Job opening: PARALEGAL SPECIALIST
Salary: $82 764 - 107 590 per year
Published at: Oct 21 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
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The primary purpose of this position is: To serve as a Paralegal Specialist; to perform paralegal and administrative work in support of the Civil Law Domain, the purpose of which is to provide broad based legal support to Department of the Air Force, Headquarters Air Force, and subordinate units.
Duties
Serves as the principal Paralegal Specialist for the DAF/JAC, which has worldwide responsibilities for legal and policy guidance as well as litigation responsibilities within the Department of the Air Force.
Serves as an Executive Assistant to the highest ranking SES in TJAGC by managing the Civil Law Director's schedule and travel arrangements; and independently performs a variety of confidential and special assignments for the Civil Law Director.
Manages the administrative and technical support for the Civil Law Director as the Defense Travel System (DTS) approving official; the law library accountable officer; the records custodian; and the supply custodian.
Provides timely dissemination of information to Headquarters, MAJCOM, NAF, and subordinate units of the Air Force.
Requirements
- Must complete initial online questionnaire and additional assessment(s)
- U.S. Citizenship is required
- Males must be registered for Selective Service, see www.sss.gov
- Required to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance.
- PCS will not be paid.
- This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
- Disclosure of Political Appointments
- All federal employees are required to have direct deposit.
- Advance in hire may be authorized if there is demonstrable proof provided on your resume
- Leave accrual may be authorized upon request
- Must maintain and safeguard sensitive or classified information.
- May occasionally be required to work other than normal duty hours. Overtime may be required as workload demands.
- Work may occasionally require travel away from the normal duty station on military or commercial aircraft.
Qualifications
In order to qualify, you must meet the specialized experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Administrative and Management Positions.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-09, or equivalent in other pay systems. Examples of specialized experience includes applying the principles, concepts, and methods of legal research and reference resources (e.g. agency manuals, directives, commercial legal publications, and court and/or administrative decisions) necessary to perform research into particular legal issues; to analyze factual situations in light of the results of such research; and of the skill to independently draft clear and comprehensive legal reviews, memoranda, instructive material, and other documents relevant to the mission of the Civil Law Domain. Executing the knowledge and understanding of the applicable laws, regulations, practices, legal terminology, and legal documentation of civil law in the areas of acquisition and commercial law; ethics and related areas including the Joint Ethics Regulation, general officer and spouse travel, and gifts to the Air Force; military and civilian personnel law; information and privacy law, medical law, claims, torts and litigation, and the provision of legal assistance.
OR
EDUCATION: Successful completion of a PhD or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M. in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work of the position. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts.
OR
COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. Only higher-level graduate education in excess of the first 2 years may be combined with experience. NOTE: You must submit a copy of your transcripts.
FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-09 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-11 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks. NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas:
1. Knowledge and understanding of the applicable laws, regulations, and practices governing military and civilian personnel law, ethics, information and privacy law, acquisition law, medical law, as well as claims, torts, and civil litigation, and the provision of legal assistance, in general.
2. Knowledge of current Department of the Air Force organization, structure, programs, functions, functional relationships, channels of communication, and coordinating requirements peculiar to this office; knowledge of records management and attendant procedures in the Department of the Air Force, including procedures and processes for the long term storage of records.
3. Knowledge of several types of software and systems in order to accomplish a variety of office needs including Microsoft (MS) Word, MS Outlook, MS Excel, MS Access, MS Teams, Zoom for Government, Redact Xpress, and Adobe Pro; knowledge of the Defense Travel System in order to manage travel for the Director, Civil Law Domain.
4. Skill to effectively communicate orally and in writing and to draft signature-ready correspondence for the Director, Deputy Director, and Associate Director. Ability to compile and report data; and use effective analytical and evaluative methods to accurately assess factual situations and headquarters policy.
5. Ability to review, analyze, evaluate, and consolidate replies for the Secretariat, Air Staff, The Judge Advocate General, and the Director, Civil Law Domain; ability to gather facts; and to effectively evaluate and analyze them to develop recommended courses of action to Air Staff counsel.
6. Ability to perform legal research using electronic and traditional methods.
PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
IF USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY: If position has a positive degree requirement or education forms the basis for qualifications, you
MUST submit transcriptswith the application. Official transcripts are not required at the time of application; however, if position has a positive degree requirement, qualifying based on education alone or in combination with experience, transcripts must be verified prior to appointment. An accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education must accredit education. Click
here to check accreditation.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.
********************ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR ACTIVE DUTY SERVICES MEMBERS********************
ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE MEMBERS: The VOW Act requires federal agencies to treat an eligible active duty service member as a veteran, disabled veteran, and preference eligible (as applicable) when applying for civil service positions before the effective release or discharge date. Appointment of military members before the release or discharge date is permissible if the member is on terminal leave. At the time the active duty member applies for a civil position, he or she must submit a "certification" memo in lieu of a DD-Form 214,
Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. Active duty members applying for a civil service position without submitting a valid certification memo or DD-Form 214 with their application will render the member ineligible for the position. The certification memo must originate from the member's military service branch on official letterhead and contain the following:
- Name/Rank/Grade of Service Member
- Branch of Armed Forces
- Dates of Active Service (Start and End Date(s)
- Expected Date of Discharge/Release from Active Duty
- Terminal leave start date (if applicable)
- Expected character of service (honorable or general) and type of separation (i.e. separation or retirement)
- Must be certified within 120 days of anticipated discharge
- Signature by, or by direction of the adjutant, personnel office, unit commander, or higher headquarters commander.
Note: The VOW Act provides tentative preference. If appointed, a DD Form-214 must be submitted upon receipt
Contacts
- Address AF Legal Operations Agency - Pentagon
1720 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330
US
- Name: Total Force Service Center
- Phone: 1-800-525-0102
- Email: [email protected]
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