Victim Witness Specialist

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.

This position is also being announced to applicants eligible to apply through Merit Staffing procedures under 24-VT-12407981-MS

.

Learn more about this agency

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Overview

• Accepting applications

• Open & closing dates

05/15/2024 to 06/05/2024

• Salary

$61,070 - $96,053 per year

• Pay scale & grade

GS 9 - 11

• Help

Location

1 vacancy in the following location:

• Burlington, VT

• Remote job

No

• Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

• Travel Required

Occasional travel

• You may be expected to travel for this position.

• Relocation expenses reimbursed

No

• Appointment type

Permanent

• Work schedule

Full-time

• Service

Competitive

• Promotion potential

11

• Job family (Series)

0301 Miscellaneous Administration And Program

• Supervisory status

No

• Security clearance

Other

• Drug test

Yes

• Position sensitivity and risk

Moderate Risk (MR)

• Trust determination process

Suitability/Fitness

• Announcement number

24-VT-12407980-DE

• Control number

791416600

Help

This job is open to

• The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee.

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

Help This job is also open in another announcement to:

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

• Family of overseas employees

• Federal employees

• Competitive service

• Individuals with disabilities

• Land & base management

• Military spouses

• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

• Special authorities

• Veterans

Help This job is also open in another announcement to:

• Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

• Family of overseas employees

• Federal employees

• Competitive service

• Individuals with disabilities

• Land & base management

• Military spouses

• Peace Corps & AmeriCorps Vista

• Special authorities

• Veterans

Help

Duties

At the full performance level, the Victim Witness Specialist will provide direct assistance and liaison services to crime victims and witnesses to facilitate prosecutions. If selected, you will receive formal and/or on-the-job training as needed.

Duties include:

• Provides Assistant U.S. Attorneys with information regarding victims and witnesses.

• Makes recommendations to AUSAs about potential challenges to successful court appearances by victims and witnesses.

• Assists AUSAs in locating victims and witnesses and assesses their ability to testify in court proceedings.

• Answers questions from AUSAs and follows up on inquiries regarding victims or witnesses. Tracks victim cases in the office.

• Schedules appointments, phone conferences and meetings with victims and witnesses as requested by the assigned attorney or as initiated by the victim or witness.

• Makes transportation and hotel arrangements to facilitate court appearances.

• Provides advisory guidance and assistance in preparing victim impact statements. Aids in preparing victims and witnesses to deliver testimony.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National

• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation

• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable

• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.

• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

GS-9

To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must have: at least one year of Specialized Experience equivalent to the GS-7 level; or Education, or a Combination of Education and Experience.

Specialized Experience

One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-7 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience managing calendars and travel, tracking expenditures, interacting with difficult personalities or people in difficult circumstances, and maintaining interpersonal relationships with a variety of specialized groups and the general public to support communities.

Education

One of the following types of education: a Master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B., or J.D.); OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. Education must be obtained in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position;

Combining Education and Experience

Combination of specialized experience and graduate education (as described above), which when combined equal 100% of the requirements. To calculate your percentage of graduate education, first determine the total number of graduate hours that exceed 18 semester hours (or your school's definition of one year of graduate study), then divide the total number of your excess graduate semester hours by 18 (or your school's definition of one year of graduate study). To calculate your percentage of qualifying experience, divide your total number of months of qualifying experience by 12. Now, add the two percentages together.

GS-11

To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must have: at least one year of Specialized Experience equivalent to the GS-9 level; or Education, or a Combination of Education and Experience.

Specialized experience

One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience supporting others that advocate on behalf of crime victims; providing information to victims and witnesses in regard to status of cases and results of trials; providing in court support during hearings; and obtaining services and assistance for victims and witnesses.

Education

One of the following types of education: Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree; OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; OR LL.M. Education must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.

Combining Education and Experience

Combination of experience and graduate level education that when combined, are equivalent to 100% of the required qualifications. Only graduate level education in excess of the first two years can be used in this calculation. To calculate your percentage of graduate education, first determine the total number of graduate level hours that exceed 36 semester hours (or your school's definition of two years of graduate study), then divide the total number of your excess graduate semester hours by 18 (or your school's definition of one year of graduate study). To calculate your percentage of specialized experience, divide the total number of months of qualifying experience by 12. Now, add the two percentages together. The sum of the percentages must equal at least 100%.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)- The ICTAP provides eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If your agency has notified you in writing that you are a displaced employee eligible for ICTAP consideration, you may receive selection priority if: 1) this vacancy is within your ICTAP eligibility; 2) you apply under the instructions in the 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 proof of eligibility to receive selection priority. Such proof may include a copy of your written notification of ICTAP eligibility or a copy of your separation personnel action form. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at: http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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/.

Education

All academic degrees and coursework must be completed at a college or university that has obtained accreditation or pre-accreditation status from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, see http://www.ed.gov

OR

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to timely provide such evidence by submitting proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency with your application materials. More information may be found at http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.

The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.

Reasonable Accommodation Statement: Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

EEO Statement: The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, status as a parent, genetic information, disability, age, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, or on the basis of personal favoritism.

Diversity Statement: As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

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• Benefits

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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 window

Learn more about federal benefits.

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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 complete application package (resume/supporting documentation, online questionnaire, and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment) will be evaluated and rated using DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement. If you are basically qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online questionnaire. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job. If it is determined you meet minimum qualification requirements, your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for Veterans' Preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles. In addition, qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more are placed at the top of the highest quality category (i.e., Best Qualified).

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.