Paralegal Specialist

Office of the Secretary of the Interior; BLOOMINGTON (MN); On-site; USD 42,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Office of the Secretary of the Interior in Bloomington, MN is seeking to fill a GS-07 level position requiring specialized experience or equivalent education. The role involves case analysis, legal document drafting, and supporting hearings and trials.

Applicants must meet education or experience requirements and document weekly hours as part of the application. Superior Academic Achievement and combinations of education and experience are described in detail in the qualifications section.

Qualifications

• Performing case analysis, file review, and factual research.
• Using a database to update case status and to schedule hearings or other legal proceedings.
• Drafting and proofing legal documents and correspondence.
• Assisting judges or attorneys during hearings, trials, or depositions.

Responsibilities

• Perform case analysis, file review, and factual research.
• Update case status in databases and schedule hearings or other legal proceedings.
• Draft and proof legal documents and correspondence.
• Assist judges or attorneys during hearings, trials, or depositions.

Job description

Qualifications

All applicants must meet the requirements for the GS‑07 level by one of the following means:

Specialized Experience

To qualify for GS‑07 you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS‑05 grade level in the Federal service or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Experience must be demonstrated by meeting all of the following:

1. Performing case analysis, file review, and factual research;
2. Using a database to update case status and to schedule hearings or other legal proceedings;
3. Drafting and proofing legal documents and correspondence;
4. Assisting judges or attorneys during hearings, trials, or depositions.

(Hours worked per week must be included in your resume.)

Education

One full year of graduate‑level education OR a four‑year degree demonstrating Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) (contact with copy of transcripts).

Combination of Education and Experience

Education (must be graduate level) and specialized experience can be combined if each is less than the required amount. The total must equal at least 100 % of the requirement for the GS‑07 grade level. (Include resume hours worked per week and copy of transcripts.)

Superior Academic Achievement (SAA)

Successfully completed a bachelor’s degree in a directly related field AND meet one of the following:

• Class standing in the upper third of the graduating class;
• Grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher out of 4.0 ("B" or better) over 4 years, or GPA of 3.5 or higher over the final two years of the curriculum, or average of required major courses; or
• Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society.

GPA will be rounded to one decimal place.

Volunteer Experience

Volunteer work, including through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, community, student, social) is credited toward specialized experience.

Documentation of Hours Worked Per Week

For current federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, submit a non‑award SF‑50 to validate your work schedule and determine specialized experience. An award SF‑50 is not acceptable. For military service, DD‑214 or Statement of Service suffices. Non‑federal employees must state full‑time (40 hrs) or part‑time with hours on resume.