Closing Date: 4th September, 2026
Description:
Summary:The United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington is seeking dedicated attorneys to serve as Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) in our Criminal Division. You will be assigned to prosecute general crimes, focusing on organized crime, material support to terrorism, violent crime, drug trafficking, human trafficking, and firearm related offenses. AUSAs handle cases from investigations through trial and sentencing with integrity and efficiency.
Duties:
Working for the Department of Justice as an AUSA provides tremendous opportunities to develop litigation skills at an accelerated rate. Few litigation positions, whether in private practice, government, or military service, offer such rich and varied experiences and responsibilities. Working in the Criminal Division, you will be a part of a dedicated team representing the United States, and your job will be to do the right thing, the right way, for the right reasons, every time. AUSAs work hard to keep the community safe, uphold victim's rights, protect civil rights, and uphold the rule of law. We are seeking motivated individuals who enjoy working on a wide variety of challenging litigation matters while supported by colleagues and law enforcement officers of the highest caliber. AUSAs are encouraged to grow professionally through the support of mentors and the Department of Justice's world-class training resources, including by periodically attending seminars at the DOJ's National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina.
The person who fills this AUSA position will be part of a dedicated team assisting in the enforcement and prosecution of federal criminal laws. The primary assignment will include the investigation and prosecution of a wide range of criminal matters that may include drug trafficking, violent crime, firearms offenses, organized crime, money laundering, child exploitation, terrorism, fraud, criminal immigration, and public corruption. Criminal AUSAs spend substantial time reviewing legal process, such as search warrants, assisting federal law enforcement agents in structuring and implementing criminal investigative plans and strategies; making thoughtful charging decisions; managing discovery, handling detention and suppression hearings, negotiating plea resolutions, and litigating at trial and sentencing. Collateral duties will be assigned, as needed, including program leadership, training, outreach, and other division priorities.
The District also has significant Indian Country cases arising from the four federally designated Tribal reservations within the District, offering unique opportunities to prosecute serious federal crimes. These cases often involve serious violent crimes, such as homicides, serious assaults, child exploitation, domestic violence, sexual abuse, as well as cold cases involving missing and murdered indigenous people. Prosecuting these cases has a tremendous impact on public safety within each of the four Tribal nations in Eastern Washington.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as an AUSA is trained and gains experience.
As needed, additional vacancies may be filled using this announcement.
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:
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.
Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar in any jurisdiction.
Applicants must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, Territory, or the District of Columbia.
Bar membership documents must be submitted to show active status.
Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
Applicants should demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the capacity to accurately articulate critical issues in a case.
Superior oral and writing skills, along with strong research and interpersonal skills, are essential. Applicants should also exhibit good judgment.
Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and demonstrate the ability to work professionally with other attorneys, support staff, and client agencies.
A demonstrated ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment is required.
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 pay is $76,748 to $197,100 which includes 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 for cases or to other offices within the District will also be required as needed; and occasional travel may be required for training.
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): 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.
The person who fills this AUSA position will be part of a dedicated team assisting in the enforcement and prosecution of federal criminal laws. The primary assignment will include the investigation and prosecution of a wide range of criminal matters that may include drug trafficking, violent crime, firearms offenses, organized crime, money laundering, child exploitation, terrorism, fraud, criminal immigration, and public corruption. Criminal AUSAs spend substantial time reviewing legal process, such as search warrants, assisting federal law enforcement agents in structuring and implementing criminal investigative plans and strategies; making thoughtful charging decisions; managing discovery, handling detention and suppression hearings, negotiating plea resolutions, and litigating at trial and sentencing. Collateral duties will be assigned, as needed, including program leadership, training, outreach, and other division priorities.
The District also has significant Indian Country cases arising from the four federally designated Tribal reservations within the District, offering unique opportunities to prosecute serious federal crimes. These cases often involve serious violent crimes, such as homicides, serious assaults, child exploitation, domestic violence, sexual abuse, as well as cold cases involving missing and murdered indigenous people. Prosecuting these cases has a tremendous impact on public safety within each of the four Tribal nations in Eastern Washington.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as an AUSA is trained and gains experience.
As needed, additional vacancies may be filled using this announcement.
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:
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.
Applicants must be an active member in good standing of the bar in any jurisdiction.
Applicants must be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, Territory, or the District of Columbia.
Bar membership documents must be submitted to show active status.
Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
Applicants should demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the capacity to accurately articulate critical issues in a case.
Superior oral and writing skills, along with strong research and interpersonal skills, are essential. Applicants should also exhibit good judgment.
Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and demonstrate the ability to work professionally with other attorneys, support staff, and client agencies.
A demonstrated ability to function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment is required.
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 pay is $76,748 to $197,100 which includes 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 for cases or to other offices within the District will also be required as needed; and occasional travel may be required for training.
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): 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.
