Assistant United States Attorney

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 to administer and enforce the Nation's law to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.

We strive to build a stronger office through recruitment efforts and maintain the high standards of the office by promoting professional development.

What you will do

• Assistant United States Attorneys prosecute a wide variety of federal crime, including breaches of national security, child exploitation, human trafficking, fraud, narcotics trafficking, firearm offenses, transnational organized crime, and violent crime.
• The United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of North Carolina is currently seeking to hire Assistant United States Attorneys to represent the United States in the investigation and prosecution of a wide range of criminal cases specifically violent crime, illegal immigration, drug trafficking, public corruption, and white-collar crime.
• This role may include appellate matters for attorneys who demonstrate the appropriate aptitude.
• The Appellate Division represents the United States Attorney's Office in criminal matters in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
• As an AUSA in the Appellate Division, you will research, write appellate briefs and post-conviction responses, and present oral arguments.
• Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
• Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof.
• 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.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D.

Degree.

How you will be evaluated

Evaluation Method: Once your complete application package is received, it will be reviewed to ensure you meet all job requirements. An attorney interview panel will then review all qualified applicants and make recommendations for invitation to interview. You will be notified if selected for an interview.

The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete. Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring.

Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must indicate their preference in response to the appropriate question in their assessment questionnaire (it is also recommended that information is included in their cover letter or resume) and they must submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) which verifies their eligibility for preference.

Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, *** for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s).

Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Documents you must provide

• 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: Resume.
• 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.
• 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. - Required: Cover Letter - Required: Writing Sample (20 pages or less) - Required: Three references - 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Benefits

Other Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: paid vacation sick leave paid federal holidays life insurance health benefits participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System potential signing bonus (recruitment incentive) Public Service Student Loan Forgiveness program The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees.

What to expect next

We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation, to include a credit and tax checks, and a drug test by urinalysis. We expect to make a final job offer within 120 days after the closing date of the announcement.

Additional information

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 pay is $82,459 to $197,100 which includes 17.06% locality pay. This is a permanent position.

A recruitment or relocation incentive may be considered as appropriate based on qualifications and approval by the Executive Office. * * * 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 may be required. 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): Political Appointees (Current or 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.

EEO Statement/Policy: 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.

More information can be found here: ***