Paralegal 2 Victim Navigator (12-2128)

State of Alaska; Fairbanks (AK); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Alaska in Fairbanks is seeking a Paralegal 2 to assist crime victims and witnesses by coordinating case activities under supervision, explaining rights, and serving as a liaison with prosecutors and advocacy groups.

The successful candidate will work within the Department of Public Safety, contributing to victim-centered services and rigorous case management while adhering to confidentiality and legal standards.

Qualifications

• Paralegal or equivalent education/experience in legal support.
• Understanding of victims' rights and confidentiality requirements.
• Ability to pass a criminal background check and obtain any required clearances.

Responsibilities

• Assist crime victims and witnesses by establishing contact and rapport.
• Explain rights and available resources to clients.
• Coordinate case activities under supervision of investigators or a supervisor.
• Maintain case status updates and liaise with prosecutors and victim advocates.

Skills

Victim advocacy

Interpersonal skills

Analytical thinking

Adaptability

Education

Post-secondary/legal support education

Tools

APSIN familiarity

Legal research tools

Job description

Recruitment is exempt from the hiring freeze (Administrative Order 358).

This recruitment is open to Alaska Residents only. Applicants must meet Alaska Residency Requirement in order to be considered for employment at this time.

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

The primary purpose of this position is to: assist crime victims and witnesses by establishing and maintaining contact and rapport, explaining their rights and the resources available to them, facilitating and coordinating necessary case activities under the director of the investigating trooper or a supervisor, keeping victims and witnesses in formed of the status of their case and the investigative process, and serving as a liaison with other agencies and victim advocacy groups.

OUR ORGANIZATION, MISSION, AND CULTURE

The Division of Victim Assistance & Forensic Science is dedicated to upholding the rights of victims of crime and providing victim-centered support to those impacted by crime. We strengthen Alaska’s criminal justice system through science, training, and services that enhance public safety, prevention efforts, and community trust. Your work in this role directly supports statewide consistency, best-practice response, and long-term improvements in victim services and justice outcomes.

THE BENEFITS OF JOINING OUR TEAM

As a member of one of the most unique law enforcement agencies in the nation, you will be part of a team that embraces the core values of loyalty, integrity, courage, compassion, leadership, and accountability as they serve Alaska. In this fast-paced environment, you will work with a phenomenal team of professionals, both civilian and commissioned.

THE WORKING CONDITIONS YOU CAN EXPECT

This position will be located at the Department of Public Safety, Alaska State Troopers D Detachment Post in Fairbanks, Alaska. The daily work environment will consist of working directly with commissioned members of the Department and having direct contact with victims and survivors of certain felony level crimes, as well as frequent interactions with prosecutors and/or victim witness paralegals (LAW). The incumbent will be directly supervised out of Anchorage and will work closely with team members throughout the state to support the mission. Travel may be required to fulfill job duties. This position may require overtime work during a standard work week, on weekends, and/or holidays to provide support to the mission and/or a specific case.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Self-Management: Sets well-defined and realistic personal goals; displays a high level of initiative, effort, and commitment towards completing assignments in a timely manner; works with minimal supervision; is motivated to achieve; demonstrates responsible behavior.

• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.

• Criminal Justice: Experience in working within the criminal justice system including working knowledge of applicable laws and regulations regarding victims’ rights and maintaining the integrity of confidential/sensitive criminal justice information.

About the Department

The Department of Public Safety strives to preserve the peace, enforce the law, prevent and detect crime, and protect life and property. All positions support or carry out the Department's mission. If our mission interests you and this position embodies your strengths, please consider joining our team. More information about the Department of Public Safety can be found on our website: http://dps.alaska.gov/

PI01B2 – Paralegal 2

Successful completion of training under a formally established Paralegal 1-2 flexible staffing training plan with the State of Alaska;

OR

Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:

• Adaptability: adjusts planned work by gathering relevant information and applying critical thinking to address multiple demands and competing priorities in a changing environment.
• Administrative Law: Knowledge of State and federal administrative laws, including procedures, regulations, guidelines, and precedents related to case preparation and settlements.
• Attention to Detail: Is thorough when performing work and conscientious about attending to detail.
• Interpersonal Skills: Shows understanding, friendliness, courtesy, tact, empathy, concern, and politeness to others; develops and maintains effective relationships with others; may include effectively dealing with individuals who are difficult, hostile, or distressed; relates well to people from varied backgrounds and different situations; is sensitive to cultural diversity, race, gender, disabilities, and other individual differences.
• Stress Tolerance: Deals calmly and effectively with high stress situations (for example, tight deadlines, hostile individuals, emergency situations, dangerous situations).

Equivalent to those typically gained by:

Post-secondary and/or vocational education in a legal, paralegal, criminal justice, or similar legal support area and/or experience performing paraprofessional legal investigation, discovery, and providing support in the preparation of legal cases, reports, documents, and exhibits.

Special Note (All Levels)

Positions may require incumbents to be able to obtain a Notary Public upon hire, and to be able to pass a criminal background check to meet security requirements for using criminal record networks such as Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN) and National Crime Enforcement Information Center/National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NCIC/NLETS). If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

Some positions are required to work regular overtime during the standard workweek, on weekends, and/or holidays to provide support to the assigned duty attorney. If this requirement is present, it will be stated in the vacancy announcement.

"Competencies" means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.

"Paraprofessional" work is typically associated with and supportive of a professional field. It involves extensive practical knowledge gained through experience and/or specific formal or on-the-job training. Work in these occupations may involve substantial elements of the work of the professional or administrative field, but requires less than full knowledge of the field involved.

"Progressively responsible" means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.

"Technical" means performing tasks, methods, procedures, and calculations that are covered by established precedents or guidelines and often require a high degree of skill, care, and precision.

"Training" and "education" in this guidance are synonyms for the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post‑secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.

"Typically gained by" means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.

COVER LETTER

A cover letter is NOT required for this position. Your complete application will be used to determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment and selection process.

AT TIME OF INTERVIEW

• Last two performance evaluations are required. Two letters of reference from most recent supervisors may be substituted if performance evaluations are not available.
• At least two (2) references with daytime phone numbers

Special Note

• Must be able to drive at night and/or in darkness
• Periodic travel as needed may be required

FIREARMS

This position requires the use or possession of a firearm or ammunition. In accordance with the federal Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act of 1997 (PL 104-208), if you have been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you may not hold this position.

A "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" is an offense that is (1) a misdemeanor under Federal or state law; and (2) has, as an element, the use or attempted use of physical force, or the threatened use of a deadly weapon, committed by a current or former spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim, by a person with whom the victim shares a child in common, by a person who is cohabiting with or has cohabited with the victim as a spouse, parent, or guardian, or by a person similarly situated to a spouse, parent, or guardian of the victim.

If you have ever been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, do NOT apply for this position.

BACKGROUND CHECK

This position requires the incumbent to submit to a fingerprint-based criminal history background check. Due to the sensitive nature of this position, and required access to APSIN, an applicant with criminal convictions will not move forward in the selection process.

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT

The successful candidate will be required to read, understand, and agree to via signature, an agreement of confidentiality concerning the work commonly encountered within the Department of Public Safety to qualify for this position.

EDUCATION

To verify education is being used to meet and/or support the required minimum qualifications/competencies, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials used to meet or support the minimum qualifications/competencies for a position and are required with each application. (Unofficial is okay; please ensure the institution/URL name is listed on the transcripts). Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or provided at the time of interview; if not, transcripts will be required before employment.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Applications will be reviewed to determine if minimum qualifications are met. Therefore, all work experiences the applicant is using to meet minimum qualifications for this position must be documented in the application package. Please include the employer’s name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether the employment