Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal)

SummaryEmployment with the U.S. Attorney's Office is a unique and challenging experience for the highly motivated attorney. It is an opportunity to litigate a broad range of cases involving significant, complex issues on behalf of the United States in federal. Working in the Criminal Division, you will be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal laws that protect life, liberty, and property.DutiesHelpAs an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division, attorneys will be responsible for prosecuting federal crimes, including offenses involving drug trafficking and smuggling; child exploitation; gang activity and violence; illegal immigration; national security and border security; elder abuse; cybercrime; theft of intellectual property; and financial crimes, complex fraud and/or corruption in government, health care, banking, securities, corporate activities, federal procurement, bankruptcies, and federal taxation. They will also work with law enforcement agencies to investigate such crimes, research and brief legal issues, and represent the United States in hearings, trials, and appeals.Day-to-day responsibilities include working with law enforcement agencies and others to investigate allegations of criminal conduct, researching legal issues, drafting motions or motion responses, drafting search warrants, appearing before grand juries and in Court, and other litigation related duties.Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.Applications are considered on a rolling basis, so kindly submit your materials as soon as possible.RequirementsHelpConditions of employmentYou 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.J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.QualificationsRequired Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member in good standing of the bar (in any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least three (3) years of experience as a licensed attorney (or post-law school graduation judicial clerkships) preparing for, participating in, and/or reviewing formal hearings or trials involving litigation at the federal, state, or local court level.If you currently represent an opposing party in litigation with the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ"), please refer to Rule 3-310 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct: If you currently represent an opposing party in litigation with the DOJ or represent a client under investigation by the United States, please refer to Rule 1-7 of the California Rules of Professional Conduct and / or the relevant conflict of interest Rules of Professional Conduct in the jurisdiction in which you are licensed to practice. The U.S. Attorney's Office considers California Rule 1-7 to be implicated when an attorney licensed in California applies for a position with the U.S. Attorney's office while also representing a client in litigation opposing the U.S. or knowingly under investigation by the U.S.If you are a current employee of the DOJ who is under a term of commitment to another office, please include this information in your cover letter along with a statement of whether you have discussed your application with your current employer.United States citizenship is required.Preferred Qualifications:Hiring preferences 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.Initial Appointment: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. Initial appointments to AUSA positions are made on a 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.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.Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee's Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates who have lived outside the United States for two or more of the past five years will likely have difficulty being approved for appointments by the Department Security Staff. The two-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement.EducationApplicants must possess a J.D. DegreeAdditional informationApplications are considered on a rolling basis, so kindly submit your materials as soon as possible.Salary Information: 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 $99,311 to $195,100 which includes 46.34% locality pay.Other 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.* * *This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.Travel: Occasional travel is required.Type of Position: All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.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.Security Requirements:Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.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 Statement: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.Expand Hide additional informationCandidates 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.BenefitsHelpA 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 benefitsEligibility 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.

Created: 2025-10-02