Closing Date: 10th February, 2026
Description:
Summary:The District of South Carolina is seeking applications from experienced attorneys for three Assistant United States Attorney positions. These positions are in our Criminal Division, located in either our Columbia, Greenville, or Florence Office.
Duties:
The Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office in South Carolina provides a fulfilling and supportive work environment. The Criminal Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) enjoy genuine camaraderie with their colleagues while pursuing rewarding careers, both professionally and personally. The Criminal Division is comprised of three Sections - the White Collar, Human Trafficking, and Child Exploitation Section; the Major Crimes Section; and the Narcotics and Organized Crimes Section. In the office's White Collar, Human Trafficking, and Child Exploitation Section, prosecutors handle a wide variety of cases, including financial fraud, healthcare fraud, public corruption, human trafficking, and child exploitation investigations and prosecutions. In the Major Crimes Section, prosectors handle a variety of matters including violent crime and firearms offenses, as well as immigration offenses. In the Narcotics and Organized Crime Section, prosecutors handle investigations and prosecutions of criminal organizations, including gang prosecutions and narcotics trafficking. Prosecutors in this Section also focus on cases from the Homeland Security Task Force, a multi-agency effort led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FBI, and HSI to combat transnational criminal organizations. In prosecuting federal crimes, AUSAs work with a broad range of federal agencies, including; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Secret Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Agency; Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service; Postal Inspection Service; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and others.
Due to the range and complexity of the work, Criminal AUSAs are expected to demonstrate initiative and ability sufficient to independently manage all phases of a criminal case, from investigation to post-conviction litigation. Our AUSAs are required to possess interpersonal skills conducive to working with a variety of federal and state law enforcement agents, defense attorneys, judges, and court staff; oral and written communication skills for presenting cases to the grand jury, representing the government in court hearings, trying cases, writing trial and appellate briefs; and superior character and judgment in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion and the discharge of their duties.
This posting will be used to fill immediate and future Criminal AUSA vacancies in both the White Collar and General Crimes Section and the Narcotics and Violent Crime Section in multiple offices.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
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:
Due to the range and complexity of the work, Criminal AUSAs are expected to demonstrate initiative and ability sufficient to independently manage all phases of a criminal case, from investigation to post-conviction litigation. Our AUSAs are required to possess interpersonal skills conducive to working with a variety of federal and state law enforcement agents, defense attorneys, judges, and court staff; oral and written communication skills for presenting cases to the grand jury, representing the government in court hearings, trying cases, writing trial and appellate briefs; and superior character and judgment in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion and the discharge of their duties.
This posting will be used to fill immediate and future Criminal AUSA vacancies in both the White Collar and General Crimes Section and the Narcotics and Violent Crime Section in multiple offices.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
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.
- 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, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 3 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.
Rule 83.I.04(B)(1) of the Local Civil Rules for the District of South Carolina was amended in 2022 to authorize Department of Justice attorneys to represent the interests of the U.S. in federal court in South Carolina without being a member of the South Carolina Bar. Therefore, applicants may be admitted to the bar of any U.S. jurisdiction.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Preferred candidates will have a strong academic background and excellent research and writing skills. In addition, preferred candidates will possess a strong work ethic, exhibit good organizational skills, exercise fair and sound judgment, be attentive to facts and details, work well both independently and on a team, have leadership skills, be ready and willing to volunteer to assist other AUSAs, possess excellent negotiation skills, and effectively represent the Government's interests at hearings and trials before the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Preferred candidates will also have criminal trial experience (federal or state) or commensurate civil trial experience. Particular knowledge, skills, or training involving civil rights, accounting, banking, tax compliance, or financial investigations is not required but also preferred.
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 $82,459 to $197,100 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.
Benefits: This is a temporary position which offers limited benefits such as paid vacation, sick leave, telework, and holidays.
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: You may be expected to travel for this position.
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.
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: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political a
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
Preferred candidates will have a strong academic background and excellent research and writing skills. In addition, preferred candidates will possess a strong work ethic, exhibit good organizational skills, exercise fair and sound judgment, be attentive to facts and details, work well both independently and on a team, have leadership skills, be ready and willing to volunteer to assist other AUSAs, possess excellent negotiation skills, and effectively represent the Government's interests at hearings and trials before the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Preferred candidates will also have criminal trial experience (federal or state) or commensurate civil trial experience. Particular knowledge, skills, or training involving civil rights, accounting, banking, tax compliance, or financial investigations is not required but also preferred.
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 $82,459 to $197,100 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.
Benefits: This is a temporary position which offers limited benefits such as paid vacation, sick leave, telework, and holidays.
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: You may be expected to travel for this position.
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.
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: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political a
