About this role
Job SummaryThis position is located in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of General Counsel (OGC), with three vacancies in Juneau, AK; Long Beach, CA; and Saint Petersburg, FL. This position is also announced under vacancy number OGC-26-13007898-DE, which is open to all US Citizens or Nationals. You must apply to both announcements if you want to be considered for both.
QualificationsQualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/ EDUCATION: There is no positive education requirement for this position. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal Service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience need not have been in the federal government. 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 skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. To qualify at the GS-11 level: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 in the Federal service. Specialized experience MUST include all of the following: Providing assistance and supporting attorneys to prepare and conduct depositions, hearings, trials, or other legal proceedings; Utilizing automated case management and electronic litigation support systems to provide assistance with processing, proofreading, cite-checking, or editing draft legal documents; and Drafting training presentations on legal topics for paralegals and general audiences. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A combination of related graduate level education and specialized experience.
Major DutiesAs a Paralegal Specialist, you will perform the following duties: Support NOAA's Office of the General Counsel (GC) to research existing and proposed NOAA policies, identify potential legal problems, prepare reports of findings, and recommend appropriate solutions. Assist GC attorneys with trial research, litigation, and negotiated agreements and settlements on routine matters with commercial, governmental, and administrative entities, employees and the public. Prepare affidavits, legal evidence, position statements, responses to requests for public records, and other legal paperwork in coordination with Federal, state, or local jurisdictions. Prepare or assist with training and education presentations, classes, and workshops to other paralegals and GC personnel.RequirementsKey Requirements: Applicants must be U.S. Citizens. Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by background investigation. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Additional Information. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov) Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. If you are a Federal employee applying for a promotion (under merit promotion procedures) you must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of the announcement. Additional Considerations: One year probationary period may be required. Payment of relocation expenses (PCS) is not authorized. This position requires Moderate Risk Security Clearance. Background investigation will be required. Continued employment is subject to applicant's successful completion of security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, for those required to serve a 1-year probationary period, we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: Your performance and conduct; Needs and interests of the agency; Whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and Whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of then Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.