Job Description

Hiring Organization

USAO District of Columbia

Hiring Office

Criminal Division

Attorney Appointment Type

Attorney Permanent

Job ID

25-DC-12774778-AUSA

Location:

601 D Street NW

Washington, DC 20530 - United States

Application Deadline:

Friday, September 26, 2025

About the Office



The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) 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. Assistant United States Attorney's (AUSA) assigned to the Criminal Division prosecute a broad range of U.S. Code violations in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.







The Criminal Division is responsible for investigating and prosecuting criminal cases in the U.S. District Court. Located in the nation's capitol. The division has jurisdiction for a broad range of consequential cases, including violent crime, child exploitation, human trafficking, drug trafficking, fraud, government corruption, cybercrime, terrorism, sanctions violations, espionage, and other threats to D.C. and the nation.



The Criminal Division is accepting applications for attorneys to serve as line and supervisory AUSAs in the Criminal Division.



The Asset Forfeiture Unit utilizes criminal, civil, and administrative tools to punish and deter criminal activity by depriving criminals of property used in or acquired through illegal activities and to recover assets that may be used to compensate victims. The caseload involves matters across all criminal sections, whether in partnership with a criminal AUSA or as an independent matter.



The Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking (CEHT) section handles a broad range of matters related to internet-based crimes against children as well as human trafficking prosecutions. CEHT primarily investigates cases involving the production of and trafficking in child pornography, commercial sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and interstate domestic violence and stalking offenses. CEHT AUSAs are often involved in interviewing victims of sexual abuse or trafficking, coordinating with law enforcement agents to charge and arrest targets, and drafting search warrants for electronic evidence.



The Federal Major Crimes (FMC) section prosecutes a range of federal crimes, with a focus on high-tempo arrest-driven prosecutions or reactive investigations. FMC prosecutes the prohibited possession of firearms and controlled substances, violent crime sprees and crews, robberies, destruction of government property, and other federal crimes in the District of Columbia. As their experience increases, FMC AUSAs have the opportunity to partner with and support AUSAs in other sections in the Criminal Division.



The Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights (FPCCR) section handles complex and challenging prosecutions intended to address a range of white-collar crimes. FPCCR prosecutes fraud offenses against government agencies, including health-care fraud, tax fraud, and federal program fraud; frauds targeting businesses, non-profits, and social institutions; money laundering networks perpetrating frauds against financial institutions and online through cryptocurrencies; and cyber-enabled frauds (such as ransomware) and crimes (such as hacking to steal funds/crypto and information). FPCCR prosecutes public corruption offenses, such as bribery; conflicts of interest; theft of government funds; election crimes; and efforts to obstruct or interfere with the lawful functioning of Congress, the Judiciary, and Executive Branch. This section also prosecutes civil rights offenses, such as crimes based on protected characteristics.



The National Security (NS) section investigates and prosecutes criminal activity that threatens our nation's security, including: international and domestic terrorism; hostage-takings and other violence against Americans outside the U.S.; export control and sanctions violations; espionage, malign foreign influence, and transnational repression; unauthorized retention or disclosure of classified information and national defense information; and cyber offenses targeted at the U.S. government or perpetrated by those connected to state actors or terrorist organizations. The section is looking for applicants who are willing and able to handle the breadth of the section's practice; particular preference will be given to those applicants who have demonstrated an interest and skill in investigations involving cryptocurrency, cyber crimes, or criminal or civil forfeiture.



The Violent Crime and Narcotic Trafficking (VCNT) section disrupts and dismantles criminal networks engaged in serious violence and large-scale firearms and drug trafficking. VCNT places an emphasis on proactive, intelligence-driven, long- and medium-term criminal investigations, and our prosecutions focus on violent street crews, transnational criminal organizations, and the district's drivers of violence. VCNT's prosecutions target everything from criminal street gangs to international drug cartels engaged in a broad range of federal offenses, including firearms and narcotics conspiracies, interstate robbery conspiracies, RICO and VICAR, darknet market drug trafficking and money laundering, and Continuing Criminal Enterprises. VCNT AUSAs advise and coordinate with law enforcement agencies on investigative steps and sequencing; draft search warrants and other legal process; present cases to the federal grand jury; brief and handle detention hearings and other hearings in court; and prosecute cases through trial.



Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one year post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience. A minimum of three years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience is required.



United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience as a prosecutor, including complex investigation, substantive writing, and multiple jury trials. A judicial clerkship and experience as federal prosecutor are preferred. Additionally, the ideal candidate's work experience will demonstrate the following: a commitment to public service and the rule of law; high moral character; sound judgment; a strong work ethic; superior communication and advocacy skills before judges and juries; exceptional research and writing ability; thorough legal and factual analysis; an ability to work well with others; and an ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.



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



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



Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access depending on organizational assignment / duty location.



Application Process



To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.



The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/26/2025 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.)

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:



Required - A Cover Letter. Please specify which section(s) you would like to be considered for in the Criminal Division.

Required - 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).

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.

3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, 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 US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia at or email at USADC.Staffers@usdoj.gov, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.



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.



Salary

Salary Information:

This is an excepted service attorney appointment under an Administrative Determined pay scale. (See www.justice.gov/usao/career-center/salary-information/administratively-determined-pay-plan-charts). Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. These positions range from AD-23 to AD-29. The range of pay is $90, 896 to $195,100 which includes 33.94% locality pay. For additional information on salary and benefits, visit www.justice.gov/legal-careers/attorney-salaries-promotions-and-benefits.

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.



As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

Relocation Expenses:

Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

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.

Type of Position:

All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation. This position may be extended or made permanent without further competition.



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.



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.