Assistant United States Attorney - Criminal Division

United States Attorneys' Offices; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 76,000 - 197,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive federal benefits

Job summary

United States Attorneys' Offices in Tulsa, Oklahoma seeks experienced Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the Criminal Division. The role handles cases from investigation through trial and appeal, often in Indian Country following McGirt v.

Oklahoma. AUSAs collaborate with federal, state, local, and Tribal partners to advance justice with integrity and efficiency. Residency in the district is required, and applicants must meet citizenship and bar requirements.

Qualifications

• J.D. Degree, active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and at least three (3) years of post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.
• United States citizenship is required.
• Preferred: criminal prosecution, investigation, and trial experience in criminal matters; strong research and writing; ability to prepare pleadings and conduct day-to-day tasks.

Responsibilities

• Investigate and prosecute a broad range of federal criminal cases, including matters arising in Indian Country.
• Partner with federal law enforcement to develop plans, evaluate evidence, and make charging recommendations.
• Prepare and present cases to the grand jury, examine witnesses, and advise agents on legal standards.
• Litigate cases from charging through trial and sentencing, including appeals when assigned.
• Draft and argue motions involving constitutional issues, suppression, and sentencing advocacy.
• Coordinate with agencies and staff to manage cases efficiently.

Skills

Criminal prosecution

Investigation

Trial experience

Legal research and writing

e-discovery

e-litigation platforms

Electronic filing

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

Summary

USAO/NDOK seeks experienced, prosecution-minded attorneys to serve as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Criminal Division. NDOK spans 11 counties, including Tulsa. Following McGirt v. Oklahoma, much of the District is Indian Country, offering unique opportunities to prosecute serious federal crimes. AUSAs handle cases from investigation through trial, sentencing, and appeal with integrity and efficiency.

This position is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Duties

AUSAs handle cases from investigation through trial, sentencing, and appeal, working closely with federal, state, local, and Tribal partners. In every matter, we represent the people of the United States with the highest integrity, advancing justice in a way that instills confidence in the fairness and integrity of our Office and the judicial system, while performing our mission as efficiently and effectively as possible. The Criminal Division prosecutes a wide range of federal criminal matters, including criminal immigration, terrorism, narcotics distribution, illegal firearm possession, violent crime, child exploitation/child pornography, human trafficking, transnational organized crime, complex securities and fraud investigations, health care fraud, and public corruption. The Division also prosecutes violent crime and other offenses committed in Indian Country, including homicide, sexual assault, burglary, domestic violence, drug distribution, and fraud.

The AUSA Assigned To The Criminal Division Will

• Investigate and prosecute a broad range of federal criminal cases, including matters arising in Indian Country.
• Partner with federal law enforcement to develop investigative plans and prosecution strategies, evaluate evidence, and make charging recommendations.
• Prepare and present cases to the grand jury, examine witnesses, and advise agents on legal standards and investigative direction.
• Litigate cases of moderate to high complexity from charging through motions, discovery, plea negotiations, hearings, trial, and sentencing.
• Draft and argue motions and briefs involving constitutional issues, suppression, evidentiary disputes, and sentencing advocacy.
• Handle appellate duties, including drafting briefs and presenting oral argument when assigned.
• Coordinate with investigative agencies, victim-witness personnel, and support staff to manage cases efficiently and professionally.
• Complete collateral duties as needed, including program leadership, training, outreach, and other division priorities.

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

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

• 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 three (3) years of post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience.

United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications

An ideal applicant's background or experience will include criminal prosecution, investigation, and trial experience in one or more of the following areas: violent crimes, drug conspiracies, crimes against children, and complex litigation. In addition, applicants will be expected to do legal research and writing and will be self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. Applicants must also demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills, including experience with e-discovery, e-litigation platforms, electronic court filing, and word processing systems.

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

Applications

Applications received by September 1, 2026, will receive first consideration. Applicants will then be reviewed on a rolling basis. (The filling of this position is subject to the availability of funds.)

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

Salary Information

Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The basic pay range 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 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.

Travel

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

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.

EEO Statement/Policy

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. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.

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.

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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our 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.