Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) - Open Continuous

Summary

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is unique in the size and the scope of its work. It serves as both the local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital. AUSAs assigned to the Superior Court Division prosecute D.C. Code offenses ranging from misdemeanors to homicides.

Duties

• The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is accepting applications for attorneys to serve as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the Office's Superior Court Division. The Superior Court Division is the largest division in the Office. It has primary responsibility for the prosecution of criminal cases in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, and handles the highest volume of felony and misdemeanor cases prosecuted by the Office. Types of cases include, but are not limited to, homicides, sexual assaults, carjackings, kidnappings, robberies, burglaries, domestic violence, and narcotics and weapons possession. AUSAs must possess the qualities necessary to excel in their mission to enforce the criminal laws of the District of Columbia and the United States. These qualities include advocacy and communication skills; superior writing and analytical skills; the ability to manage a high-volume docket; and dedication to duty. Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, investigative agencies, witnesses, and crime victims. They must also demonstrate their willingness to meet the high ethical standards expected of prosecutors in their interactions with opposing counsel and the courts. The Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Career Development Program implemented by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia provides new AUSAs with rotational work assignments in different (and progressively more complex) legal program areas of the Office for an approximate four-year duration. Rotations through different areas of litigation provide the new AUSA opportunities to develop skills and competencies that will enhance their ability to contribute to the important mission of the United States Attorney's Office to enforce federal law and administer justice in the United States. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/careers/careers.html

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), and be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). You must be a United States Citizen or National. Preferred Qualifications: Litigation experience and a minimum GPA of 3.0 is preferred. Applicants must possess superior communication and advocacy skills; exhibit exceptional research and writing ability; perform thorough legal and factual analysis; demonstrate an ability to work well with others; exercise good judgment; and function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

Required documents

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes: - Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process). - Required: A cover letter. - Required: Your resume cannot exceed two pages - you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages - see USAJOBS for formatting requirements. Include relevant employment history as outlined below for each job: Official position title (if Federal, include series/grade), Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (for full consideration you must include month, day, and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments. - Required: Unofficial or official law school transcript. (Please do not submit a restricted pdf document with encryption or password security.) - Required: Writing Sample (such as an appellate brief, substantive brief, or memorandum) that reflects your own work and does not exceed a total of 15 pages). - Required, if applicable: To get Veterans' Preference, you must indicate your preference in response to the appropriate question in your assessment questionnaire and you must submit the appropriate supporting documentation. See the "How you will be Evaluated" section for details regarding what is appropriate Veterans' Preference documentation. It is also recommended that you include veterans' preference information in your cover letter or resume. Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with targeted/severe disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs. 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, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). 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. Current or Former Political Appointees: 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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); Agency; and Beginning and ending dates of appointment.