,036 (GS-11), with promotion potential to $106,012 (GS-12). For more information on the Secret Service click here. For definitions of terms found in this announcement, please click here.

Building on a Tradition of Excellence and Meeting the Challenges of the Future The Secret Service is a premier law enforcement organization with two critical national security missions: protect our nation's leaders and to conduct criminal investigations. Our team members continue a tradition of excellence - whether investigating financial crime or protecting national and visiting foreign leaders. In the Secret Service, we serve the country with duty, loyalty, justice, integrity and courage. In the Secret Service, we:

• Protect the President, the Vice President, and other leaders; investigate threats against them; and safeguard their residences and other facilities
• Plan and implement security designs for National Special Security Events
• Investigate financial crimes including fraud, identity theft and computer-based attacks on banking or telecommunications infrastructure

Any offers of employment made pursuant to this announcement will be consistent with all applicable authorities, including Presidential Memoranda, Executive Orders, interpretive U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) guidance, and Office of Management and Budget plans and policies concerning hiring. These authorities are subject to change.

E-Verify Statement: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

This position will require a credit check after initial job qualifications have been determined.

Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade and unit occur.

Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement.

Read more

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application will be rated on the extent and quality of your experience, education and training relevant to the duties of the position. A score will automatically be calculated based on your answers to the vacancy specific questions. All answers provided in the online process must be substantiated by your resume. Upon review, your resume and/or supporting documents need to support your answer choices and reflect the one year of specialized experience requirement, in order to be considered.  If the one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level cannot be identified in your resume, you will be considered not qualified. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

• Ability to assist attorneys in litigation matters.
• Ability to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Knowledge of civil litigation and employment law.
• Ability to manage cases and maintain litigation databases/spreadsheets.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the Federal government, you are not ICTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP eligibility on OPM's Career Transition Resources website. To be considered well qualified under ICTAP, you must be rated at a minimum score of 85.0 for this position. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement.

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, the veteran must 1) be a preference eligible; or 2) be a veteran separated after 3 or more years of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. In addition, you must submit the supporting documents listed under the required documents section of this announcement. Veteran’s preference does not apply under Merit Promotion procedures. View VEOA information on Feds Hire Vets.

Military Spouse Appointing Authority: Executive Order 13473, dated September 28, 2008, authorized the noncompetitive appointment of certain military spouses to competitive service positions. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) codified implementing regulations at 5 CFR 315.612, effective September 11, 2009. For more information click here.
 
Interview Requirement: Interviews are required for this position. Failure to complete the interview may result in removal from further consideration.

Consideration will be given to performance appraisals and incentive awards as an indicator of quality of prior experience, no points will be assigned.

To preview questions please click here.

Read more Security clearance Top Secret

Drug test required Yes