General Attorney

Customs and Border Protection; Tucson (AZ); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Chief Counsel in Tucson, AZ, seeks a Special U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) to litigate public integrity cases involving CBP employees. The appointment is temporary not to exceed two years, with an option to extend for an additional two years.

Applicants must be ABA‑credentialed lawyers in good standing and have specialized legal experience beyond two years, including court appearances. Residency and background checks are part of the process.

Qualifications

• Graduate from ABA-accredited law school and be an active bar member in good standing.
• Specialized professional legal experience in excess of two years commensurate with duties.
• Experience in criminal or civil litigation including appearing in court; felony trial experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Litigate public integrity cases involving CBP employees.
• Handle criminal or civil litigation from investigation through trial.
• Perform duties consistent with SAUSA responsibilities as assigned by the Office of Chief Counsel.

Skills

Litigation experience

Court appearances

Criminal law

Civil litigation

Education

ABA-accredited law school

Active bar membership (US state/territory/DC/PR)

Job description

Organizational Location: This position is with the Department of Homeland Security, within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Chief Counsel, located in Tucson, Arizona. The successful candidate serves as a Special U.S. Attorney (SAUSA), litigating public integrity cases involving U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees. This position is Temporary and Not to Exceed 2 years with the ability to extend for an additional 2 years.

Learn more about OCC's mission, core values and careers at https://careers.cbp.gov/s/career-paths/occ/occ-attorney

Applicants must be a graduate from a full course of study in a School of Law accredited by the American Bar Association and be an active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, the District of Columbia or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Applicants must possess specialized professional legal experience in excess of two years that is commensurate with the duties and responsibilities of the position. The quality of the individual's background may be evidenced by the relatedness of his or her specialization.

Specialized Experience:

The skills and experience listed immediately below are of particular importance to the position, and applicants should provide detailed information in these areas, where applicable, as part of their application.

For this position, specialized experience is handling criminal or civil litigation cases, including appearing in court. Preferred experience includes prior

felony trial experience and those who have demonstrated the ability to prosecute from the initial investigative stage through trial.

Substitution of education in lieu of specialized experience may not be used for this grade level.

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.

The qualifications listed above must be met by the closing of this announcement, 09/18/2026 and are subject to verification at any stage of the application process. 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, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Background Investigation:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is a federal law enforcement agency that requires all applicants to undergo a thorough background investigation prior to employment in order to promote the agency's core values of vigilance, service to country, and integrity. During the screening and/or background investigation process, you will be asked questions regarding any felony criminal convictions or current felony charges, the use of illegal drugs (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines, ecstasy), and the use of non-prescribed controlled substances including any experimentation, possession, sale, receipt, manufacture, cultivation, production, transfer, shipping, trafficking, or distribution of controlled substances. For additional information, review the following links: Background investigation and e-QIP process.

Residency:

There is a residency requirement for all applicants not currently employed by CBP. Individuals are required to have physically resided in the United States or its protectorates (as declared under international law) for at least three of the last five years. If you do not meet the residency requirement and you have been physically located in a foreign location for more than two of the last five years, you may request an exception to determine if you are eligible for a residency waiver by meeting one or more of the following conditions:

• Working for the U.S. Government as a federal civilian or as a member of the military
• A dependent who was authorized to accompany a federal civilian or member of the military who was working for the U.S. government
• Participation in a study abroad program sponsored by a U.S. affiliated college or university
• Working as a contractor, intern, consultant or volunteer supporting the U.S. government