Summary

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland's (USAO-MD) mission is to enforce and defend the laws of the United States of America through the prosecution of criminal cases brought by the Federal government; the prosecution and defense of civil cases in which the United States is a party; and the collection of debts owed to the Federal government that are administratively uncollectible.

This job is open to

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)
Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.
Family of overseas employees
Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.
Federal employees - Competitive service
Current or former competitive service federal employees.
Individuals with disabilities
Land & base management
Certain current or former term or temporary federal employees of a land or base management agency.
Military spouses
Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista
Special authorities
Individuals eligible under a special authority not listed above, but defined in the federal hiring regulations.
Veterans

Clarification from the agency

You may apply if you are a Status Candidate (this includes current or former Federal employees with career or career-conditional tenure in the competitive service; Former Overseas Employees, CTAP,ICTAP, VEOA, VRA, 30% or More Disabled Veterans,Schedule A,Military Spouses,AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, Vista and Interchange Agreement Eligible)

Duties

If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team that is responsible for providing Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support) support in the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland, located in Baltimore, Maryland, focusing in the areas of litigation support; case presentation and preparation.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Typical work assignments will include:

Performing routine litigation support tasks necessary to process common electronically stored information.
Implementing technical solutions needed for civil and/or criminal cases.
Applying knowledge of the litigation process, federal rules of procedure and evidence, and court requirements.
Providing customer support services and project management services to litigation team members.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

You must be a United States Citizen or National to apply for this position.
You must successfully pass a background investigation. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.
Selective Service: Males born after 12/31/59 must be registered or exempt from Selective Service (see
A probationary period may be required.
A pre-employment drug test may be required.
If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application.
All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
Time-in-Grade: Current or former Federal employees applying under merit promotion considerations must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements for consideration within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.
You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.
Must provide resume and supporting documents (See required documents).

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying:

To qualify at the GS-07 level, you must possess:

Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service performing (obtained in either the public or private sectors) (2) of the (3) the duties listed below:

Assisting withroutine and recurring litigation support tasks (i.e. processing electronic files, performing basic document review, preparing electronic materials for filing or legal proceedings);
Utilizing litigation technology software to prepare or produce discovery, evidence or electronic files relevant to civil and/or criminal cases;
Providing customer service support services for litigation team members.

OR one full year of graduate level education.

OR completion of a bachelor's degree AND also meet the requirements under the superior academic achievement provision.

OR a combination of the required experience and education for this grade level.

To qualify at the GS-09 level, you must possess:

Specialized Experience: At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service performing (obtained in either the public or private sectors) (2) of the (3) the duties listed below:

Performing routine and recurring litigation support assignments (i.e. processing electronic files, performing basic document review);
Analyzing project requirements to identify appropriate litigation support approaches;
Utilizing litigation technology software to prepare, produce and/or present discovery, evidence, exhibits, or electronic files relevant to civil and/or criminal cases.

OR two full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree

OR a combination of the required experience and education for this grade level.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

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. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here.

TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENTS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-05 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-07 level. One year at the GS-07 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-09 level.

You must submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No award SF-50 will be accepted; recommended SF-50s include promotions and step increases (within grade increases) .

All applicants will be reviewed to ensure they meet minimum qualification and eligibility requirements before carrying out the rating and ranking process. Applicants will not be further considered who will not meet within 30 days after the closing date of the vacancy announcement all qualification and eligibility requirements.

NOTE(s):

Experience: Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the Occupational Questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Education

If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see

Special Instructions for Foreign Education : If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. Failure to provide such documentation with your application will result in lost consideration. For further information, visit: addition, when reviewing applicant's transcripts, assumptions will not be made. Applicants MUST state which coursework is relevant.

Additional information

Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of its mission, the Department of Justice requires each and every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully complete a background investigation for a clearance as a condition of placement in this Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk position. This review includes financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan ( ICTAP ) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement; and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility, click here.

The Career Transition Assistance Plan ( CTAP ) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and rate equivalent to the Highly Qualified or better category using established category rating criteria. Additional information about CTAP eligibility, click here.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here:

Benefits
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.
Review our benefits
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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

Attention to Detail
Customer Service
Decision Making
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reading Comprehension
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link:

Benefits
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.
Review our benefits
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.
Required Documents
As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
Note: Failure to submit a resume or supporting documentation may result in elimination for further consideration. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Your Resume: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (for full consideration you must include day/month/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time) (cover letter optional).
- A complete Assessment Questionnaire
- Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50): If you are a current Federal employee, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status.
  - You may need to submit more than one SF-50 to demonstrate that you meet time-in-grade requirements.
  - If you are a former Federal employee, you must submit a copy of your separation Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status.
  - If you are a former Federal employee who previously held a career or career-conditional position in the competitive service, separated from the Federal Government over a year ago, and your last performance rating on record as a Federal employee was at least Fully Successful (or equivalent), you must submit a copy of your separation Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status AND your last Federal performance appraisal plan.
- Other supporting documents:
  - College transcripts If you meet qualifications based on education:
    - An unofficial college transcript.
  - Veterans Preference Documentation , if applicable:
    - In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates:1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable); or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
    - In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.
- Veteran applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA):
  - You must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing an honorable discharge to be considered. To be eligible, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. NOTE: Current employees applying under VEOA must submit a qualifying SF-50 to show they meet time-in-grade requirements.
- 30% or more Disabled Veteran.
  - You must submit your DD214, a completed SF-15, and letter from the VA dated 1991 or later to be considered.
- Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment (severely disabled, eligible veterans, certain military spouses, etc.)
- CTAP/ICTAP Documentation
  - A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
  - A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action'', documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
  - A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
  - Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
- Certifications as required under the Qualifications section
- Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
- Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
  - Position title;
  - Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
  - Agency; and
  - Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
1. Click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the following resources:
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application . This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.
To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
Agency contact information
MID-ATLANTIC SERVICE BRANCH
Email
NORFOLKMAIL@OPM.GOV
Address
US Attorney's Office District of Maryland
36 S. Charles Street 4th Fl.
Baltimore, MD 21201
US
Next steps
Note: Multiple selections may be made from this announcement. Salaries listed above are an approximation and are subject to duty station locality adjustment.
Fair and Transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
- Criminal history inquiries
- Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
- Financial suitability
- New employee probationary period
- Privacy Act
- Reasonable accommodation policy
- Selective Service
- Signature and false statements
- Social security number request

Required Documents

Note: Failure to submit a resume or supporting documentation may result in elimination for further consideration. To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

Your Resume: Your resume showing relevant experience and dates (for full consideration you must include day/month/year) of employment and work schedule for each (e.g., part-time XX hours per week or full-time) (cover letter optional).
A complete Assessment Questionnaire
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50): If you are a current Federal employee, you must submit a copy of your Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status.
- You may need to submit more than one SF-50 to demonstrate that you meet time-in-grade requirements.
- If you are a former Federal employee, you must submit a copy of your separation Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status.
- If you are a former Federal employee who previously held a career or career-conditional position in the competitive service, separated from the Federal Government over a year ago, and your last performance rating on record as a Federal employee was at least Fully Successful (or equivalent), you must submit a copy of your separation Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form reflecting your permanent, competitive status AND your last Federal performance appraisal plan.
Other supporting documents:
- College transcripts If you meet qualifications based on education:
  - An unofficial college transcript.
- Veterans Preference Documentation , if applicable:
  - In order to verify your Veterans' Preference entitlement, you must submit a copy of the Member Copy 4 of your DD-214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty); or if you are a current Active Duty member you must submit a certification on appropriate military branch letterhead that indicates:1) your service dates, 2) expected discharge or release date from active duty with a release/discharge date no later than 120 days from the closing date of this announcement, and 3) the character of service (e.g., Honorable); or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
  - In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower if a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the parent of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference" dated October 2013 and all the required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim.
Veteran applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA):
- You must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing an honorable discharge to be considered. To be eligible, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. NOTE: Current employees applying under VEOA must submit a qualifying SF-50 to show they meet time-in-grade requirements.
30% or more Disabled Veteran.
- You must submit your DD214, a completed SF-15, and letter from the VA dated 1991 or later to be considered.
Documentation supporting eligibility for non-competitive appointment (severely disabled, eligible veterans, certain military spouses, etc.)
CTAP/ICTAP Documentation
- A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for failure to relocate, notice of disability annuity termination, or certification from the National Guard Bureau or Military Department that you are eligible for disability retirement;
- A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action'', documenting your RIF separation, noting your positions, grade level, and duty location, and/or Agency certification of inability to place you through RPL, etc.;
- A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and
- Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
Certifications as required under the Qualifications section
Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment:
- Position title;
- Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee);
- Agency; and
- Beginning and ending dates of appointment.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an acc