Summary This position is located in the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Office of Operations Management (OM), Asset Forfeiture Section (OMA), Arlington, VA. This position(s) primary purpose is to provide the administrative support required for the processing of seizures once they are sent from the field to HQ for appropriate review and finalization. Responsibilities As a Legal Administration Specialist (Asset Forfeiture), your typical work assignments may include: Providing counsel to field offices anticipating the seizure of assets and responds to processing questions posed by DEA field managers, United States Attorneys, state/local agencies and other Federal agencies involved in seizure and/or forfeiture proceedings. Performing extensive and thorough legal research into the legislative history, precedent cases, decisions, and opinions that may be applicable to particular legal matters. Handing complex forfeiture issues and, because of broad experience in the intricacies of forfeiture procedures, is able to recognize novel applications and accurately construe regulations and statutes in these situations. Preparing changes to policy when existing regulations and guidelines and outdated, incomplete, or otherwise inappropriate. Conducting legal research of defined scope and complexity. Determining specific data needed and best approach to obtain this data or to determine the relevance or sufficiency of available legal, technical (e.g. financial, statistical), or other related data. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications For more information on eligibility requirements see: DEA Employment Eligibility Applicants must meet all of the required qualification requirements described below by the closing of this announcement. If you are qualifying based on education or if there are mandatory education requirements listed below, you MUST submit a copy of your college transcript with your application. Applicants applying for the GS-11 must meet one of the following requirements: A. Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-09 grade level. Qualifying experience must demonstrate the following: 1) Determining the identity of persons requiring legal notice of the Federal forfeiture actions and reviews the notices; 2) Reviewing petitions claims, records of proceedings, and other similar legal transactions to ensure compliance with legal requirements and technical accuracy; 3) Providing advice and assistance on well-precedented education or training problems or issues that are resolved through the application of routinely accepted practices; 4) Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, government organization and functions, and the democratic political process. B. Education: Have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree -or- (3) full academic years of graduate level education leading to such a degree; or LL.M., if related. OR C. Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages. Applicants applying for the GS-12 must meet one of the following requirements: A. Have at least one full year of qualifying specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-11 grade level. Qualifying experience must demonstrate the following: 1) Determining the identity of persons requiring legal notice of the Federal forfeiture actions and reviews the notices; 2) Reviewing petitions claims, records of proceedings, and other similar legal transactions to ensure compliance with legal requirements and technical accuracy; 3) Providing advice and assistance on well-precedented education or training problems or issues that are resolved through the application of routinely accepted practices; 4) Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, legal practices and documents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, government organization and functions, and the democratic political process; 5) Performing extensive research and detailed analysis of investigative and seizure documentation generated by the DEA field seizing office, interested petitioners and/or claimants, and the petition investigation which form the basis for Federal forfeiture actions; 6) Preparing weekly, monthly, and final forfeiture status reports for contingent agencies and to ensure that forfeiture actions are processed in a timely manner. Specialized 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). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience for this position includes: Additional information on the position qualification requirements are located in the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Qualifications Standards Handbook. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants must meet time-in-grade and time after competitive appointment requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Education See the qualification section of this vacancy announcement for education requirements. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the 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 provide such evidence when applying. For a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials, visit: www.naces.org/members.php. If you are claiming education as any part of your qualifications for this position, you must submit an official transcript, unofficial transcript, or a list including courses, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Additional Information For reasonable accommodation at the Drug Enforcement Administration, please contact the Human Resources office listed in this announcement. Veterans Employment Opportunity Act (VEOA): To be eligible for a VEOA appointment under Merit Promotion procedures, the veteran must be a preference eligible or a veteran separated after 3 years or more of continuous active service performed under honorable conditions. 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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office. Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement. If eligible, applicants to this announcement may be referred to similar positions in any Division/Office listed in this announcement. Telework eligibility and security clearance requirements may vary for such similar positions. Recruitment and/or Relocation Incentives may be considered and approved under conditions specified provided the agency has determined that the position is likely to be difficult to fill in the absence of an incentive and funding for such an incentive is available. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period, or one or two-year trial period, during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. If eligible, telework and/or remote work agreements may be permitted with supervisory approval. Please note that any approved remote work arrangement is subject to the locality pay area of the alternative telework worksite.
