Join the team! This position is located in the Office of the General Counsel (GC) and is supervised by the Commission Secretary. The Secretary facilitates the Commission’s decision-making process, serving as liaison between the Commission and the Office of the Federal Register (OFR), and managing the Commission’s Directives System. This position will also support GC’s Division of Federal Court Litigation, General Law Division, Information Access Division, and Regulatory Affairs Division.

Duties

The CPSC is seeking recent graduates under the Pathways Program. This position is provided for recent graduates with a desire to work in the consumer product safety field and/or public sector and assignments are designed to complement the graduates educational field while meeting the expressed needs of the agency and CPSC organizations.

As a Paralegal Specialist you will perform substantive paralegal and legal assistance duties in support of the professional work of the Commission’s legal office. These varied duties may include legal and factual research; examining administrative and litigation records and preparing digests of law or fact; drafting Commission or staff-level correspondence and decisional documents; reviewing, cite-checking, finalizing, and submitting Federal Register notices, briefs, memoranda, and other legal documents; analyzing discovery and administrative record materials; maintaining agency records; and other similar duties and projects of comparable scope and complexity.

Salary

$55,924 - $72,703/year

Conditions of Employment

Must be a U.S Citizen.
Must meet Pathways Recent Graduate program requirements.
Background Investigation Required.

This is an appointment under the CPSC Recent Graduate program. You must have graduated within the past two years, from a qualifying educational institution or certificate program. The program duration is one year. Upon successful completion of the program and at the agency's discretion, the appointee may be converted to a permanent position in the competitive service. Appointee must sign a Participant Agreement. Recent Graduates will enter a formal training program with a mentor and execute an Individual Development Plan outlining training requirements and program expectations. The entire duration of the Recent Graduate Appointment constitutes a trial period.

This is a Public Trust Position. Employment in this position requires a background investigation. If you are selected and cannot obtain a favorable security determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed or undisclosed background issues, the tentative employment offer may be withdrawn.

Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements to participate in this program:

You must have a final cumulative Grade Point Average of at least a 3.0.
Current Students may apply up to 90 days prior to their graduation date.
Recent graduates who have completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying technical education program including: associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution or a qualifying career program which may include Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Job Corps, Climate Corps, AmeriCorps, and Peace Corps.
Veterans unable to apply within two years of receiving their degree, due to military service obligation, have as much as six years after degree completion to apply.
May submit unofficial transcript(s). Official transcript(s) will be required, if applicant is selected for a position.

Education

Mandatory Education Requirement. All applicants must meet one of the following requirements to qualify: GS-07: Applicants must have 1 full year of graduate level education or undergraduate superior academic achievement. The area of study for undergraduate or graduate education must be in Paralegal Studies, Legal Studies, Government, Political Science or other field of study involving substantial course work in research (transcripts must support this). In order to be creditable under the provision, superior academic achievement (SAA) must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. SAA is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses. Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on your official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. These honor societies are listed by the Association of College Honor Societies. All applicants MUST submit a copy of their college transcripts with the degree conferred date. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable during the application process. Official transcripts will be required upon appointment. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of this announcement. All education claimed by applicants will be verified.

Other Information

CPSC provides reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities on a case-by-case basis. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed in this vacancy announcement.

All the information you provide will be verified by a review of the work experience and/or education as shown on your application, by checking reference and through other means, such as the interview process. Any exaggeration of your experience, false statements, or attempts to conceal information may be grounds for not hiring you or for firing you after you begin work.

Additional selections may be made through this vacancy announcement.

A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.

This vacancy announcement will close after the receipt of the first 90 applications or by 11:59pm on the closing date provided in the announcement.

As a condition of employment, the selectee must reside in the local commuting area of the duty station listed in this announcement. Telework schedules (within the local commuting area) are approved on a case-by-case basis. Employees will have an onsite requirement each week. Proof of residence may be required.

Required Documents

In addition to your resume, the following documents are required for this position:

Veterans' Preference (If Applicable)- If claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-point Veteran Preference, SF-15, along with the required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. For more information on veterans' preference view FedsHireVets.

You must submit your college transcripts (unofficial are acceptable). Official transcripts will be required if selected for the position.

If you are graduating in the Fall of 2024, you must provide proof of graduation before appointment.

All supplemental documents must be submitted electronically before the closing date of this vacancy announcement. You have two choices for submitting your supplemental documents:

1. Download from your USAJOBS account; or
2. Upload your file(s).

Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Official documents are not required at the time of application, copies are sufficient. If selected, official documentation must be submitted prior to appointment.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

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.

How to Apply

A complete application package includes the following: your resume; your answers to the vacancy specific questions; AND the supporting documentation required (click on Required Documents).

You MUST apply on-line through USAJOBS. Your application must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. Uploaded resumes must include the following: applicant contact information and educational and professional background information including dates of employment and education, salary (and Federal grade level, if appropriate), and work schedule (i.e., FT/PT). Incomplete applications will not be considered and you will not be contacted to provide any missing information.

To begin the application process, select the "Apply On-line" button to the right on this screen. Then follow the prompts to login/register, submit all required supplemental documents, and complete the application process.

If you are having trouble with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center.

If experiencing any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Continue to Agency Site' button): please email recruitapps@cpsc.gov between normal business hours (8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET; except federal holidays). If receiving any kind of error message, please provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text number.

Benefits

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. Learn more about federal benefits.

CPSC offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: paid vacation, sick leave, 11 paid holidays per year, life and health insurance, Long Term Care insurance, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending account program, and retirement savings and investment plan similar to 401(k) (Thrift Savings Plan).

CPSC also offers a broad array of work-life flexibilities and services to employees such as, flexible work schedules, teleworking, transit subsidies, fitness center, and employee assistance and wellness programs.

Review our benefits.

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