LEGAL ASSISTANT (OFFICE AUTOMATION)

Summary

The primary purpose of this position is: To assist commanders, first sergeants, and staff judge advocate by providing legal and administrative services that facilitate the administrative discharge of Air Force personnel.

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Duties

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• Manages and oversees the daily operation of the adverse actions (discharge) program. Ensures tracked Air Force-level metrics and milestones for case processing are not missed
• Serves as the Victim and Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) Coordinator, responsible for carrying out the duties and responsibilities of the Local Responsible Officer, a wing commander duty which has been delegated from the 62 AW/CC. Coordinates, processes, and reports all activity of the VWAP, which is to ensure protection, notification, and compensation of victims and witnesses in Air Force criminal justice proceedings.
• Maintains adverse action docket, to include administrative involuntary board-entitled and non-board-entitled discharges
• Manages and oversees the daily operation of the administrative demotion program Prepares, reviews, and processes administrative demotions.
• Provides training to paralegals, newly assigned personnel, commanders, and first sergeants. Utilizes knowledge of Air Force administrative discharge and demotion processes to develop discharge and demotion training plan.
• Provides legal assistance with the Staff Judge Advocate and other staff attorneys

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Males must be registered for Selective Service, see
• Applicants are subject to a Background check
• Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid
• This position is subject to provisions of the DoD Priority Placement Program
• Employee may be required to function as Notary Public. Must be able to satisfactorily complete training to become a Notary Public and be able to meet bonding or other requirements inherent to the appointment as a Notary Public.
• May be required to work an uncommon tour of duty that may include nights or weekends
• Disclosure of Political Appointments
• Depending on the type of position (competitive/excepted) you are selected for, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period OR 2-year trial period.
• Upon completion of your probationary/trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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, for Clerical and Administrative Positions.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service which includes knowledge of the organization responsibilities, priorities, policies, and programs and a knowledge of an extensive body of legal rules and procedures, including both federal and state laws, to process unusually difficult and complicated legal support assignments. Knowledge of guidelines, precedent case actions, legal research techniques, and the programs of the organization, equal to that acquired through extended work experience or training, to assist the legal staff in locating and identifying precedent cases, legal citations, and statutory references

OR

EDUCATION: Applicant must have successfully completed one year of graduate level education in a field directly related which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as Law and Legal Studies. NOTE: You must submit a copy of official transcripts

OR

COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position if the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. NOTE: You must submit a copy of 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-06 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-07 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:

1. Knowledge of rules, procedures, policies, and programs of the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate to perform the procedural and administrative work of the organization such as preparing and editing legal documents and administrative correspondence, maintaining files, and records, and assembling information for various legal documents and reports; knowledge of legal services and terminology in the area of claims, civil law, military justice,

legal assistance, discharge and demotion actions, and legal research techniques; and knowledge of grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and required legal formats and directives regarding preparation of written communications to produce legal and administrative documents and communications

2. Knowledge of office functions to screen telephone calls and visitors, prepare and review correspondence, and perform other administrative work as required

3. 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

4. Skill in typing; a qualified typist is required

5. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; ability to advise commanders and supervisors of appropriate legal actions. 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

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 transcriptswith 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.

Current Federal Civilian employees may apply for temporary and term positions and if selected, a break in service may be required prior to appointment to the position.

Temporary and Term Appointments: If you are selected for a temporary or term position in the competitive service, your appointment may be extended to the maximum period allowed by law without further competition.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.