Assistant United States Attorney

USAO District of Nevada
Civil Division
Attorney
501 Las Vegas Boulevard, South Suite 1100
Las Vegas, NV 89101
United States
21-NV-11244017-AUSA
About the Office: 

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada has about 60 attorneys, with about 50 in Las Vegas and 10 in Reno. The Las Vegas metropolitan area, with a population approaching two million people, is among the fastest growing areas in the Southwest. Renowned for entertainment and gaming, the area also abounds in recreational, cultural, and educational opportunities. The influx of people into southern Nevada has increased the availability of excellent and affordable housing, expanded the public school system, and resulted in shopping and consumer services that rival or surpass those of much larger cities. The cost of living is moderate, and there is no state income tax. Although known for its summer heat, our mild climate in the fall, winter, and spring provides an ideal place to enjoy the unlimited recreational activities year round. Las Vegas is within one hour of Mt. Charleston, Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and within a day's drive of the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Lake Powell, Lake Havasu, Death Valley, and several ski areas.

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Job Description: 

The attorney filling this position will represent the United States, its agencies, and employees in civil litigation brought against the government. The case load will likely include tort actions under the Federal Tort Claims Act (premises liability, vehicle accidents, medical malpractice, etc.), Bivens based constitutional tort claims against federal employees, employment litigation, bankruptcy, review of agency decisions under the Administrative Procedures Act, etc. The attorney may handle affirmative civil litigation on behalf of the United States, including fraud, civil penalty, forfeiture, and collection cases.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Qualifications: 

Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 3 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.

United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:
The Preferred candidate will have at least 3 to 5 years of federal litigation experience. The preferred candidate must have experience taking and defending depositions of lay and expert witnesses. The preferred candidate must also have experience working with expert witnesses, including locating expert witnesses, and preparing expert witness disclosures.

Candidates should have an outstanding academic record and litigation experience. Candidates should have excellent legal research and writing skills. In addition, candidates should demonstrate a strong ability to communicate effectively with courts, colleagues, opposing counsel and others. Candidates should also have significant computer and computer software literacy.

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Salary: 
$65,614.00 to $172,000.00 Per Year
Travel: 
You may be expected to travel for this position.
Application Process: 

You must apply online using the link below which opens on from Thursday, October 21, 2021 thru Thursday, November 26 2021. The complete applicant must be submitted by 11:59pm EST on the closing date to receiveconsideration.

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/615281200

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 - Your resume showing relevant experience and dates of employment (include month/year), law school graduation date (month/year), AND bar admission date (month/year).
  • Highly Recommended - A cover letter expressing your interest in the position as well as your interest in relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada, if not currently a resident.
  • Highly Recommended - A writing sample.
  • Required, if applicable - A recent copy of an SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), showing title, series, grade, and current salary; and a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.
  • 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.

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.

Application Deadline: 
Friday, November 26, 2021
Relocation Expenses: 
Relocation expenses will not be paid.
Number of Positions: 
1 or more.
Updated March 7, 2022

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Department Policies

Equal Employment Opportunity:  The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.  Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor.  The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.

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.

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 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 must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-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. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.

Veterans:  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 include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. 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, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf 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 their 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).

USAO Residency Requirement:  Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof.  See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.

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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.