For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under 25-NV-12724333-MS.
GS-7: To be eligible at the GS-7 level, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-6 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience providing trial support to attorneys by preparing complaints, motions, subpoenas, orders, or other hearing and/or trial documents accurately and in proper format; verifying citations and statutory references contained in legal documents; assisting with discovery, hearing or trial preparation by performing duties such as compiling trial notebooks, assembling jury instructions, and compiling witness and exhibit lists; and using software applications and legal and non-legal databases to produce legal related reports and documents, conduct factual research, develop tables of contents and indices to briefs, and prepare courtroom presentations. To be qualified, you must type at least 40 words per minute based on a 5 minute sample with three or fewer errors. (A typing test may later be required.) Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
If selected for this position you will serve as a Legal Assistant responsible for directly and independently supporting Assistant United States Attorneys by providing a wide variety of technical assistance services related to complex immigration investigations and prosecutions. The incumbent provides support in litigative activities related to cases and investigations of illegal entry, harboring and smuggling, human trafficking, immigration application fraud and other similar matters. The work requires specialized knowledge of the processes, procedures, and practices of immigration litigation activities, knowledge of clerical and administrative office skills and an ability to apply these skills to increase the effectiveness of the assigned Assistant U.S. Attorneys. Typical duties include but are not limited to: Provides substantive assistance to Assistant U.S. Attorney's in complex litigative matters related to immigration investigations and prosecutions crimes such as illegal entry cases, harboring and smuggling investigations and prosecutions, human trafficking, cases involving immigration practitioners who commit application fraud and other similar matters. Acts as a legal assistance subject matter expert and provides training, guidance, and technical assistance to other legal support staff. Assists in conducting factual research of issues using various legal and non-legal databases and websites at the request of attorneys. Aids in preparing and organizing evidence for production as discovery and for use in trial. Contributes to reports summarizing the case status including legal and factual issues, and case developments. Furnishes requested information for pending and closed matters and cases and general procedures of the office. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.