Legal Careers
ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY (Criminal)
If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a talented workforce of over 100,000 people, the mission of the Department of Justice is to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. You will join a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty and the property of citizens.
These position are located in Abilene and Lubbock, TX
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas serves more than seven million residents in 100 counties that encompass nearly 96,000 square miles in northern and western Texas. The District headquarters office is located in Dallas with branch offices in Abilene, Amarillo, Fort Worth and Lubbock. Through our Criminal Division, the District prosecutes violations of federal criminal statutes, from acts of terrorism, public corruption, gang and violent crime, drug distribution conspiracies, Internet-related crimes, to various other criminal acts.
Abilene is located on Interstate 20 approximately 150 miles (240 km) west of Fort Worth. The Union Pacific mainline, divides the city into well-established north and south zones. The historic downtown area is on the north side of the railroad, while the growing South Of Downtown Abilene "SODA" district is located on the south side of the tracks.
Lubbock has grown into a vibrant and bustling city. While many things have changed since its incorporation in 1909, one thing has remained the same: Lubbock continues to be known for the charm and hospitality of its people. Thanks to its thriving and increasingly diverse art and culture scene, it provides all the conveniences and excitement of a city, but with charm of a close-knit town and the neighborly affection of an old friend. It is the hub of art exhibits, award-winning wineries, live music, theatrical performances and more.
http://www.justice.gov/careers/careers.html
Please note: This is a term position not-to-exceed March 31, 2028, subject to availability of funds. This position may be extended, or made permanent, without further advertising.
The Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) will serve in the Criminal Division of the Abilene or Lubbock offices. The positions currently being filled will investigate and prosecute cases involving illegal immigration, illegal trafficking of dangerous drugs and human beings, and targeting the Cartels and Transitional Criminal Organizations designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs). Duties to be performed:
- Partner with federal, state, and local law enforcement to manage criminal investigations and prosecutions brought in the federal courts in the Northern District of Texas.
- Advise federal agents on questions of law and Departmental policy.
- Recommend charging decisions and proposes dispositions with regard to assigned cases.
- Research and draft all legal pleadings and be prepared to try cases in federal court.
- Investigate and pursue asset forfeiture related to prosecutions.
- Oversee and coordinate the preparation of litigation assignments for legal support staff.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Required Qualifications:
- Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
- at least 1* year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.
- United States citizenship is required.
- Be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction)
Preferred Qualifications: Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues involved with a case; superior oral and writing skills as well as strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment; excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies, and must have a demonstrated capacity to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.
Applicants will be expected to do their own legal research and writing and will be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. Applicants must also demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills to include experience with automated research on the Internet, electronic court filing, and electronic e-mail and word processing systems.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below at the following link https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/834038300
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 day/month/year). (cover letter optional).
- 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.
- Encouraged- A Writing sample is highly encouraged to submit with application package.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 4/4/2025 to receive consideration.
1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.)
3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. However, should you not be able to apply online, please contact Stacie Dumas at 214-659-8720 or email at Stacie.Dumas@usdoj.gov, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
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 conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
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 $73,939.00 to $173,485.00 which includes 17.06% 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.
Department Policies
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. To learn more, please visit the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
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.
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.
Unless otherwise required by law, the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act prohibits employees of the U.S. Department of Justice or a federal contractor acting on its behalf from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history record, either in writing or orally, before that individual receives a conditional offer of employment. Applicants who believe they have been subjected to a violation of the Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act, may submit a written complaint within 30 days of the date of the alleged non-compliance directly to the hiring office using the contact information listed in the announcement.
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.
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).
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.
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.