Closing Date: 21st May, 2026
Description:
Summary:The Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington is currently seeking term attorneys to handle a wide range of immigration matters.
This announcement is for two (2) available vacancies. The duty location will be made at the time of selection, either Seattle, WA or Tacoma, WA.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Duties:
This position will be located in the Civil Division of the WDWA. AUSAs in the Civil Division are responsible for representing the United States government and its Departments, agencies and employees in civil litigation filed in the District. Principle areas of the Division's defensive practice include cases bought under Title VII alleging discrimination in hiring and employment practices by agencies and Departments of the United States; matters brought pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act, covering a wide range of personal injury claims including medical malpractice arising from treatment received at various federal medical facilities; and immigration litigation. Other areas of practice include judicial review of administrative findings, injunctive proceedings, and defending federal employees accused of constitutional violations.
The AUSAs in the Civil Division participate in litigation at both the trial and occasionally at the appellate levels. They take and defend depositions, propound and answer written discovery, negotiate for settlement, engage in motions practice, try cases in the United States District Court and, at times, write appellate briefs and argue before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The attorneys hired for these positions will be assigned to handle a wide range of immigration matters including civil defensive litigation resulting from the enforcement of immigration laws. Applicants with prior experience enforcing federal immigration laws should describe that work in their cover letter:
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
This is a three-year term position not-to-exceed September 30, 2029, which may be extended or made permanent without further competition at the election of the United States Attorney and subject to funding availability.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
Residency Requirements: 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.
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.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Qualifications:
Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Applicants must demonstrate strong analytical skills and the ability to accurately identify the critical issues in a case. Applicants must also possess superior oral and writing skills, strong research skills, and the ability to exercise good judgment. To be successful, applicants must possess 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. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment and in the highest ethical manner.
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 also must 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.
Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
Additional Information:
Salary Information: 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 $86,261 to $197,100, which includes 31.57% 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. A relocation incentive may be considered as appropriate based on qualifications.
Recruitment incentives may be authorized if this position is determined to be difficult to fill, if supported by the skills of the selected candidate, and subject to the availability of funds. 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: Occasional travel within and outside the District will 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.
Type of Position: This is a three-year term position not-to-exceed September 30, 2029, which may be extended or made permanent without further competition at the election of the United States Attorney and subject to funding availability.
Political Appointees (Current and 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.
Security Requirements:Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
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.
Hide
Additional Information:
Candidates should be committed to improving the
The AUSAs in the Civil Division participate in litigation at both the trial and occasionally at the appellate levels. They take and defend depositions, propound and answer written discovery, negotiate for settlement, engage in motions practice, try cases in the United States District Court and, at times, write appellate briefs and argue before the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The attorneys hired for these positions will be assigned to handle a wide range of immigration matters including civil defensive litigation resulting from the enforcement of immigration laws. Applicants with prior experience enforcing federal immigration laws should describe that work in their cover letter:
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
This is a three-year term position not-to-exceed September 30, 2029, which may be extended or made permanent without further competition at the election of the United States Attorney and subject to funding availability.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
Residency Requirements: 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.
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.
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.
- You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
- J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
- Type of Position: This is a three-year term position not-to-exceed September 30, 2029, which may be extended or made permanent without further competition at the election of the United States Attorney and subject to funding availability.
- Must reside in the district to which 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 and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Applicants must demonstrate strong analytical skills and the ability to accurately identify the critical issues in a case. Applicants must also possess superior oral and writing skills, strong research skills, and the ability to exercise good judgment. To be successful, applicants must possess 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. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment and in the highest ethical manner.
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 also must 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.
Education:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
Additional Information:
Salary Information: 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 $86,261 to $197,100, which includes 31.57% 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. A relocation incentive may be considered as appropriate based on qualifications.
Recruitment incentives may be authorized if this position is determined to be difficult to fill, if supported by the skills of the selected candidate, and subject to the availability of funds. 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: Occasional travel within and outside the District will 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.
Type of Position: This is a three-year term position not-to-exceed September 30, 2029, which may be extended or made permanent without further competition at the election of the United States Attorney and subject to funding availability.
Political Appointees (Current and 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.
Security Requirements:Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
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.
Hide
Additional Information:
Candidates should be committed to improving the
