Assistant United States Attorney (Affirmative Civil Enforcement - ACE)

About the role

The United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the Civil Division are responsible for representing the federal government and its agencies and employees in civil litigation pending in the Western District of Texas and in appeals before the Fifth Circuit. The selected attorney will be assigned to the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) unit, handling a diverse docket including investigations and civil cases under the False Claims Act, health care fraud, procurement fraud, civil penalty actions, and other litigation enforcing health, safety, and economic welfare laws.

Responsibilities

• Conducting legal research
• Drafting legal memoranda
• Preparing and answering written discovery
• Taking and defending depositions or examinations
• Overseeing and coordinating investigations
• Representing the United States in judicial proceedings at both the trial and appellate levels
• Conducting public outreach and educational activities

Requirements

• Residency Requirement: Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
• Selective Service: Males born after December 31, 1959, must certify registration with the Selective Service System or exemption.
• Background Investigation: Continued employment is subject to a favorable background investigation.
• Preemployment Adjudication: Includes fingerprint, credit, and tax checks, and drug testing.

Qualifications

• Required Qualifications:
• J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction)
• At least 1 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience
• U.S. citizenship

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong academics
• Outstanding organizational skills
• Superior legal writing and research ability
• Demonstrated analytical ability
• Good judgment and courtroom skills
• A commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility, and public service

Salary Information

Salary is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay for AD-21 through AD-29 is as follows:

• Austin: $78,905 to $197,100 which includes 20.35% locality pay.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package including paid vacation, sick leave, holidays, telework, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Application Process

• Complete Application Package which includes:
• Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire
• A cover letter
• Your resume (cannot exceed two pages)
• A list of relevant employment history including official position titles, employers, start and end dates, and duties performed and accomplishments.