ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY - CRIMINAL

The United States Department of Justice; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 86,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington seeks an Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal) to prosecute federal offenses, advise law enforcement, and present cases to the grand jury. Applicants must have a J.D.

and be admitted to the bar, with strong litigation skills and a commitment to public service. Assignments may be in Seattle or Tacoma, with occasional travel between offices.

Qualifications

• Must possess a J.D. Degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).
• United States citizenship is required.
• Ideal qualifications include at least three years of litigation experience, including narcotics/drug trafficking enforcement and a commitment to public service.
• Strong written and oral communication, research, and interpersonal skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Pursue prosecutions for federal offenses and present cases to the grand jury.
• Try criminal cases before the United States District Court and handle appeals when necessary.
• Advise federal law enforcement agents on investigations and coordinate with client agencies.
• Demonstrate ability to work independently in a high-demand environment and maintain professional ethics.

Skills

Analytical ability

Oral communication

Written communication

Research skills

Interpersonal skills

Judgment

Courtroom skills

Education

J.D. degree

Active bar admission

Tools

Internet research

Electronic court filing

Electronic mail

Data management

Word processing

Electronic discovery

Video-conferencing

Job description

ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY - CRIMINAL

Hiring Organization

USAO Western District of Washington

Hiring Office

Criminal Division

Attorney Appointment Type

Attorney Term

Job ID

26-WAW-13067932-AUSA

Location: 700 Stewart St

Application Deadline:

Friday, October 2, 2026

About the Office

The United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the Western District of Washington (WDWA) is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation in Western Washington that involves the United States. A large portion of the work involves investigating and pursuing criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law. The office also handles civil lawsuits by or against a Department or agency of the United States, actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers, and matters to ensure the Civil Rights of Washingtonians are protected. The USAO is divided into two litigating Divisions (Criminal and Civil). The main office is located in Seattle, Washington and a branch office is located in Tacoma, Washington. The office has an authorized strength of approximately 84 Assistant United States Attorneys.

This announcement is for one (1) available vacancy. 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.

The Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the Criminal Division pursue prosecutions for violations of federal law that occur within the District. Criminal Division AUSAs advise federal law enforcement agents on criminal investigations, present criminal cases to the grand jury, try criminal cases before the United States District Court, and at times represent the United States in appeals before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The positions will be assigned primarily to the investigation and prosecution of international and domestic drug trafficking and related offenses. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progresses.

The attorneys hired for this position may be located in either the Seattle or Tacoma office. Applicants should state their preference of office location in the cover letter. Further, any applicant hired for a position to be located in the Tacoma office should anticipate spending a significant portion of their time working at the Seattle office. Regular travel between Tacoma and Seattle is required for all employees, as needed for casework and additional training.

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

These are three-year term positions 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.

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

Ideal qualifications include at least three (3) years of litigation experience, with some experience in criminal law, specifically involving narcotics/drug trafficking enforcement, and a commitment to public service.

Applicants must demonstrate quick analytical ability and an ability to synthesize a wide range of data, help direct an investigation and have the ability to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and writing skills, strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. 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 Internet research, electronic court filing, electronic mail, data management, word processing, electronic discovery, and video-conferencing systems.

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

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.

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.

Number of Positions

1

Travel

Occasional travel within and outside the District will be required.

Relocation Expenses

Relocation expenses are not authorized.