Duties

Summary

This position is located in the Global Legal Research Directorate, Law Library.

The position description number for this position is 364324.

The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.

The incumbent of this position will work a flextime work schedule.

This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

This position is not eligible for permanent remote telework.

Edits legal work products (reports, studies, letters, memoranda, emails, and bibliographies) written by the Law Library's foreign law specialists, legal research analysts, legal analysts, and reference librarians for Congress, government agencies, the judiciary, and the public based on acquired subject matter knowledge and training. Rewrites drafts as needed to reflect American English and US jurisprudential standards, and to incorporate applicable style and citation guidelines.

Exercises basic responsibility for editing Law Library written products under guidance of the Supervisory Writer-Editor, Division Chiefs of the Global Legal Research Directorate, and the Assistant Law Librarian for Legal Research. As directed, coordinates editing of written products and deals directly with the foreign law specialist, legal analysts, reference librarians, and legal research analysts to facilitate editorial changes. Maintains close working relationships with staff.

Edits large multinational reports intended for publication in various media. As most submitted drafts are prepared by authors who are foreign trained and do not speak English as their native language, rewrites draft text as needed to reflect standard American English and US jurisprudential standards. Ensures that multinational reports are consistent in format.

Assists Law Library management in making preliminary decisions on the editing of reports, letters, and memoranda for the US Congress, government agencies, the judiciary, and the private sector. Makes decisions, in consultation with the Supervisory Writer-Editor and the Assistant Law Librarian for Legal Research, on the scope of the editing as well as on the final form and approaches for written products. Reformats work products as needed.

Edits a wide range of documents and reports of a factual nature as directed, including brochures, annual reports and strategic planning documents, press releases, fact sheets, and others. Edits such materials for publication utilizing knowledge in a variety of subject areas to provide explanations on a range of subjects, and applying applicable style guidelines. Makes recommendations, as directed, for changes in approach in publishing projects. Assists Law Library management in maintaining the highest possible editorial standards in the preparation of all written products.

At the request of Law Library management, writes complex documents using multiple sources and applying established style and citation guidelines. As assigned, prepares standard speeches and talking points covering various topics.

Assists in the implementation of training courses and writing materials for external groups and in-service trainings for new foreign law specialists, legal analysts, legal research analysts, reference librarians, and interns, concerning editorial policies, workflow, style, format, legal citations, document archiving, copyright restrictions, procedural requirements, scheduling of assignments, and the best product formats.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
12

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

No additional requirements to those listed above.

Qualifications

Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.**

Knowledge of the principles and techniques of editing.**

Ability to apply editorial style and citation rules.**

Ability to use information technology to perform editorial duties.

Ability to interact collaboratively with others.

Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.

Education

Additional information

Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.

The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.

This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please email ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. Certification from health care providers are not accepted. For more information contact the Library's Office of EEO/Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.

Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.

The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.

Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.

The Library of Congress may offer repayment for all or part of federally insured student loans. However, not all service units within the Library of Congress participates in the repayment of federally insured student loans. Therefore, determination to repay a federally insured student loan is subject to approval by the appropriate service unit.

A "Not to Exceed" (NTE) status is used to identify an appointment with a specific ending date. However, the Library has the right to separate a NTE employee at any time due to either performance issues or budget constraints.

Are you a veteran? Please indicate the type of veterans' preference you are claiming in your application materials and/or applicant profile and provide the appropriate supporting documentation to validate your claim. Those applying for 5-point preference must submit Member Copy 4 of your DD 214. Those applying for 10-point preference must fill out an SF-15 (click here for the form) and provide the required documentation listed on the back of the form. If required supporting documentation is not attached, Veterans' Preference will not be considered in the application process.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview. The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position. To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview. The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection.

For more information regarding eligibility requirements, please see the Library of Congress Merit Selection Plan, Section X.D, at: http://www.loc.gov/hr/employment/msp010909.pdf .

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Not Required

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).

Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant's college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.