This position is located in the Natural Resources Section (NRS), Environment and Natural Resources Division. NRS handles litigation arising under more than 80 natural resource, environmental, and cultural resource statutes, various treaties and international agreements, interstate compacts, and congressional referrals. This is an excepted service appointment under the DOJ Pathways Recent Graduates Program. The incumbent will provide paralegal support to the Section's attorneys.
To be eligible for this Recent Graduate program, one of the following requirements must be met: Recent graduates must have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associate, bachelor, master, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution; or must have completed a qualifying career or technical education program with or without a formal degree in a Registered Apprentice Program, Job Corps, AmeriCorps, or Peace Corps. You must have completed your degree, certificate, or program on or before the end of the current semester. If you graduated or completed an education program prior to MAY 2024, you will not be eligible for this position. Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have as much as six years after degree completion to apply. Note: If you are a current student seeking a degree or certificate from an educational institution, you may apply if you are in the final semester of the degree/certificate. You must include your expected date of graduation on your resume. You must receive your degree prior to appointment. If you are currently a student but cannot provide proof that you expect to graduate by the end of the current semester, you will not meet the program eligibility requirements for the Recent Graduate. To qualify for the Paralegal Specialist (Recent Graduate) GS-9, applicants must have one of the following: A. One year of specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-7 Federal grade level or above conducting research online, interpreting relevant information, and producing written products based on that research. This experience must also include using computer software applications to organize and manage information; OR B. Master's or equivalent graduate degree; OR two (2) full academic years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.B. or J.D. Qualifying education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position; OR C. A combination of graduate education and experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. (Only graduate education in excess of the first full year may be used in this calculation.) 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 skill and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experiences, including volunteer experience. To preview questions, please click here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12947344. YOUR RESUME MUST support your responses to the online questionnaire and provide specific details as to how your experience meets the specialized experience as described in the vacancy announcement if you are using experience to meet all or part of the qualification requirements. Please ensure that your resume includes the month and year that you began and ended each position held or that position will not be credited toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. Part-time employment will be prorated in crediting experience. Failure to provide details will result in an ineligible rating. Your latest resume submitted for this vacancy announcement will be used to determine qualifications and supersedes previous submissions. Only experience and education obtained by the closing date of this announcement will be considered.
As a Paralegal Specialist (Recent Graduate) your responsibilities may include: Performing research in various databases including Westlaw, PACER and Lexis; performing cite checks pursuant to The Bluebook, compiling legislative histories; proofreading and editing legal briefs and memoranda prior to filing in court; and ensuring conformance of documents to applicable court rules. Performing document management, including creating and maintaining litigation databases. Organizing and writing synopses of factual materials; summarizing depositions; preparing, organizing, and indexing administrative records; and preparing non-legal memoranda. Providing assistance at hearings and/or trials, for example, preparing exhibits, coordinating travel and trial logistics, and running presentation software during trial. Position MAY be converted to a term or permanent appointment if the following are met: Successful completion of at least 1 year of continuous service, Completion of at least 40 hours of formal interactive training, and Demonstration of successful job performance. A recent graduate converted to a term appointment may be subsequently converted non-competitively into a permanent position. Recent Graduates are on a trial period for the duration of the program. An Individual Development Plan (IDP) must be completed and approved by the supervisor within 45 days of appointment and a mentor must be assigned within 60 days of appointment