The position's primary purpose is to provide administrative and legal support services to the FOIA/PA program. Incumbent uses discretion and independent judgment in application of a specialized knowledge of FOIA/PA laws, case precedent decisions, Department regulations, policies and practices of the Antitrust Division, and judicial or administrative proceedings.
Summary
The position's primary purpose is to provide administrative and legal support services to the FOIA/PA program. Incumbent uses discretion and independent judgment in application of a specialized knowledge of FOIA/PA laws, case precedent decisions, Department regulations, policies and practices of the Antitrust Division, and judicial or administrative proceedings.
As a Government Information Specialist in the FOIA/PA Unit, duties include:
Reviewing and coordinating requests with issues that require interpretation and adaptation of guidance to particular situations related to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and/or Privacy Act (PA).
Reviewing incoming requests, contacting the requester for clarification if necessary.
Researching requests, identifying legal issues, and analyzing whether there is any basis to assert an exemption to disclosure.
Conducting extensive record searches and making disclosure determinations.
Drafting outgoing responses that ensure complete coverage of all issues, proper coordination with the appropriate parties, and compliance with FOIA/PA regulations and policies.
Independently reviewing, processing, and preparing documents covering diverse and complex legal issues or problems, such as carrying out case development and documentation activities as a case progresses through the administrative appellate system.
Researching and analyzing relevant materials and supplying the Unit Chief, Supervisory Government Information Specialist, or other reviewer, with recommendations for action on these documents. Such issues may include the relationships of individuals identified in files in order to balance release of personal information with individual rights of privacy, and to evaluate release of information against possible harm to private financial interests.
Performing extensive legal research into the legislative history, precedent cases, decisions, and opinions that may be applicable to particular legal matters. Working with senior staff members on precedent setting cases and participating in special projects dealing with legal issues, which are novel or involve implementation of new legislation.
Staying abreast of all policies and procedures affecting records retrieval practices.
Developing, organizing, and providing organizational briefings and training programs on FOIA/PA policy, regulations, and procedures.
Incorporating developments in FOIA and PA law and legislation, including recent court decisions and agency policies.
You must be a U.S. Citizen to be considered for this position.
You must undergo a pre-employment security investigation.
You may be required to take and successfully clear a drug test.
You must submit a complete application package by closing date.
You must meet all time-in-grade and qualification requirements by closing date.
SELECTIVE SERVICE: All male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must have registered for the selective service (see http://www.sss.gov). If selected for this position, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
This is a full-time, permanent appointment in the competitive service, ineligible for inclusion in the bargaining unit.
This is a non-supervisory appointment, subject to a one-year probationary period in accordance with 5 CFR 316.304.
The Antitrust Division participates in the E-Verify program.
When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.
Qualifications
You must possess one of the below requirements to qualify at the GS-9 level:
Possess one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-7 level. EXAMPLES of qualifying specialized experience at this level include: interpreting and processing Freedom of Information Act requests or appeals; determining the nature of records requests; coordinating and tracking records process request and appeals. OR
Hold a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. OR
Possess a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 18 semester hours (27 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.
You must possess one of the below requirements to qualify at the GS-11 level:
Possess one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-9 level. EXAMPLES of qualifying specialized experience at this level include: evaluating FOIA/PA issues/requests in terms of cited legislation and content to determine legislative applicability; interpreting and advising on new developments and recent court decisions, legislative activities, and Congressional initiatives regarding release of information under the Privacy Act; processing complex FOIA/PA requests for access to highly sensitive records including classified materials and grand jury information. OR
Hold a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. OR
Possess a combination of experience and education. To combine education and experience, the total percentage of experience at the required grade level compared to the requirement, as well as the percentage of completed education compared to the requirement must equal at least 100 percent. Only graduate level education in excess of the first 36 semester hours (54 quarter hours) may be combined to be considered for qualifying education.
Please Note: Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position as described below, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.
Education
Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be creditable toward your qualifications. Therefore, you should provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/)
.
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. For more information about this requirement, please visit the U.S. Department of Education website for Foreign Education Evaluation
*All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Additional information
The Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component 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 (80 or above) using established category rating criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over candidates from other agencies 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 over other applicants who are not employees of the Department of Justice 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 (80 or above) using established category rating criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your
written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.
The Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA) allows veterans to apply to announcements that are only open to "status" candidates, which means "current competitive service employees." To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, your latest discharge must be issued under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge), AND you must be either (1) a preference eligible (defined in title 5 U.S.C. 2108(3)), OR (2) a veteran who substantially completed 3 or more years of active service. When applying under VEOA, you must rate and rank among the best qualified when compared to current employee applicants in order to be considered for appointment. Veterans' preference does not apply to internal agency actions such as promotions, transfers, reassignments and reinstatements.
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.
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.
Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the basic qualifications for the position listed in this announcement. Please Note: Basic qualifications will be determined based on a comparison of your resume against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in the position requirements.
If you are found to be qualified, your application will be assessed based upon the following competencies, knowledge, skills, and abilities:
Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
Technical Competence
Writing
Your resume and supporting documentation will be further assessed and compared to the responses of your occupational/assessment questionnaire. The numeric rating you receive will be based on your responses to the questionnaire. The score is a measure of the degree to which your background matches the knowledge, skills and abilities required for the position, and will determine the rank in which you place. The "Best Qualified" candidates will be referred for selection.
If, after reviewing your resume and or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score can and will be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities. Please follow all instructions carefully as errors or omissions may affect your rating.
Performance Appraisals and Awards
You will receive an additional point added to your final score for a fully successful or higher performance rating within the last 3 years. An additional point will also be added to your final score for any one performance award received within the past three years that relates to the position for which you are applying. Please provide only one recent award. To receive credit, you must provide a copy of your performance rating and a copy of your performance award SF-50.
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.
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.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:
Resume - Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their resume and cover letter. Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences, as represented in their resume, clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position, and the competencies and technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position.
Completed Assessment Questionnaire.
Your Transcript (if using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify, an unofficial transcript is acceptable; however, if selected, an official transcript must be provided).
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service) which shows type of service appointment, tenure group, grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF50s include promotions, Within Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s over one year old). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof.
Most Recent Performance Appraisal (if current or former federal employee).
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting receipt of a Performance Award received within the last 3 years.
Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable). Veteran applicants must be within the area of consideration to be considered for this position.
IMPORTANT RESUME INFORMATION: Your resume must contain detailed information about your past employment, education, and qualifications. You should also include unpaid work experience (volunteer work) as well, as we may be able to credit you for this experience. If you're unsure about what to include in your resume, please review the USAJOBS Resume Writing Tutorial on YouTube. At a minimum, your resume must list each of the following items for each employment referenced: 1) position
title, 2) employer name and contact information, 3) start and end dates (including month and year), 4) a detailed list of duties performed, accomplishments, and your highest salary (or grade/step) achieved, 5) if degree not yet conferred, mm/yyyy in which anticipated.
NEED HELP?
If you need help submitting your documents, please review the Applicant Help Site, Documents page. If you need help understanding document requirements, contact the Personnel Section at ATR.personnel@usdoj.gov during normal business hours. If you're having difficulty with your application or document submission, please don't wait until the last minute, contact us right away so we can help you before the announcement closes.
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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/21/2020 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Note: If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Personnel Section at ATR.personnel@usdoj.gov to obtain an alternative application.
**Applications mailed using government postage and/or internal federal government mailing systems are in violation of agency and postal regulations and will not be accepted.
Antitrust Division
450 5th Street, NW
Washington
Washington, DC 20530
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the announcement closes, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications based on the application we receive. Ranking will be determined based on responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30 to 60 days of the closing date of this announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:
Resume - Applicants will be evaluated based on a comparison of the position requirements against the quality and extent of experience or related education as reflected in their resume and cover letter. Applicants are encouraged to ensure work experiences, as represented in their resume, clearly show the possession of knowledge of the subject matter pertinent to the position, and the competencies and technical skills to successfully perform the duties of the position.
Completed Assessment Questionnaire.
Your Transcript (if using education or a combination of education and experience to qualify, an unofficial transcript is acceptable; however, if selected, an official transcript must be provided).
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (if applying as a status candidate with current or former Federal service) which shows type of service appointment, tenure group, grade, and salary. If you are applying for a higher grade, please provide the SF-50 Form which shows the length of time you have been in your current/highest grade (examples of appropriate SF50s include promotions, Within Grade/Range Increases, and SF-50s over one year old). If you have promotion potential in your current position, please provide proof.
Most Recent Performance Appraisal (if current or former federal employee).
SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting receipt of a Performance Award received within the last 3 years.
Veterans Preference Documentation (if applicable). Veteran applicants must be within the area of consideration to be considered for this position.
IMPORTANT RESUME INFORMATION: Your resume must contain detailed information about your past employment, education, and qualifications. You should also include unpaid work experience (volunteer work) as well, as we may be able to credit you for this experience. If you're unsure about what to include in your resume, please review the USAJOBS Resume Writing Tutorial on YouTube. At a minimum, your resume must list each of the following items for each employment referenced: 1) position
title, 2) employer name and contact information, 3) start and end dates (including month and year), 4) a detailed list of duties performed, accomplishments, and your highest salary (or grade/step) achieved, 5) if degree not yet conferred, mm/yyyy in which anticipated.
NEED HELP?
If you need help submitting your documents, please review the Applicant Help Site, Documents page. If you need help understanding document requirements, contact the Personnel Section at ATR.personnel@usdoj.gov during normal business hours. If you're having difficulty with your application or document submission, please don't wait until the last minute, contact us right away so we can help you before the announcement closes.
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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
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.
To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 12/21/2020 to receive consideration.
To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
Note: If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Personnel Section at ATR.personnel@usdoj.gov to obtain an alternative application.
**Applications mailed using government postage and/or internal federal government mailing systems are in violation of agency and postal regulations and will not be accepted.
Antitrust Division
450 5th Street, NW
Washington
Washington, DC 20530
US
Next steps
Once the online questionnaire is received, you will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. After the announcement closes, we will conduct an evaluation of your qualifications based on the application we receive. Ranking will be determined based on responses to the Assessment Questionnaire. The most highly qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for further consideration and possible interview. We expect to make a selection within 30 to 60 days of the closing date of this announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
