Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) - Open Continuous

U.S. Department of Justice; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 88,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Justice — United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia seeks an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) in Washington, DC. This open continuous posting covers responsibilities prosecuting DC Code offenses, from misdemeanors to homicides, with rotations through different legal program areas in a multi-year Career Development Program.

Applicants must hold a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar, and be a U.S. citizen or national.

Qualifications

• J.D. Degree and active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).
• Must be a United States Citizen or National.

Responsibilities

• Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training progresses.
• Rotations through different legal program areas over the four-year Career Development Program.

Skills

Litigation

Advocacy

Writing

Communication

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) - Open Continuous

Hiring Organization

USAO District of Columbia

Hiring Office

Superior Court Division

Attorney Appointment Type

Attorney Permanent

Job ID

27-DC-13079011-AUSA

Location: 601 D Street NW

Location: 601 D Street NW
Washington, DC 20530 - United States

Application Deadline

Sunday, February 28, 2027

About the Office

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is unique in the size and the scope of its work. It serves as both the local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital.

AUSAs assigned to the Superior Court Division prosecute D.C. Code offenses ranging from misdemeanors to homicides.

Types of cases include, but are not limited to, homicides, sexual assaults, carjackings, kidnappings, robberies, burglaries, domestic violence, and narcotics and weapons possession.

AUSAs must possess the qualities necessary to excel in their mission to enforce the criminal laws of the District of Columbia and the United States. These qualities include advocacy and communication skills; superior writing and analytical skills; the ability to manage a high-volume docket; and dedication to duty. Successful candidates will demonstrate the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, investigative agencies, witnesses, and crime victims. They must also demonstrate their willingness to meet the high ethical standards expected of prosecutors in their interactions with opposing counsel and the courts.

The Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Career Development Program implemented by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia provides new AUSAs with rotational work assignments in different (and progressively more complex) legal program areas of the Office for an approximate four-year duration. Rotations through different areas of litigation provide the new AUSA opportunities to develop skills and competencies that will enhance their ability to contribute to the important mission of the United States Attorney's Office to enforce federal law and administer justice in the United States.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/careers/careers.html

• 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.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance with eligibility for Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access depending on organizational assignment / duty location.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), and be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).

You must be a United States Citizen or National.

Preferred Qualifications

Litigation experience and a minimum GPA of 3.0 is preferred. Applicants must possess superior communication and advocacy skills; exhibit exceptional research and writing ability; perform thorough legal and factual analysis; demonstrate an ability to work well with others; exercise good judgment; and function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment.

Applicants must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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 conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

Salary Information

This is an excepted service attorney appointment under an Administrative Determined pay scale. (See www.justice.gov/usao/career-center/salary-information/administratively-determined-pay-plan-charts). 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 $87,815 to $197,100 which includes 33.94% locality pay. For additional information on salary and benefits, visit www.justice.gov/legal-careers/attorney-salaries-promotions-and-benefits.

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.

Number of Positions

Many

Travel

Occasional travel may be required.

Relocation Expenses

Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

This and othervacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships . 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.