Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from all US Citizens

The Division consists of three branches: the Registration and Compliance Branch, the Financial Requirements Branch, and the Examinations Branch, along with their respective subordinate sections.

As a Paralegal Specialist, the incumbent is primarily responsible for assisting attorneys, financial analysts, and examiners in the Division by providing comprehensive legal and regulatory support in all aspects of MPD’s daily activities, including the assessment of the appropriateness of current regulations, the assessment of registrants’ compliance with current regulations, the development of revised and new regulations to address dynamic market structures and operations, drafting of orders and letters, and the publishing of guidance to provide legal clarity to market participants by defining regulatory obligations.

• Provide Comprehensive Legal Support: Organize and maintain examination and legal files for all aspects of the Division’s operations, compile records, prepare exhibits, coordinate document collection and production; conduct document reviews; assist with tracking internal and external deadlines, and drafting examination and legal reports and summaries.

• Conduct Foundational Legal Research: Use legal databases (e.g., Westlaw, Lexis) to research statutes, case law, and agency guidance on a broad range of issues.

• Assist with FOIA and Privacy Act Requests: Help review and redact documents, apply legal exemptions, and draft responses to public information requests under attorney supervision.

• Collaborate Across the Agency: Work with program offices and legal staff to gather information, coordinate responses, and build professional communication skills in a legal environment.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship
• Background/Security Investigation
• May be required to serve a one-year probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959

You will be evaluated on the basis of your level of competency (knowledge, skills and abilities) in the following areas:

Qualifications

GS-11: One year of specialized experience, equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service, obtained in either the private or public sector:

Specialized experience is defined as gaining experience:

• Maintaining case files, organizing evidence, compiling records, preparing exhibits, and ensuring materials are complete and ready for attorney review.
• Maintaining and organizing examination and legal files, preparing exhibits and schedules, and ensuring materials are complete and ready for review by attorneys, examiners and financial analysts.
• Conducting legal research using Westlaw, Lexis, Bloomberg Law, or equivalent tools, identifying controlling statutes, regulations, case law, administrative decisions, or agency precedents.
• Reviewing, analyzing, and redacting documents under FOIA or Privacy Act requirements, applying exemptions and preparing justification statements.
• Coordinating responses across multiple internal or external stakeholders, ensuring consistency in legal products, case materials, and reporting.

Education Substitution: GS-11: 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in a field directly related to the position.
OR
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in Law, Legal Studies, Paralegal Studies, or related degrees
OR
LL.M., in a field directly related to the position. Education must be in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
OR
A combination experience as described in "A" and graduate level education as described in "B", when combined, are equivalent to 100% of the qualification requirement. Only graduate level education in excess of two full years (36 semester hours) may be used in this calculation. To compute, first determine the total number of graduate level hours that exceed 36 semester hours, and then divide that number by 18 to arrive at a percentage. Then, divide the total number of months of qualifying experience by 12 to arrive at a second percentage. Add the two percentages together. The sum of the percentages must equal at least 100% to qualify.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This recruitment will utilize the following assessment tools: Structured Evaluative Review

Your application will be evaluated through an SME Evaluative Review.

Subject Matter Expert (SME) will independently review your resume to assess how well your experience demonstrates the required competencies for this position. SME will assign scores based on the strength, relevance, and clarity of the information provided in your resume. These individual evaluations will then be combined to determine your final score or rating category.

When the application process is complete, we will review your resume and other supporting documentation, to ensure you meet the hiring eligibility and qualification requirements listed in this announcement.

Your application will be evaluated and rated under CFTC 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 minimally qualified for this job, your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses on the online assessment 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. Your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Names of all candidates in the best qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration. Candidates within the best qualified category who are eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.

You must provide a complete Application Package, which includes:

• Resume showing related experience (two-pages max);
• Cover Letter (optional);
• Performance appraisal (optional);
• Transcripts (if required, an unofficial copy is accepted for application package, but an official copy with the date the degree was awarded is required prior to firm offer letter being extended)

Veterans Preference: If you are entitled to veteran preference, you should indicate the type of veteran preference you are claiming on your resume. In order to verify your veteran preference entitlement, please submit a copy of your veteran's documentation including a DD-214 (member 4 copy preferred, however, the documentation provided must contain dates and character of service); official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty; or other official documentation (e.g., documentation of receipt of a campaign badge or expeditionary medal) that shows your military service was performed under honorable conditions. In addition, if you are a disabled veteran, a Purple Heart recipient, or widow/widower of a veteran, the spouse of a disabled veteran or the natural mother of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, “Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference,” and the other required documentation identified on the reverse side of the SF-15 to support your preference claim. Although veteran preference points are not assigned under the category rating procedures described under “How You Will Be Evaluated,” veteran preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified.

Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (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 this announcement, and 3) you are found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well qualified, you must score 85 or better on established ranking criteria. You must provide proof of eligibility with your application to receive selection priority. Additional information about ICTAP eligibility is at:
http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp.ICTAP

Candidates MUST submit:
1. A copy of their agency reduction-in-force notice;
2. A copy of your most recent Performance Rating;
3. A copy of your most recent SF-50 noting current or last position held, the grade level, and the duty location; and
4. A copy of your notice of proposed removal for declining a directed reassignment or transfer of function outside the local
commuting area or documentation showing you were separated as a result of RIF or declining a directed reassignment or
transfer of function outside the local commuting area.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP): Provides eligible surplus and displaced competitive service employees in the CFTC with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. If CFTC 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 rate equivalent to the Well Qualified or better category using established rating 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/ctap/index.asp.

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