This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/518594100. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
This position is located in the Foreign, Comparative and International Law Division I, Global Legal Research Directorate, Law Library.
The position description number for this position is 378652.
The salary range indicated reflects the locality pay adjustments for the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan area.
This is a non-supervisory, bargaining unit position.
Relocations expenses will not be authorized for the person(s) selected under this vacancy announcement.
Learn more about this agency12/06/2018 to 12/20/2018
$96,970 - $126,062 per year
GS 13
1 vacancy in the following location:
No
No
Permanent - Position
Full-time - Flexitime.
Excepted
15
No
No
VAR000664
518594100
AGENCY EMPLOYEES - CONSIDERATION UNDER THIS VACANCY IS LIMITED TO THE STAFF OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, TEMPORARY NOT-TO-EXCEED (NTE) AND INDEFINITE NOT-TO-EXCEED (NTE) EMPLOYEES ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY. (EMPLOYEES MUST MAINTAIN THEIR ELIGIBILITY AT THE TIME OF SELECTION.)
The Foreign Law Specialist position is located in the Global Legal Research Directorate in the Law Library. The employee in this position serves as a Foreign Law Specialist for the Law Library of the Library of Congress. The Foreign Law Specialist is responsible for providing research, advice and assistance on foreign legal issues, questions, or situations to the United States Congress, Executive Branch Agencies, the Judiciary, and foreign law reference services to other constituencies, including the general public. In that capacity, the Specialist conducts legal research and analysis and prepares or contributes to legal opinions, briefs, reports, memoranda, and comparative analyses related to the laws and legal systems of assigned jurisdictions (Arab-speaking countries of Middle East and Northern Africa). The incumbent will respond to inquiries related to legal developments in assigned jurisdictions and international organizations where countries of assigned jurisdictions (Arab-speaking countries of Middle East and Northern Africa) are members. In addition, the Specialist assists in the development of the Law Library’s online products and recommends acquisitions to the Law Library's collections related to the assigned jurisdictions.
Independently performs a broad range of research assignments requiring interpreting legal information where the translation of the law is not straightforward and the provision of legal advice is required. Performs foreign law research and provides foreign law reference services relating to the Arab-speaking countries of Middle East and Northern Africa, which include but are not limited to assigned jurisdictions. Receives administrative directions with established guidelines, policies, and procedures set forth by management. Performs legal research, reference, and writing assignments requiring expert analysis and interpretation of a foreign legal system. Knowledge of the principles and concepts of the U.S. legal system and legal practices is required in order to provide comparative legal analyses.
Performs foreign law research at various levels of complexity within assigned jurisdictions (Arab-speaking countries of Middle East and Northern Africa). Conducts legal research using printed, on-line, and other sources of information. Uses knowledge of sources of legal information, legal research methodology, and experience in legislative analysis to assist in the development and production of the Law Library's legal information systems. Participates in developing, producing, and promoting the Law Library's online products and services. These activities may include, but are not limited to the following: promotion of products and services; recommendation of appropriate government contacts in his/her assigned jurisdiction for possible cooperation; quality review of materials published on the Law Library's website related to his/her assigned jurisdiction.
Prepares or contributes to legal opinions, briefs, reports, memoranda, and comparative analyses related to the laws and legal systems of assigned jurisdictions. Prepares such reports and documents on a broad range of foreign legal issues requiring interpreting legal information where the translation of the law is not straightforward. Prepares written reports for a wide range of legal inquiries involving unusual requests, problems, and questions. Independently assesses and decide on unusual circumstances and variations. Conducts scholarly work and prepares publications, presentations, and legal bibliographic materials related to assigned jurisdictions and/or area of subject matter expertise.
Provides definitive advice and assistance to the staff of the United States Congress, Federal agencies, and U.S. Courts to enhance the exchange of foreign and comparative law information. Several liaison activities relate to legal issues/matters where unusual conditions, problems and questions occur. Provides advisory opinions on foreign laws to Federal agencies that need to determine the application of foreign laws to individual cases within assigned jurisdictions. Develops and maintains professional relations with colleagues in the United States and abroad.
Works with other specialists in developing national and international law collections for assigned jurisdictions in all formats using all available resources and systems of the Law Library. Surveys the Law Library’s collections for assigned jurisdictions and suggests measures to eliminate identified deficiencies. Makes recommendations on the acquisition of needed materials and searches the catalogs and collections for law items under consideration. Reviews and selects all material received in the Law Library on assigned jurisdictions.
Performs various other functions relating to the development and maintenance of legal collections of foreign laws for assigned jurisdictions in the Library.
No additional requirements to those listed above.
Applicants must have had progressively responsible experience and training sufficient in scope and quality to furnish them with an acceptable level of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the duties of the position without more than normal supervision.
Ability to conduct legal or legislative research.**
Ability to communicate in writing.**
Ability to convey legal analysis and information orally through briefings, consultations, and other presentations.**
Ability to work effectively in a high pressure environment.
Ability to work collaboratively with others.
Ability to verify accuracy of detailed information.
Ability to build and maintain a professional network.
Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing.
Although it is the Library's policy to afford the maximum pay benefit to employees when setting rates of pay, a new appointee who has had no previous Federal service will generally be paid the minimum step of the grade.
The Library of Congress is an equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities who meet eligibility requirements are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applicants must submit a complete application package that is received by the closing date of this announcement.
This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please ADA@loc.gov. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
The Library of Congress is the national library of the United States and is part of the Legislative Branch of the Federal government. As such, all positions are in the excepted service.
Appointment/retention is subject to a favorable evaluation of an appropriate personnel security/suitability investigation.
The Library reserves the right to fill a lesser or greater number of vacancies indicated during the life of this vacancy announcement.
Initial appointments, permanent or indefinite, to the Library of Congress require completion of a one-year probationary period.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
The Library of Congress evaluates applicants through an applicant questionnaire and a structured interview. Applicants may also be screened for some jobs through licensing, certification, and/or education requirements, a narrative/application review, and/or a preliminary telephone interview.
The knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are marked with a double asterisk (**) in the vacancy announcement and the applicant questionnaire are considered the most critical for a position. To be considered for final selection, applicants must demonstrate fully acceptable experience in these designated KSAs in the narrative/application review, preliminary telephone and/or full structured interview.
The various assessment tools listed above are designed to verify or explore applicants' experience, knowledge, and training directly related to the job in order to identify the best qualified applicants for selection.
Current or former federal employees must submit their most recent Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50 or equivalent).
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.
Please carefully follow all instructions under the How to Apply tab to ensure you are considered for the position.
You are required to apply online for this announcement. We are unable to accept mailed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes. To do so, complete the following steps.
Step 1: If you do not already have one, create a resume on USAJOBS. Although you must enter your Social Security Number for USAJOBS, this information will not be provided to the Library of Congress.
Step 2: Review the Job Announcement. We recommend you go to the end of the Qualification and Evaluation section of the job announcement to preview the online questions that you will answer in Step 4. You may wish to customize your USAJOBS resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.
Step 3: Click on the "APPLY ONLINE" button to the right of this announcement. Follow USAJOBS' instructions to access your account and submit your resume. You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment. You will be able to update this information and save it to our account for future announcements.
Step 4: Once you have completed the eligibility questions, you will be taken directly to the vacancy application questions. Answer all questions honestly and thoroughly.
Step 5: Hiring Management offers three options that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement.
(1) You may select a document that you have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement.
(2) You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
(3) You may follow the "Faxing Supporting Documentation" instructions within the online application, which will provide the necessary cover sheets for each of your documents so that they will be correctly submitted. The fax number will be available on the cover sheet.
Please note that each cover sheet and corresponding document must be faxed separately. Be certain to review your complete fax transmittal confirmation to ensure that all pages have been received.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, e.g. 2 undergraduate transcripts from different schools or 2 SF-50s, etc., be sure that they are all in the same file on your computer or in your USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. Likewise, if sending them by fax, be sure and include both of them behind the respective fax cover sheet and send them as one fax. If you send them individually with the same cover sheet, the last one sent will overwrite the first one. Finally, if you upload a document, e.g. your undergraduate transcript, do not also fax that same document (or fax another undergraduate transcript), because whichever one you send last will be the only one that is visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.
Step 6: Click on "Finish" after you have completed your application. Once you have submitted your application, you can check your status online through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation (e.g., SF-50, etc.) must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the closing date of the announcement. It is your responsibility to ensure that all documents are received on time and that the materials are readable. Failure to do so will result in your application being excluded from consideration for this announcement.
If you are experiencing any technical difficulty with the online process, you MUST CONTACT THE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE THE CLOSING DATE. For all technical issues please contact jobhelp@loc.gov , no later than 4:30pm EST of the Closing Date. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GRANTED.
Please review our evaluation process under Evaluation. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
This job originated on www.usajobs.gov. For the full announcement and to apply, visit www.usajobs.gov/job/518594100. Only resumes submitted according to the instructions on the job announcement listed at www.usajobs.gov will be considered.
Learn more about