Closing Date: 9th March, 2026
Description:
Summary:The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia is seeking applications for five Assistant U.S. Attorney positions within the Criminal Division for the Roanoke, Abingdon, or Charlottesville Office. If selected you will join our team of criminal AUSAs who handle unique caseloads investigating and prosecuting a variety of federal criminal offenses including white collar crime, national security, civil rights, etc.
This position is located in one of the three offices.
Duties:
The mission of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia ("USAO-WDVA") is to enforce our Nation's laws to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, to provide federal leadership in preventing and reducing crime, and to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior. We strive to build a stronger office through in-depth recruitment efforts and maintain our high standards by promoting professional development.
The Western District of Virginia covers approximately 60 percent of Virginia's land area and serves a population of 2.2 million. It comprises 52 counties and 18 independent cities. Currently, over thirty (30) Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) assigned to the Western District prosecute cases and represent the United States in a wide variety of complex civil matters in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Abingdon, Harrisonburg, and Lynchburg.
An appointment as an AUSA offers a unique and challenging experience for a highly motivated attorney: the opportunity to handle their own caseload in which they investigate and prosecute a wide variety of federal criminal offenses including white collar crime, public corruption, organized crime, violent crime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, child exploitation crimes, and other offenses. An emphasis will be placed on cases involving immigration enforcement, national security and public safety. An AUSA engaged in this challenging work should expect to spend time developing cases with federal agents and investigators, researching and writing, and preparing for trials, sentencings, and other hearings. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
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:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 1* year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. Demonstrate superior oral and written communication skills, possess strong interpersonal skills, exhibit good judgment, and demonstrate the capacity to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
A federal clerkship and/or experience litigating in federal court is preferred. Only applicants with strong academic records, superior legal research and writing skills, and sound judgment will be considered. Please note: the Department of Justice generally prohibits its attorneys from engaging in the compensated outside practice of law, with the exception of law professors. Attorneys in this category are employed to teach law and are not otherwise engaged in the compensated outside practice of law.
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 $76,748 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.
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, both inside and outside the District, may be required depending on the needs of a particular case.
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 affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
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:
The Western District of Virginia covers approximately 60 percent of Virginia's land area and serves a population of 2.2 million. It comprises 52 counties and 18 independent cities. Currently, over thirty (30) Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) assigned to the Western District prosecute cases and represent the United States in a wide variety of complex civil matters in Roanoke, Charlottesville, Abingdon, Harrisonburg, and Lynchburg.
An appointment as an AUSA offers a unique and challenging experience for a highly motivated attorney: the opportunity to handle their own caseload in which they investigate and prosecute a wide variety of federal criminal offenses including white collar crime, public corruption, organized crime, violent crime, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, child exploitation crimes, and other offenses. An emphasis will be placed on cases involving immigration enforcement, national security and public safety. An AUSA engaged in this challenging work should expect to spend time developing cases with federal agents and investigators, researching and writing, and preparing for trials, sentencings, and other hearings. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
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 1* year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. Demonstrate superior oral and written communication skills, possess strong interpersonal skills, exhibit good judgment, and demonstrate the capacity to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
A federal clerkship and/or experience litigating in federal court is preferred. Only applicants with strong academic records, superior legal research and writing skills, and sound judgment will be considered. Please note: the Department of Justice generally prohibits its attorneys from engaging in the compensated outside practice of law, with the exception of law professors. Attorneys in this category are employed to teach law and are not otherwise engaged in the compensated outside practice of law.
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 $76,748 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.
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, both inside and outside the District, may be required depending on the needs of a particular case.
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 affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor.
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)
Review our benefits (https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits.)
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
Review our benefits (https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits.)
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
