Assistant United States Attorney, Reno (Criminal Division)

U.S. Department of Justice; Reno (NV); On-site; USD 77,000 - 197,000; Full time

Job summary

USAO District of Nevada in Reno, NV seeks an Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal Division) to prosecute federal crimes and supervise litigation as assigned.

The role requires a J.D. and bar admission, U.S. citizenship; preferred 3+ years post‑J.D.; strong writing and research abilities; opportunities for leadership within the Criminal Division.

Qualifications

• J.D. degree and active bar membership in any U.S. jurisdiction.
• United States citizenship required.
• Three or more years of post‑J.D. experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Investigate and prosecute cases in areas including unemployment insurance fraud, drugs, white collar, and national security.
• Perform legal research, write pleadings, and manage day-to-day correspondence.
• Lead or participate in grand jury practice and investigations.
• Work with colleagues, witnesses, and victims in a professional manner.

Skills

Legal research

Legal writing

Public speaking

Team collaboration

Education

J.D. degree

Tools

Computer proficiency

Job description

Assistant United States Attorney, Reno (Criminal Division)

Hiring Organization

USAO District of Nevada

Hiring Office

Criminal Division

Attorney Appointment Type

Attorney Permanent

Job ID

27-NV-13086024-AUSA

Location: Reno, NV 89501 - United States

Application Deadline:

Friday, November 6, 2026

About the Office

This position is located in Reno, NV.

Job Description

Assistant United States Attorneys in the Criminal Division are responsible for the investigation and prosecution of cases including unemployment insurance fraud offenses, drugs, human trafficking, organized crime, terrorism, white collar crimes, national security, immigration, child exploitation, frauds, Indian country, and violent and general crimes. The Reno Branch Office offers opportunities for attorneys to take on significant responsibility and, for qualified candidates, to be considered for leadership roles in support of the Office's mission and operational needs. Assistant United States Attorneys assigned to the Criminal Division must possess the qualities necessary to excel in their mission to enforce the criminal laws of the United States. These qualities include superior advocacy and communication skills, strong analytical ability, sound judgment, leadership and management potential, and an ability to work effectively with others.
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 a commitment to the high ethical standards expected of federal prosecutors in their interactions with opposing counsel, the courts, and the public. Significant courtroom experience, including jury trials, is preferred. Successful candidates will also be computer proficient, capable of conducting their own legal research and writing, and self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. Experience with grand jury practice and investigative techniques such as search warrants, wiretaps, asset seizure, and forfeiture is also desirable.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progress. Depending on the needs of the Office and the qualifications of the selected candidate, applicants with demonstrated leadership ability, management aptitude, and substantial litigation experience may also be considered for placement into supervisory or other leadership roles within the Criminal Division. Candidates interested in such opportunities should have a demonstrated ability to effectively lead teams, manage personnel and resources, mentor attorneys and staff, and advance the mission and priorities of the Office in a collaborative and professional manner. Any such supervisory assignment would be at the discretion of Office leadership.

Required Qualifications:
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:
The ideal candidate will have three or more years of post-J.D. experience. The candidate should possess excellent legal research and writing skills and demonstrate superior organization and public presentation abilities. The candidate should also have significant computer and computer software literacy and familiarity with criminal procedure, in particular Fourth Amendment law and the use of other investigative tools. Candidates should have an outstanding academic record and litigation experience, including exceptional courtroom skills.

Applicants with prior supervisory, leadership, or management experience, or who can demonstrate through experience, training, or background an understanding of leadership and personnel management principles, are encouraged to apply.

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

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 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.

Application Process

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
• Recommended: A writing sample.
• Required: Resume. You must include your desired location in your resume. Resume must list month and year obtained J.D. degree AND month and year admitted to bar. Resume cannot exceed two pages - you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages - see USAJOBS for formatting requirements . Include relevant employment history as outlined below for each job:
  • Official position title (if Federal, include series/grade),
  • Employer name and contact information, start and end dates (you must include month and year),
  • A list of duties performed and accomplishments.

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.

• Required, if applicable: To get Veterans' Preference, you must indicate your preference in response to the appropriate question in your assessment questionnaire and you must submit the appropriate supporting documentation. See the "How you will be Evaluated" section for details regarding what is appropriate Veterans' Preference documentation. It is also recommended that you include veterans' preference information in your cover letter or resume.

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.

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 $77,050 - $197,100.00 including locality pay for the area.

Number of Positions

One

Travel

Occasional travel may be required.

Relocation Expenses

Relocation expenses may 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.