Assistant States Attorney (Criminal)

About the Role

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.

Key Responsibilities

• 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 training and experience progress.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication, including fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof.
• Occasional travel may be expected.

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:
• Have taken a state bar exam and are awaiting results, OR
• Will take a state bar exam within eight months of law school graduation.
• 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.

Law Clerk Alternate Pathway

• Applicants chosen for an AUSA position who have yet to pass the bar exam may apply to the office's Law Clerk announcement.
• For the Law Clerk position, only a J.D. degree is required by entry on duty date.
• The applicant will 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.

Preferred Qualifications

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

Education

• Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree by Enter on Duty (EOD) date.

Additional Information

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
• The closing date for this announcement may be extended.

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 for AD-21 through AD-29 is:
• Alpine, Del Rio, El Paso, and Midland: $76,748 to $197,100, which includes 17.06% locality pay.
• Your cover letter MUST indicate your preferred location(s) in order of preference.

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.

Relocation Expenses

• Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
• A recruitment or relocation incentive may be considered as appropriate based on qualifications.