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Legal Assistant

Department of Justice
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Office of the Chief Immigration Judge

Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge , Executive Office for Immigration Review, U. S. Department of Justice. Incumbent serves as Legal Assistant, who processes, analyzes and researches legal documents, generates reports, develops Records of Proceedings, and responds to FOIA requests.

This is a Competitive Service position; additional positions may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of certificate issuance.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 07/06/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 6, 2026
This job will close when we have received 300 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
many vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$34,799 - $62,057 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5 - 8
Promotion potential
8
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
ST-12996333-26-MS
Control number
874712100

This job is open to

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Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Land and base management

Current or former employees of a base management agency.

Veterans

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces or a spouse, widow, widower or parent of a veteran, who may be eligible for derived preference

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

National Guard and reserves

Current members, those who want to join or transitioning military members.

Individuals with disabilities

Individuals who are eligible under Schedule A.

Family of overseas employees

Family members of a federal employee or uniformed service member who is or was, working overseas.

Native Americans

Native Americans or Alaskan Natives with a tribal affiliation.

Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

Individuals who have served at least 2 years with the Peace Corps or 1 year with AmeriCorps VISTA.

Clarification from the agency

This announcement is open to current or former federal employees and specific hiring authorities.

Duties

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Duties include but are not limited to the following:

  • Reviewing correspondence and legal documents/files in an assigned area or case;
  • Analyzes documents and utilizes specialized techniques to determine appropriate course of action;
  • Develops Records of Proceedings (ROPs);
  • Prepares notices to respondents, attorneys, and other concerned parties to advise them of hearing dates; and
  • Provides assistance to in-court services staff with docket preparation and coordination of files and records needed for hearings

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening
  • You may be required to complete a probationary or trial period. See “Additional Information” for specific details..
  • Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
  • You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
  • Financial Disclosure: If selected, you may be required to disclose financial information in accordance with DOJ and Federal ethics guidelines.
  • May be required to file a Financial Disclosure.
  • A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
  • You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for the Legal Assistant position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:


FOR THE GS-05 LEVEL:

A. Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties:

1.) Preparing and processing standard, routine correspondence; 2.) Providing information to visitors; 3) Using various software applications; and 4) Maintaining files.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

OR

B. Education: Applicants must have successfully completed 4 years of education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite is creditable. This education was obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school.

NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.

OR

C. Combination: Applicant must possess a combination of specialized experience described in letter A above and post high school education described in letter B above in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) that totals at least one year. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

NOTE: Applicants must submit a copy of their transcripts for verification.

FOR THE GS-06 LEVEL:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties:

1.) Reviewing and processing documents for accuracy; 2.) Responding to written, telephonic, electronic, and personal inquiries; 3.) Assist in the preparation and maintenance of official files; and 4.) Generating and reviewing reports.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties:

1) Managing a calendar; 2) Examining files to determine sufficiency of documentation; 3) Conducting research for case information through an organized system of record; and 4) Generating, modifying and interpreting computer-generated.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

FOR THE GS-08 LEVEL:

Specialized Experience: Applicants must have at least one or more full-time years (12-months) of specialized work experience, equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service, performing the following duties:

1) Applying rules, policies and procedures to the work performed; 2) Demonstrated ability to coordinate multiple tasks; 3) Examining and processing documents which are voluminous and complex in format; and 4) Reviewing and assessing incoming document/files to determine next steps; and 5) Experience scheduling meetings and engagements.

(Your resume must CLEARLY demonstrate this experience)

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement.

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

Education

ARE YOU USING EDUCATION TO QUALIFY? Education must be accredited by an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications (particularly positions with a positive education requirement). You MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Applicants can verify accreditation by clicking here. All education claimed by applicants will be verified by the appointing agency accordingly. (Note: If you are selected for this position based on education, an official transcript will be required, prior to your first day.) You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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 accredited U.S. education programs; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, click here.

Translated transcripts are required.

Additional information

Alternative work schedule options may be available. Tour of duty may include Saturdays.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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.Career Transition Programs (CTAP or ICTAP): These programs apply to Federal and/or DOJ employees who meet the definition of surplus or displaced from a position in the competitive service. To receive selection priority for this position, you must:

  1. Meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria;
  2. Be rated well-qualified for the position with a score of 85 or above based on the competencies listed above; and
  3. Submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility.

Probationary or Trial Period (as applicable): As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:1) your performance and conduct;2) the needs and interests of the agency;3) whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and4) whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.

DOJ Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy

Selective Service: If you were born male, on or after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. Additional information is found at: www.sss.gov.

Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs: The Fair Chance Act prohibits Federal agencies from requesting an applicant's criminal history information before the agency makes a conditional offer of employment. If you believe a DOJ employee or Federal contractor acting on its behalf has violated your rights under this Act, you may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to EOIR.HR_Application_Review@usdoj.gov.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

How You Will be Evaluated
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. You must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments.

Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

Additionally, we will review your supporting documents and resume to determine if you are in the "Area of Consideration" for this vacancy. Government-Wide Merit Promotion vacancies may only accept applications from a limited audience, pay careful attention to the "Who May Apply" and the "Hiring Paths" information. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your eligibility.

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), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of the online assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Legal and Government Jurisprudence
  • Research
  • Clerical
  • Communication
  • Application of technology to tasks
In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

BASIS OF FINAL RATING: DOJ's Merit Promotion Procedures will be used to evaluate candidates.

If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12996333

Executive Office for Immigration Review

The Department of Justice (DOJ) leads the nation in ensuring the protection of all Americans while preserving their constitutional freedoms. As a Justice employee you'll be a member of a team where you can achieve your career goals and apply your skills and talents to our important mission. Read more about the exciting opportunities available.Mission: DOJ is to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and to protect civil rights.Core Values:

  1. Independence and Impartiality. DOJ works each day to earn the public's trust by following the facts and the law wherever they may lead, without prejudice or improper influence.
  2. Honesty and Integrity. DOJ's employees adhere to the highest standards of ethical behavior, mindful that, as public servants, we must work to earn the trust of, and inspire confidence in, the public we serve.
  3. Respect. DOJ's employees value differences in people and in ideas and treat everyone with fairness, dignity, and compassion.
Excellence.DOJ works every day to provide the highest levels of service to the American people and to be a responsible steward of the taxpayers' dollars.

Agency contact information

EOIR HR Services
Phone
00000000000
Email
EOIR.HR_Application_Review@usdoj.gov
Address
Office of the Chief Immigration Judge
5107 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
US

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