Summary The primary purpose of this position is to serve as the Senior Civilian Law Office Paralegal, in a specialized, multifunction role, performing various legal, office management, administrative and clerical duties in support of the Staff Judge Advocate, staff attorneys, and paralegals assigned to the wing in the fulfillment of the office functions as legal advisors to the 354th Fighter Wing. Additionally, supervise, plan, organize, direct, and exercise control over the Civil Law Division activity. Responsibilities (Civil Law Division: Contract Law, Environmental Law, Labor Law, Admin Law) Serves as a paralegal specialist providing researches legal authority and factual circumstances to prepare correspondence, legal memoranda and other legal documents. Assists with potential litigation support. Exercises supervisory personnel management responsibilities. Advises and provides counsel to employees regarding policies, procedures, and directives of management. Manages administrative work in support of the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate (SJA). Serves as Office Law, Manager and technical advisor for the SJA in all areas pertaining to the Civil Law. Develops goals and objectives that integrate organization objectives. 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. 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 (1) advise professional attorney staff, contracting officers, civilian personnel specialists, commanders and others on highly specialized problems of case development, interpretation of findings, and documentation requirements; (2) monitor the consistency of case decisions throughout the agency and recommend the reopening of cases or the issuance of official agency interpretations, as necessary; or (3) researching unsettled issues and develop proposed agency positions. The work provides the foundation for precedents that have a broad impact and affect multiple activities. OR EDUCATION: successfully completed a 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 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%. 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: Knowledge of federal and state law, military administrative law, legal procedures and the Government Standards of Conduct. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; ability to advise commanders and supervisors of appropriate legal actions. Ability to prepare correspondence in proper format with supporting authority and documentation and to prepare legal opinions with attorney guidance. Ability to prepare and brief presentations. Ability to speak and deal with a wide variety of people. To work effectively and independently as a member of the team. Skill to analyze, research and draw meaningful conclusions. Ability to interpret and apply regulatory and procedural requirements to process unusually difficult and complicated transactions; ability to utilize a military legal library and computer resources to perform appropriate research. Able to learn and proficiently use a variety of online databases that support the duties of the position, including but not limited to Word, Excel, FLITE, Westlaw and WebLIONS. Ability to maintain and manage filing and suspense systems. Ability to troubleshoot hardware and software problems on computer terminals and to determine the best method to correct the issue. Ability to administer use of the local area network and resolve local area network connectivity problems. 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. 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.