Student Trainee Legal Assistant (OA)

Summary

Would you like being exposed to the work of a Federal Career, including experience with solid work assignments that will help you grow professionally through training and mentorship? The IRS Office of the Chief Counsel Pathways Internship Program is for you! This exciting program offers students paid internship opportunities to work in agencies and explore Federal careers while still in school. You will be provided meaningful developmental work at the beginning of your career.

This job is open to

• Students

  Current students enrolled in accredited educational institutions from high school to graduate level. Includes internships, pathways and other student programs.

Clarification from the agency

Open to U.S. citizens/Nationals who are currently accepted for enrollment or currently enrolled in a qualifying education institution on a full or half-time basis.

Duties

As Legal Assistant in the Office of Chief Counsel you will be given many learning opportunities with potential to grow within the organization.

The following are the duties of the Student Trainee Legal Assistant (OA) at the GS-05. You will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and will receive training to help you grow in this developmental position.

• Perform routine administrative work such as but not limited to: scanning, copying, preparing letters and memoranda for distribution, e-filing, tax court processing, and case closing.
• Receive visitors and phone calls.
• Prepare and assembles documents, including necessary transmittal forms and envelopes, in accepted office format for mailing, submission to court, or as otherwise directed.
• Review outgoing legal correspondence and documents to ensure proper signature and conformance to style and format required.
• Maintain files.

WHAT IS THE PATHWAYS PROGRAM? The Department of the Treasury’s Intern Program affords experiences in the Federal Government intended to introduce possible careers in the civil service to individuals who are currently enrolled students. Successful applicants are placed in a dynamic, developmental program with the potential to lead to a civil service career in the Federal Government.

Following the completion of program requirements, interns may be considered for non-competitive conversion to a career-conditional or term appointment. Conversion requirements include but are not limited to:

• Complete at least 640 hours of work experience acquired through the Internship Program
• Complete their degree or certificate requirements
• Meet the qualification standards for the position to which the Intern will be converted
• Meet agency-specific requirements as specified in the Participant’s Agreement, and
• Perform their job successfully.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PATHWAYS PROGRAM? For additional information regarding the Pathways Program, please refer to the following website: www.usajobs.gov/StudentsAndGrads / OPM Intern Program information page

If you are converted after completion of internship, you will be placed into a Legal Assistant (OA) position with non-competitive promotion potential to the GS-07 grade level.

All conversion requirements will be identified in the Participant Agreement.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Refer to “Other Information”
• Click “Print Preview” to review the entire announcement before applying.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National

Qualifications

To be eligible for this internship position, ALL of the following requirements must be met:

1. Academic Enrollment: You must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an accredited high school, technical or vocational school, two-year or four-year college or university, graduate, or professional school (go to https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ to verify accreditation status). Individuals who are enrolled must be taking at least a half-time academic, vocational, or technical course load leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate. “Half-time” is defined by the school in which the student is enrolled.
2. Good Academic Standing: Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA.
3. Qualification Requirements: Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications for this position as outlined below:

Qualification Requirements:

To qualify for the GS-04 level, you must meet the following requirements by the closing of this announcement:

A. Education– In the Intern Program you may qualify based solely on education as follows: Successfully completed two years of education above the high school level obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college, or university.

OR

B. Experience:You may qualify with one year of General Experience. General Experience for this position includes: clerical duties such as answering phones, responding to emails, greeting clients, gathering documents and creating documents using various computer software.

OR

C. You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Options for qualifying based on a combination will be identified in the online questions.

To qualify for the GS-05 level, you must meet the following requirements by the closing of this announcement:

A. Education– In the Intern Program you may qualify based solely on education as follows: Successfully completed four years of education above the high school level obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university.

OR

B. Experience:You may qualify with one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-04grade level in the Federal service. One year of specialized experience includes experience receiving visitors and phone calls; receiving, opening, time stamping, reviewing, and distributing incoming legal office mail and faxes; and preparing and assembling legal files and documents, correspondence, and other materials.

OR

C. You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Options for qualifying based on a combination will be identified in the online questions.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-time work is considered on a prorated basis. To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

Education

For positions with an education requirement, or if you are qualifying for this position by substituting education or training for experience, submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show 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. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

• We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies.
• Relocation expenses are not authorized.
• This is a bargaining unit position.
• Position may be converted to a permanent or term position.
• We offer opportunities for telework.
• We offer opportunities for flexible work schedules.

Conditions of Employment Continued:

• All selectees must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement.
• Complete a trial period, which is at a minimum the entire length of the Internship program.
• Provide proof of education (transcripts) prior to the job offer; An official transcript will be required if you are selected.
• Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment, at the time requested by the agency
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
• Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.
• Go through a Personal Identity Verification (PIV) process that requires two forms of identification from the Form I-9. Federal law requires verification of the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires in the U.S.
• Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel..
• Undergo an income tax verification.
• The employment of any candidate, including a current employee or a new hire, selected for this position may be conditional upon classification and/or audit of federal tax returns. This audit may include up to 2 years of returns.
• This position requires that the successful candidate undergo personnel vetting, which includes a background investigation and enrollment upon onboarding into “Continuous Vetting.” Enrollment in Continuous Vetting will result in automated record checks being conducted throughout one’s employment with Treasury. The successful candidate will also be enrolled into FBI’s Rap Back service, which will allow Treasury to receive notification from the FBI of criminal matters (e.g., arrests, charges, convictions) involving enrolled individuals in near real-time.

  There are three key documents that contain important information about your rights and obligations. Please read and retain these documents:

• Noncriminal Justice Applicant’s Privacy Rights, for those who undergo an FBI fingerprint-based criminal history record check for personnel vetting, which includes Rap Back,
• FD-258 Privacy Act Statement – FBI (this is the same statement used when your fingerprints are submitted as part of your background investigation), and
• SEAD-3-Reporting-U.pdf (dni.gov), (applicable to those who hold a sensitive position or have eligibility for access to classified information)”

• 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. 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 application includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a “not qualified” determination.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Clerical, Computer Skills, and Technical Competence. Category-like rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three quality level categories, Category A, Category B or Category Cdepending on your responses to the online questions regarding your experience, education, and training related to this position. Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application.

Veterans’ preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category. Qualified preference-eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest category.

Referral:If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

• 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. 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.

• Required Documents

  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have – whether you’re a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you’re eligible under their policies.

  A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

  All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view Resume Tips.

  EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION

  You must submit dated documentation showing completion or intended completion of all educational requirements (e.g. letter from the registrar, unofficial transcripts). An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

  A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

  If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

  If you are qualifying based on a certificate program, please refer to the Treasury’s Pathways Program page for more information on qualifying certificate programs.

  VETERANS PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION

  If you are 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 actual or expected dates of service 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.

• How to Apply

  The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 09/01/2023 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00-4:30 ET, Monday – Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12091551

  • 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. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
  • It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
  • Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

  Agency contact information

  Kelley Campbell

  Phone

  469-801-1593

  Fax

  855-562-3827

  Email

  Kelley.C.Campbell@irscounsel.treas.gov

  Address

  Office of Chief Counsel, IRS Staffing, Classification and Benefits Branch 1111 Constitution Ave, NW Washington, DC 20224 US

  Next steps

  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/.

  Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

• Fair and Transparent

  The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
  • Reasonable accommodation policy
  • Financial suitability
  • Selective Service
  • New employee probationary period
  • Signature and false statements
  • Privacy Act
  • Social security number request

Required Documents

A complete application includes 1. A resume, 2. Vacancy question responses, and 3. Submission of any required documents. Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

All applicants are required to submit a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of their own choosing. (Cover letters are optional.) To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Please view Resume Tips.

EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION

You must submit dated documentation showing completion or intended completion of all educational requirements (e.g. letter from the registrar, unofficial transcripts). An official transcript will be required if you are selected.

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to the OPM instructions.

If you are qualifying based on a certificate program, please refer to the Treasury’s Pathways Program page for more information on qualifying certificate programs.

VETERANS PREFERENCE DOCUMENTATION

If you are 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 actual or expected dates of service 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.

How to Apply

The following instructions outline our application process. You must complete this application process and submit any required documents by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 09/01/2023 and/or cut-off dates in this announcement. We are available to assist you during business hours (normally 8:00-4:30 ET, Monday – Friday). To preview the Application Questionnaire, please click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12091551

• 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. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
• It is your responsibility to verify that your application package (resume, supporting documents, and responses to the questionnaire) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Uploaded documents may take up to one hour to clear the virus scan.
• Additional information on how to complete the online application process and submit your online application may be found on the USA Staffing Applicant Resource Center.

Agency contact information

Kelley Campbell

Phone

469-801-1593

Fax

855-562-3827

Email

Kelley.C.Campbell@irscounsel.treas.gov

Address

Office of Chief Counsel, IRS Staffing, Classification and Benefits Branch 1111 Constitution Ave, NW Washington, DC 20224 US

Next steps

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/.

Please notify us if your contact information changes after the closing date of the announcement. Also, note that if you provide an email address that is inaccurate or if your mailbox is full or blocked (e.g., spam-blocker), you may not receive important communication that could affect your consideration for this position.

Fair & Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

• Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy
• Reasonable accommodation policy
• Financial suitability
• Selective Service
• New employee probationary period
• Signature and false statements
• Privacy Act
• Social security number request