Supervisory Trial Attorney (Associate Director, IPTU)

Criminal Division (CRM)
Office of International Affairs
Attorney
Washington, DC
United States
22-CRM-OIA-044
About the Office: 

The Office of International Affairs (OIA) returns fugitives to face justice, transfers sentenced persons to serve their sentences in their home countries, and obtains essential evidence for criminal investigations and prosecutions worldwide by working with domestic partners and foreign counterparts to facilitate the cooperation necessary to enforce the law, advance public safety, and achieve justice.  

As DOJ’s nerve center for international criminal law enforcement coordination, OIA’s mission involves five principal work streams: extradition and removal of fugitives, transfer of prisoners to serve their sentences in their home countries, international evidence gathering, providing legal advice to DOJ leadership and prosecutors, and furthering international relations through the negotiation of law enforcement treaties and other agreements.  OIA’s work is very specialized. The office staff is comprised of attorneys and non-attorney professionals from highly diverse backgrounds.  The office’s high volume of case work supports criminal investigations and prosecutions worldwide, while its prisoner transfer mission supports rehabilitative goals for sentenced prisoners. The office also furthers the Department’s strategic goals through international engagements and policy and legislative work.

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 Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking an experienced attorney to serve in the position of Associate Director of the International Prisoner Transfer Unit (IPTU), within the Office of International Affairs (OIA). The IPTU is responsible for administering the International Prisoner Transfer Program (the Program). The primary responsibility of the IPTU staff is to review and recommend the approval or denial of applications submitted by foreign nationals serving prison sentences in American prisons, who seek to transfer to their home countries to serve their sentences. The IPTU also reviews similar applications from American nationals serving sentences in foreign prisons, who seek to complete their sentences in the United States. The Associate Director of the IPTU is a DOJ official authorized to decide whether to approve or deny such applications. The review process is mandated by treaties and multilateral agreements and is authorized by Congress, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 4100-4115. Currently, the United States has prisoner-transfer relationships with approximately 80 countries.

In addition, among other duties, the Associate Director of the IPTU will:

  • Supervise the IPTU staff's implementation of the transfer program, and interact with federal, state and foreign officials to inform them and answer their questions about the Program;
  • Interact professionally and diplomatically with legal counsel and family members of prisoners seeking to transfer to their home countries; and
  • Represent the United States and the Department of Justice in multilateral meetings regarding international prisoner transfer issues, including by making presentations about U.S. legal requirements and other aspects of the Program.
Qualifications: 

Required Qualifications:  Interested applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, must be an active member of the bar in good standing, and have at least 5 years of post J.D. legal experience, 3 of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-15 grade level.  Examples of specialized experience include: preparing court papers and materials, preparing presentations and other written material involving or addressing unique and/or difficult legal issues in civil or criminal litigation; conducting complex civil or criminal litigation (to include appellate practitioners); applying U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, analyzing cases for legal sufficiency; and providing expert, specialized advice and consultation.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Experience as a federal prosecutor.
  • Experience working with foreign governments on criminal matters.
  • Experience that demonstrates an ability to lead and to interact effectively with direct reports and supervisors.
  • Significant experience in reviewing attorney work product.
  • Ability to establish and maintain effective and harmonious relationships with federal and state prosecutors, law enforcement officials, officials of the State Department, judges, counsel and foreign authorities.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  • Ability to operate in a high stress environment and to make decisions and recommendations in circumstances involving multiple stakeholders.
Salary: 
The salary range for this position is $148,484 – $176,300 per annum, which includes locality pay. Unless you have prior federal experience, you will likely start at step 1 of the pay scale which is $148,484.
Travel: 
Occasional international and domestic travel, sometimes on short notice, may be required.
Application Process: 

The Application Package must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time, on the closing date of this announcement.

Please submit your application through USAJOBS. The list of required documents can be found in the USAJobs announcement.

  1. If you do not already have an account, please create a USAjobs account before applying. You will be able to upload your resume and supporting documents and complete your profile prior to applying.
  2. Once you have an account, apply to the USAjobs vacancy: 

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: 
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Number of Positions: 
1
Updated July 12, 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.