Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal)
Summary
Our mission is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States, provide Federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime, seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior, and ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans. We strive to build a stronger office through recruitment efforts and by promoting professional development. We seek to further build on the legacy of excellence built by those who have come before us.
Duties
- Help Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the Criminal Division prosecute a wide variety of federal crimes.
- Investigate and prosecute an assortment of cases with a particular focus on those cases involving illegal immigration, drug trafficking, human trafficking, firearms trafficking, human smuggling, and transnational organized crime, including Mexican drug cartels.
- Assist federal law enforcement agents in structuring and implementing criminal investigative plans and strategies.
- Litigate cases of varying degrees of complexity from start to finish.
- Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Requirements
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing.
- Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
- You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
- Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent) and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) by their entry on duty date.
- Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
Selective Service: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See www.sss.gov.
Qualifications
THIS IS AN ENTRY-LEVEL POSITION FOR RECENT GRADUATES.
Required Qualifications
- Must have graduated with a J.D. degree from an accredited law school within the last 8 months OR be scheduled to graduate from an accredited law school on or before June 1, 2027.
- Class rank required within top 1/3 of law school class.
- If not already licensed, applicant must (1) have taken a state bar exam and are awaiting results or (2) will take a state bar exam within eight months of law school graduation.
- Assistant United States Attorney's applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent) and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) by their entry on duty date.
- Alternately, applicants who are chosen for an AUSA position, but have yet to pass the bar exam may apply to the office's Law Clerk announcement where only a J.D. degree is required by entry on duty date. The applicant will then work in the District as a Law Clerk while awaiting bar results. Active membership of the bar (any jurisdiction) will be required within 14 months of entry on duty date. Please note your interest in a Law Clerk position within your application's Cover Letter.
- United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications
Hiring preferences also include strong academics, outstanding organizational skills, superior legal writing and research ability, demonstrated analytical ability, good judgment and courtroom skills, and a commitment to professionalism, ethics, civility, and public service.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Education
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree by Enter on Duty (EOD) date.
Salary
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 for AD-21 through AD-29 is as follows:
- Alpine, Del Rio, El Paso, and Midland: $76,748 to $197,100 which includes 17.06% locality pay.
Benefits
The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees.
- Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
- Recruitment Incentive: Recruitment incentive may be authorized.
Additional Information
- Your cover letter MUST indicate your preferred location(s) in order of preference. See "Required Documents" section for details.
- As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
- Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The closing date for this announcement may be extended.
- Travel: Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
- Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
- Political Appointees (Current and Former): 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 or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service.
- Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.