Legal Administrative Specialist

Legal Administrative Specialist

Department: Department of Justice

Location(s): Des Moines, Iowa

Salary Range: $90234 - $117307 Per Year

Job Summary: For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Major Duties:

• If selected for this position, you will join a well-respected team in our Civil Division in providing litigation support services to manage and analyze case materials in support of a trial team. As a Legal Administrative Specialist (Litigation Support), you will: Determine the details and the government's strategy for the case in conjunction with Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs), investigators, federal agents, and paralegal specialists. Assure documents are organized for efficient automated storage and retrieval by preparing appropriate indices, defining data file search criteria and indexing/coding fields. Recommend software packages including database, spreadsheet and word processing applications that are most effective for presentation of evidence, as well as meeting individual user needs. Analyze automated litigation support functions and recommend changes to increase the system efficiency and effectiveness in coordination with the Litigation Support Unit team. Monitor system use and response time, conduct cost-benefit analyses, and develop implementation plans. Study, design, and develop litigation support systems to facilitate the provision of legal functions. Maintain inventory and track litigation support equipment, i.e. graphics, computer-based equipment, photographing devices, video and audio equipment, models, and other items commonly used in trial preparation and maintains same in good working order.

Qualifications: GS-12: To be eligible at the GS-12 level, you must have at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in Federal service. Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is defined as working in a legal environment providing technical advice to litigation teams on legal automation requirements and system capabilities; organizing and managing voluminous case information for efficient retrieval through scanning, indexing and controlling documents in a database; analyzing litigation support requirements to develop or recommend appropriate strategies to meet litigation needs; recommending software applications to effectively present complex evidence; and diagnosing and resolving litigation support computer system problems. Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)-The CTAP provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the Department of Justice with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your Department of Justice component has notified you in writing that you are a surplus or displaced employee eligible for CTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your CTAP eligibility, 2) you apply under the instructions in this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must satisfy all qualification requirements for the vacant position and receive a score of 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide a copy of your written notification of CTAP eligibility with your application. Additional information about CTAP eligibility is at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

How to Apply: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online assessment and submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 05/12/2026 the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: 1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button. 2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. 3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59PM (ET) on 05/12/2026. 4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification. 5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements (https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=USA_Hire_System_Requirements) 6. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, please click the following link:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12953364To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account (https://usajobs.gov). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. 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/ Reasonable Accommodation Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire

Application Deadline: 2026-05-12