Paralegal Specialist
- Employer
- USAJobs
- Location
- Springfield, Virginia
- Posted
- Dec 01, 2021
- Closes
- Dec 09, 2021
- Function
- Paralegal and Legal Secretary
- Industry
- Government and Public Services, Federal
- Career Level
- Experienced (Non-Manager)
- Hours
- Full Time
Duties
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Office of General Counsel (OGC) is seeking highly qualified Paralegal Specialists. NGA OGC provides timely, accurate, and practical legal advice and representation to ensure NGA accomplishes its mission in compliance with applicable laws. A Pay Band 3 Paralegal in NGA OGC assists in the evaluation, development, and/or litigation of cases by performing the following duties:
* Interprets regulations and policies;
* Analyzes and evaluates case files against litigation worthiness standards;
* Notes and corrects case file deficiencies (e.g., missing documents, inconsistent material, leads not investigated) before sending the case on to the concerned trial attorney;
* Reviews and analyzes available precedents relevant to cases under consideration for use in presenting case summaries to trial attorneys;
* Gathers, sorts, classifies, and interprets data to discover patterns of possible discriminatory activity;
* Interviews relevant Agency personnel and potential witnesses to gather information;
* Participates in discovery and may testify in court concerning relevant data;
* Assists in the day-to-day management of legal operations.
The selectee(s) must possess a service-oriented attitude towards clients; maintain a proactive perspective toward the practice of law; have the highest standards of professionalism; and thrive in a collegial work environment where everyone's views are respected and valued. NGA is a national intelligence agency and a Department of Defense combat support agency whose mission is to provide geospatial intelligence to military forces as well as in support of national policy decision makers. It is a fast-paced, mission-oriented, technologically advanced work environment that is essential to the security of the nation.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Occasional CONUS and OCONUS Travel may be required. Position will require working standard hours. Ad hoc or Routine Telework permitted with Supervisor approval.
Additional Application Requirement: You may be asked to complete one or more assessments in addition to the application you submit on this website as part of your application to NGA. These assessments may include but are not limited to:
1) Online questionnaires or assessments that require you to describe your job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristics that are aligned with the mandatory and desirable qualifications of this job posting. The information you provide in this application you submit must support the response you provide to this questionnaire.
You will receive an email to describe any additional assessments required.
Please monitor your emails and complete any required assessments as soon as possible.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
SPECIAL INFO:
As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards.
- U.S. Citizenship Required
- Security Clearance (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information)
- Polygraph Test Required
- Position Subject to Drug Testing
- Two Year Probationary Period
- Direct Deposit Required
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information. In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.
Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.
NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed. The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process. Employees on term or temporary appointments are not eligible to apply for internal assignment opportunity notices.
This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility in our ERecruit application.
Qualifications
MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement's mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement:
1. Demonstrated experience in a legal environment as a paralegal or legal assistant.
2. Demonstrated proficiency in organizational skills and attention to detail, and demonstrated ability to evaluate pertinent facts; research, analyze and evaluate case files against litigation worthiness standards.
3. Demonstrated familiarity and/or exposure to one or more of the following: support for government acquisition and intellectual property, litigation matters, personnel and employment law, Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) matters, Government ethics matters, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and/or Privacy Act matters.
4. Demonstrated experience editing correspondence and updating databases; reviewing data for integrity, accuracy, and currency; and reconciling a range of differences to ensure consistency between database entries and source data.
5. Demonstrated expertise with communicating clearly with others, both orally and in writing.
6. Demonstrated ability to use online computer-assisted platforms (i.e., Lexis and Westlaw) to research, identify, analyze, and/or cite to relevant case law, statutes, regulations, and/or policies.
As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the agency, if after November 22. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement.
EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS: Paralegal Professional Certification
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:
1. Paralegal certified.
2. Demonstrated experience applying critical thinking to complex problem identification, analysis and resolution to provide superior legal research and legal writing.
3. Demonstrated experience providing paralegal services in support of the U.S. Military, Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, or other U.S. Government agencies, and work on TS/SCI level assignments.
4. Demonstrated proficiency dealing with ambiguity by adapting to new demands or information and handling situations with multiple variables and unknowns, especially where there is little judicial precedent or case law.
5. Demonstrated experience conducting interviews, and supporting the completion of interviews by taking notes and assisting the primary interviewer.
6. Ability to provide guidance to Agency subject matter experts on collecting evidence to support litigation.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), Office of General Counsel (OGC) is seeking highly qualified Paralegal Specialists. NGA OGC provides timely, accurate, and practical legal advice and representation to ensure NGA accomplishes its mission in compliance with applicable laws. A Pay Band 3 Paralegal in NGA OGC assists in the evaluation, development, and/or litigation of cases by performing the following duties:
* Interprets regulations and policies;
* Analyzes and evaluates case files against litigation worthiness standards;
* Notes and corrects case file deficiencies (e.g., missing documents, inconsistent material, leads not investigated) before sending the case on to the concerned trial attorney;
* Reviews and analyzes available precedents relevant to cases under consideration for use in presenting case summaries to trial attorneys;
* Gathers, sorts, classifies, and interprets data to discover patterns of possible discriminatory activity;
* Interviews relevant Agency personnel and potential witnesses to gather information;
* Participates in discovery and may testify in court concerning relevant data;
* Assists in the day-to-day management of legal operations.
The selectee(s) must possess a service-oriented attitude towards clients; maintain a proactive perspective toward the practice of law; have the highest standards of professionalism; and thrive in a collegial work environment where everyone's views are respected and valued. NGA is a national intelligence agency and a Department of Defense combat support agency whose mission is to provide geospatial intelligence to military forces as well as in support of national policy decision makers. It is a fast-paced, mission-oriented, technologically advanced work environment that is essential to the security of the nation.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Occasional CONUS and OCONUS Travel may be required. Position will require working standard hours. Ad hoc or Routine Telework permitted with Supervisor approval.
Additional Application Requirement: You may be asked to complete one or more assessments in addition to the application you submit on this website as part of your application to NGA. These assessments may include but are not limited to:
1) Online questionnaires or assessments that require you to describe your job-related knowledge, skills, abilities, or other characteristics that are aligned with the mandatory and desirable qualifications of this job posting. The information you provide in this application you submit must support the response you provide to this questionnaire.
You will receive an email to describe any additional assessments required.
Please monitor your emails and complete any required assessments as soon as possible.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- US Citizenship is required.
- Designated or Random Drug Testing required.
- Security Investigation
SPECIAL INFO:
As a condition of employment at NGA, persons being considered for employment must meet NGA fitness for employment standards.
- U.S. Citizenship Required
- Security Clearance (Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information)
- Polygraph Test Required
- Position Subject to Drug Testing
- Two Year Probationary Period
- Direct Deposit Required
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
You must be able to obtain and retain a Top Secret security clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information. In addition, you are subject to a Counterintelligence Polygraph examination in order to maintain access to Top Secret information. All employees are subject to a periodic examination on a random basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Refusal to take the examination may result in denial of access to Top Secret information, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.
Employees with SCI access and who are under NGA cognizance are required to submit a Security Financial Disclosure Report, SF-714, on an annual basis in order to determine continued eligibility. Failure to comply may negatively impact continued access to Top Secret information, Information Systems, SAP, and/or unescorted access to SCIFs.
NGA utilizes all processes and procedures of the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS). Non-executive NGA employees are assigned to five distinct pay bands based on the type and scope of work performed. The employee's base salary is established within their assigned pay band based on their unique qualifications. A performance pay process is conducted each year to determine a potential base pay salary increase and/or bonus. An employee's annual performance evaluation is a key factor in the performance pay process. Employees on term or temporary appointments are not eligible to apply for internal assignment opportunity notices.
This position is a DCIPS position in the Excepted Service under 10 U.S.C. 1601. DoD Components with DCIPS positions apply Veterans' Preference to preference eligible candidates as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 USC, in accordance with the procedures provided in DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 2005, DCIPS Employment and Placement. If you are an external applicant claiming veterans' preference, as defined by Section 2108 of Title 5 U.S.C., you must self-identify your eligibility in our ERecruit application.
Qualifications
MANDATORY QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: For this particular job, applicants must meet all competencies reflected under the Mandatory Qualification Criteria to include education (if required). Online resumes must demonstrate qualification by providing specific examples and associated results, in response to the announcement's mandatory criteria specified in this vacancy announcement:
1. Demonstrated experience in a legal environment as a paralegal or legal assistant.
2. Demonstrated proficiency in organizational skills and attention to detail, and demonstrated ability to evaluate pertinent facts; research, analyze and evaluate case files against litigation worthiness standards.
3. Demonstrated familiarity and/or exposure to one or more of the following: support for government acquisition and intellectual property, litigation matters, personnel and employment law, Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) matters, Government ethics matters, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), and/or Privacy Act matters.
4. Demonstrated experience editing correspondence and updating databases; reviewing data for integrity, accuracy, and currency; and reconciling a range of differences to ensure consistency between database entries and source data.
5. Demonstrated expertise with communicating clearly with others, both orally and in writing.
6. Demonstrated ability to use online computer-assisted platforms (i.e., Lexis and Westlaw) to research, identify, analyze, and/or cite to relevant case law, statutes, regulations, and/or policies.
As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the agency, if after November 22. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement.
EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: LICENSES/CERTIFICATIONS: Paralegal Professional Certification
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION CRITERIA: In addition to the mandatory qualifications, experience in the following is desired:
1. Paralegal certified.
2. Demonstrated experience applying critical thinking to complex problem identification, analysis and resolution to provide superior legal research and legal writing.
3. Demonstrated experience providing paralegal services in support of the U.S. Military, Intelligence Community, Department of Defense, or other U.S. Government agencies, and work on TS/SCI level assignments.
4. Demonstrated proficiency dealing with ambiguity by adapting to new demands or information and handling situations with multiple variables and unknowns, especially where there is little judicial precedent or case law.
5. Demonstrated experience conducting interviews, and supporting the completion of interviews by taking notes and assisting the primary interviewer.
6. Ability to provide guidance to Agency subject matter experts on collecting evidence to support litigation.