Summary The primary purpose of this position is to serve as Paralegal Specialist and Law Office Manager and provide extensive legal and technical support to the Staff Judge Advocates (Active Duty & Traditional Reserve for Dobbins ARB) for the assigned areas of responsibilities to include federal labor, employment, and EEO law, litigation, research, environmental law, real estate reimbursements, and administrative and judicial proceedings involving issues and cases that are highly sensitive and complex. Responsibilities Provides paralegal assistance to Staff Judge Advocate (Active Duty). Analyzes administrative actions and independently prepares and coordinates preliminary legal review of all proposed notifications of disciplinary and adverse actions against civilian employees, including Air Reserve Technicians (ART), assigned to installation. Serves as Law Office Manager and provides legal assistance services and guidance to military members, retirees, and dependents on legal matters. Responsible for the coordination, development, and scheduling of all pre-hearing discovery; request for admissions and deposition; production of documents, litigation strategies, written response of agency witness, interrogatories and trial testimony. Provides paralegal assistance to Staff Judge Advocates and military paralegals (Traditional Reserve); administers the Wing Ethics Training Program and the Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-450) Program. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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, Paralegal Specialist, Series 0950. 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 extensive knowledge of a wide variety of Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps and paralegal selection programs, which can raise a myriad of questions from applicants. A sound knowledge and practical understanding of the laws, regulations, instructions, directives, and practices governing JAG Corps and paralegal recruiting, training, and management, with sufficient sophistication to manage and supervise administrative processes specific to those practices and procedures. In addition to knowledge of a wide range of concepts, principles, and practices of a professional or administrative occupation, such as would be gained through extended study or experience, and skill in applying this knowledge to difficult and complex work assignments; thorough knowledge in the application of rules and regulations in the field of ethics is required. OR EDUCATION: Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position or LL.M., if related. NOTE: You must submit copies 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%. NOTE: You must submit copies 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: Legal and administrative knowledge in performing responsible paralegal and technical assignments, to include but not limited to Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Rules of Procedure and decisions. Knowledge of statutory and regulatory exclusions that apply to both FOIA and PA. Must be able to draft motions, pleadings, and other court documents; coordinate meetings and/or court hearings; and track and manage all pending labor relations matters from inception through appeal. Comprehensive knowledge of Federal Rules of Civil Procedures, MSPB Rules of Procedure, Federal Rules of Evidence, applicable titles of law to the civil and criminal justice areas. Skill in interpreting, explaining, and presenting findings and conclusions relevant to a case or situation. Experience working with legal problems associated with the various categories of law identified above. The ability to work independently, make sound, and well-reasoned decisions are essential in order to effectively carry out the duties of this position. Must know how to research, analyze, and interpret legal documents and apply the information to case preparation. Must have in-depth knowledge of principles and techniques of legal research, familiarity with legal terminology and general legal materials, and proficiency in the use of such knowledge. Ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and complete assignments, establish schedules and milestones in managing programs, and exercise a high degree of responsible initiative. Ability to independently research, interpret, analyze, investigate, and define facts in legal documents and apply to case preparation. Ability to perform computer-based legal research using sources such as CyberFeds. Must be able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing and maintain good working relationship. Knowledge of rules, procedures, policies, and programs necessary to perform the procedural and administrative work of the organization. Knowledge of office functions to screen telephone calls and visitors, prepare and review correspondence, and perform other administrative work of the organization. Knowledge of various office automation software programs, tools, and techniques to support office operations and produce a variety of documents such as letters, reports, spreadsheets, databases, and graphs. 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 transcripts with 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 Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as an ICTAP eligible click here. To be well-qualified and exercise selection priority for this vacancy, displaced Federal employees must be rated well qualified or above for this position. You must submit a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location. Employed Annuitants (Reemployed Annuitants): Applicants in receipt of an annuity based on civilian employment in the Federal Service are subject to the DoD Policy on The Employment of Annuitants. Click here for more information. 120-Day Register: This announcement may result in a 120-day register that may be used to fill like vacancies for 120 days after the closing date. Applicants may be referred for consideration as vacancies occur. Military Spouse Preference (MSP) Eligible: MSP applicants, if determined best qualified, must be selected and placed at the highest grade for which they applied. You must include a completed copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility for MSP. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the DD Form 3145-4, Military Spouse PPP Self-Certification Checklist. Priority Placement Program (PPP) Applicant Eligible: PPP Applicants, if determined well qualified and selected, will be placed at the at the full performance level. You must include the applicable completed copy of the PPP Self-Certification Checklist dated within 30 days along with the documents identified on the checklist to verify your eligibility as a PPP Applicant. Click here to obtain/download a copy of the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist (DD3145-1 through DD3145-4, select the appropriate checklist for your claimed preference). To determine the applicable PPP Self-Certification Checklist required to substantiate the eligibilities you are claiming, refer to the AF Civilian Employment Eligibility Guide located in the Required Documents section of this vacancy announcement. Direct Deposit: All federal employees are required to have direct deposit. Disabled veteran leave is available to a Federal employee hired on/after 5 Nov 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more. For more information, click here. If you have questions regarding this announcement and have hearing or speech difficulties click here. Tax Law Impact for PCS: On 22-Dec-2017, Public Law 115-97 - the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017" suspended qualified moving expense deductions along with the exclusion for employer reimbursements and payments of moving expenses effective 01-Jan-2018 for tax years 2018 through 2025. When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit GSA Bulletin FTR 20-04 here for additional information.