Assistant United States Attorney Criminal

About the Role

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Montana seeks to hire Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSAs) for the Criminal Division in the Billings and Great Falls branch offices. The casework will vary based on the qualifications of the successful candidates and the needs of the district.

• Billings Position: Focus on investigating and prosecuting drug trafficking; crimes related to immigration matters such as gang-related crimes involving aliens, child trafficking and smuggling, unlawful voting, firearms trafficking and smuggling, and fraud committed by aliens.
• Great Falls Position: Focus on investigating and prosecuting violent crime, drug distribution, and fraud committed in Indian Country and on reservations. The successful candidate may act as a liaison between a reservation and the United States Attorney's Office. Additional casework may involve criminal immigration, illegal firearm possession, organized crime, human trafficking, child exploitation/child pornography, and other areas as determined by district needs.

Responsibilities

• Assist federal law enforcement agents in structuring and implementing criminal investigative plans and strategies.
• Actively participate in grand jury proceedings, including the presentation of witnesses before the grand jury.
• Litigate cases of moderate to high complexity from start to finish with limited supervision.
• Write and argue appeals.
• Handle additional point of contact assignments based on the office's needs.
• Handle ancillary coordinator assignments within the office as assigned.
• Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progress.

Some travel may be required (1 to 5 nights per month).

Requirements

• United States citizenship is required.
• J.D. degree and active membership in the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) by the entry on duty date. Law school graduates and current law students taking a July 2026 bar examination may be considered.
• Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof (see 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information).
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit, tax checks, and drug testing.
• Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• Selective Service registration is required for male applicants born after December 31, 1959, if applicable (see www.sss.gov).

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• J.D. degree (or equivalent) and active bar membership (any U.S. jurisdiction).
• United States citizenship.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Superior oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent research and analytical skills.
• High emotional intelligence (EQ) and interpersonal skills, and good judgment.
• Excellent advocacy and courtroom skills.
• Ability to work professionally with attorneys, support staff, and client agencies.
• Demonstrated capacity to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.
• Strong organizational capabilities, including tracking and meeting deadlines across multiple active cases.
• Excellent computer literacy, including experience with automated electronic court filing.

Pay

Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $76,748 to $200,743, which includes 17.06% locality pay.

Benefits

The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Telework options.
• Life insurance and health benefits.
• Participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System.

Relocation expenses will not be authorized.