Closing Date: 30th September, 2026
Description:
Summary:The Eastern District of California is seeking to fill an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) position in its Appellate Unit. The selected applicant will be based in our Sacramento or Fresno office and will work with other AUSAs in the criminal and civil divisions to prepare all briefs filed in the Ninth Circuit.
Duties:
The United States Attorney's Office is seeking to fill an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) position in its Appellate Unit. The Appellate Unit writes briefs, edits briefs, conducts moots, and provides legal advice and guidance on the Office's criminal and civil matters before the Ninth Circuit. In the criminal realm, these cases involve some of the most challenging issues in criminal law and procedure, including constitutional challenges to criminal convictions, statutory questions of first impression, application of the Sentencing Guidelines, and post-conviction matters. In the civil realm, these cases recently include litigation of rapidly evolving constitutional, statutory, and regulatory issues in immigration law. Appellate AUSAs work with other AUSAs in the criminal and civil divisions to prepare all briefs filed in the Ninth Circuit. In addition, they counsel prosecutors and civil litigators on difficult legal issues, providing crucial input on trial-level procedure and strategy. Depending on workload, Appellate AUSAs may also take on district court level duties, including motions practice, habeas corpus litigation, or criminal or civil case development. Your application will be considered for the location(s) that you indicate in your preferences.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Additional office location information:
Sacramento is located in the heart of California. Sacramento is home to professional ballet and opera companies, providing a wide range of cultural activities and events. Professional sports are represented by the Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento River Cats, and the Sacramento Republic FC. Bound by two rivers and in close proximity to several lakes, water recreation tops the list for outdoor activities such as salmon fishing, river rafting, and boating. Sacramento is located 90 miles northeast of San Francisco and approximately 90 miles west of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, providing numerous recreational opportunities for skiing and boating enthusiasts.
Fresno is one of the fastest growing cities in California, due in part to its central location to major tourist areas in California. Fresno is located in the middle of the fertile San Joaquin Valley, also known as the Central Valley, which is a major supplier of food and agricultural products for the United States and the world. This area also includes national treasures such as Yosemite National Park and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent), be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia, and have at least 2 years of post-J.D. experience. Applicants must be active members in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction). Applicant must have strong legal writing experience, as well as some foundational experience in either criminal or civil practice.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Ideal qualifications include previous appeals experience, either criminal or civil. The applicant must be capable of efficiently drafting and working with other to produce high-quality pleadings and briefs. The applicant should be team-oriented and desire to work with other appellate AUSAs in the Office, as well as AUSAs from the criminal and civil divisions. The applicant should enjoy both spontaneous consultations with colleagues, as well as the deep solitary work required of appellate brief-writing. Clerkship experience a plus.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent).
Additional Information:
Salary: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The recruiting range of basic pay for AD-21 through AD-29 is as follows:
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.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
Additional office location information:
Sacramento is located in the heart of California. Sacramento is home to professional ballet and opera companies, providing a wide range of cultural activities and events. Professional sports are represented by the Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento River Cats, and the Sacramento Republic FC. Bound by two rivers and in close proximity to several lakes, water recreation tops the list for outdoor activities such as salmon fishing, river rafting, and boating. Sacramento is located 90 miles northeast of San Francisco and approximately 90 miles west of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, providing numerous recreational opportunities for skiing and boating enthusiasts.
Fresno is one of the fastest growing cities in California, due in part to its central location to major tourist areas in California. Fresno is located in the middle of the fertile San Joaquin Valley, also known as the Central Valley, which is a major supplier of food and agricultural products for the United States and the world. This area also includes national treasures such as Yosemite National Park and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
- 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. See www.sss.gov.
- J.D. degree (or equivalent) and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
- Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information.
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent), be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia, and have at least 2 years of post-J.D. experience. Applicants must be active members in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction). Applicant must have strong legal writing experience, as well as some foundational experience in either criminal or civil practice.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Ideal qualifications include previous appeals experience, either criminal or civil. The applicant must be capable of efficiently drafting and working with other to produce high-quality pleadings and briefs. The applicant should be team-oriented and desire to work with other appellate AUSAs in the Office, as well as AUSAs from the criminal and civil divisions. The applicant should enjoy both spontaneous consultations with colleagues, as well as the deep solitary work required of appellate brief-writing. Clerkship experience a plus.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent).
Additional Information:
Salary: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The recruiting range of basic pay for AD-21 through AD-29 is as follows:
- Sacramento: $85,075 to $197,100 which includes 29.76% locality pay.
- Fresno: $77,135.00 to $180,986.00 which includes 17.65% 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.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies (http://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/attorneys-vacancies) and Volunteer Legal Internships (http://www.justice.gov/legal-careers/volunteer-internship-opportunities). 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: Travel will occasionally 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: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
Additional Information:
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits:
Travel: Travel will occasionally 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: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
Additional Information:
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits:
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits. (https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/benefits?_gl=1*11l2vjw*_ga*NjQ0MjQ5MzQ5LjE3MjU1OTI5OTA.*_ga_CLZB1LJ1VZ*czE3ODY3NzYxMTQkbzIxJGcxJHQxNzg2Nzc2MjI1JGo1OSRsMCRoMA..)
Review our benefits (https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits.?_gl=1*11l2vjw*_ga*NjQ0MjQ5MzQ5LjE3MjU1OTI5OTA.*_ga_CLZB1LJ1VZ*czE3ODY3NzYxMTQkbzIxJGcxJHQxNzg2Nzc2MjI1JGo1OSRsMCRoMA..)
Eligibili
Review our benefits (https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits.?_gl=1*11l2vjw*_ga*NjQ0MjQ5MzQ5LjE3MjU1OTI5OTA.*_ga_CLZB1LJ1VZ*czE3ODY3NzYxMTQkbzIxJGcxJHQxNzg2Nzc2MjI1JGo1OSRsMCRoMA..)
Eligibili
