Duties

About the Graduate Recruit Program

Initial appointments under the CRS Graduate Recruit Program will be made for a period up to 120 days. Initial appointments are expected to convert to permanent, contingent upon the participant’s successful performance, completion of all degree requirements, and availability of funding. Those students who return to school to complete their advanced degree program may be eligible for a permanent position once they obtain their degree.

About CRS

CRS works exclusively for the United States Congress, providing policy and legal analysis to committees and Members of both the House and Senate, regardless of party affiliation. As shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress, CRS experts assist at every stage of the legislative process—from the early considerations that precede bill drafting, through committee hearings and floor debate, to the oversight of enacted laws and various agency activities.

CRS is well known for analysis that is authoritative, confidential, objective, and nonpartisan. Its highest priority is to ensure that Congress has immediate access to the nation's best thinking on public policy issues of interest to its Members and Committees.

Job Responsibilities

The Law Librarians selected under this announcement will:

• Provide legal reference and research services to CRS legislative attorneys, policy analysts and congressional clients;
• Evaluates adequacy and relevance of information resources and documents, organizes, and presents authoritative and useful information for requests;
• Develops and maintains knowledge of print and electronic information resources, as well as information retrieval techniques in performing reference/research tasks.
• Assists patrons with use of research and reading room facilities;
• Assist with the creation and maintenance of databases, web pages, collaborative tools and other information systems.
• Participate in the development and presentation of legal research instruction programs.

Candidates earning a Master of Library Science (MLS) or equivalent degree and background working in a library, information center, or research organization are encouraged to apply.

The Law Librarian position carries promotion potential to the GS-13 level.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

Library of Congress employees are prohibited from using illegal drugs, including marijuana. The Library is part of the Federal Government and abides by federal law, so regardless of individual state or District of Columbia laws, marijuana use is illegal, considered criminal activity, and can affect your employment at the Library. In addition, past or current drug use and activities (e.g., selling or distributing) may deem you ineligible for employment.

How You Will Be Evaluated

• 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.

  Review our 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.

  It is recommended that you review your application to ensure it contains the following items:

  • Resume (uploaded through USAJobs.gov)
  • Completed vacancy questionnaire
  • Graduate transcripts (official or unofficial) of all completed graduate courses or a self-prepared course list (attachment to application). Graduate transcripts/course list are mandatory; undergraduate transcripts are optional.

  Make sure all documents are uploaded. Incomplete applications will not be referred to interview officials and will be disqualified from further consideration.

  Applicants with disabilities may be considered under special hiring procedures and must submit an appropriate certificate of eligibility when applying for this position. The proof or disability/certification may be issued by the State Vocational Rehabilitation Office, Disability Services or Career Services office of the applicant’s college or university, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The letter must verify that the applicant has a severe disability and must be dated within three years of the date of the application. The program does not accept certification from health care providers. For more information contact the Library's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity Programs at 202-707-6024 or email spp@loc.gov. FAILURE TO SUBMIT YOUR CERTIFICATION WILL CAUSE YOUR APPLICATION TO NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE SELECTIVE PLACEMENT PROGRAM.

  If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

  Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

  Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

• How to Apply

  You are required to apply online. We are unable to accept mailed, faxed or emailed documents. You must complete the entire application process, including submission of all documents BEFORE this announcement closes.

  Carefully follow all instructions to ensure you are considered for the position.

  Step 1: Review this Job Announcement. We recommend you review the "Qualifications Required" section of the announcement to determine whether your education and experience align with the position requirements.

  Step 2: Click on the “APPLY ONLINE” button to the right of this announcement. Log into your USAJOBS account or create an account if you do not already have one (the Library of Congress will NOT be able to access your Social Security information).
  
  Step 3: Follow USAJobs' instructions to submit your resume. Your resume should include the following information:

  - Work experience (paid and unpaid, including start and end dates and hours worked per week)

  - Education

  Step 4: You will be redirected to the Hiring Management website to complete the application process. If this is your first time in Hiring Management, you will be asked to answer questions related to your eligibility for Federal employment.
  
  Step 5: Provide responses to the vacancy announcement questions (you can preview these questions by clicking the link under "How You Will Be Evaluated" above).
  
  Step 6: Attach transcripts (official or unofficial) of all completed graduate courses or a self-prepared course list showing grades and the number of credits received. Graduate transcripts/course lists are mandatory; undergraduate transcripts are optional.

  Hiring Management offers two options that will electronically attach your documentation to your online application once you finish answering the questions in the job announcement.
  
  (1) You may select a document that you have already uploaded to USAJOBS for a previous announcement.
  
  (2) You may electronically upload a document directly from your computer to your application. Be certain to review your complete application for confirmation of the document uploaded and click on "Finished" to be returned to USAJOBS.
  
  IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have multiple documents of the same kind, (e.g. two undergraduate transcripts from different schools), be sure they are all in the same file on your computer or in your USAJOBS profile before uploading them. If you try uploading them individually, only the last one sent will be visible in our system. If you have any questions about this information, please contact the person on this announcement BEFORE the closing date.

  Step 7: Click on "Finish" to submit your application. Your complete online application and any required supplemental documentation must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of the announcement. You may check the status of your application for this position through your Hiring Management or MY USAJOBS account.

  If you have questions or experience technical difficulty, you MUST CONTACT Carmen Reese at CRSGraduateRecruit@crs.loc.gov or (202) 707-6275 no later than 4:30 p.m. ET of the closing date.

  Agency contact information

  Customer Service Center

  Phone

  202-707-5620

  Fax

  000-000-0000

  Email

  CRSGraduateRecruit@crs.loc.gov

  Address

  LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
  101 Independence Ave. SE
  LM-107
  Washington, District of Columbia 20540
  United States

  Next steps

  Please review our evaluation process under Evaluation. You may check the status of your application for this position at any time by logging onto the USAJOBS "My USAJOBS" tab and clicking on "My Applications." You will receive final notification via e-mail when the vacancy has been filled.

• 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

Clarification from the agency

Graduate students and Library of Congress employees who meet all of the following eligibility requirements: 1. U.S. Citizenship 2. Current enrollment in or anticipated graduation from an appropriate, accredited advanced degree program. (Library employees may already possess a graduate degree). At the time of appointment, Library employees must maintain employment status without a break in service. 3.General education requirements for a GS-09 or GS-11 appointment (see “Qualifications Required”).