Victim Witness Specialist
United States Attorneys' Offices
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Job summary
United States Attorneys' Offices in the Eastern District of Texas seek a Victim Witness Specialist to support crime victims and witnesses. You will work with AUSAs to locate victims, explain rights, and assist in trial preparation, including in-court support.
Responsibilities include coordinating resources, arranging transportation, and communicating updates on case status and plea outcomes to victims and witnesses. Strong interpersonal and organizational skills are essential.
Qualifications
- Specialized experience in victim-witness or similar program.
- Assisting attorneys and informing victims of rights throughout prosecution.
- Ability to locate victims and assess their ability to testify in court.
Responsibilities
- Respond to victim and witness inquiries and determine program eligibility.
- Identify resources and provide referrals to victims, families, and witnesses.
- Assist attorneys in locating victims/witnesses and assessing testimony readiness.
- Provide information on schedule changes, plea status, and trial results.
- Arrange transportation and hotel accommodations for victims/witnesses for court appearances.
- Provide in-court support to victims and witnesses during hearings and trials.
- Prepare victims/witnesses to deliver testimony and assist with victim impact statements.
- Collaborate with law enforcement and victim service providers to expand resources.
- Speak to groups about victims' issues to promote federal programs.
Skills
Education
Job description
This announcement is open to current or former federal employees and specific hiring authorities.
This announcement is open to current or former federal employees and specific hiring authorities.
For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorneys' Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/.
This position is also being announced to All U.S. Citizens and Nationals under 26-TXE-13054635-Delegated Examining (DE).
There is one position to be filled in either Plano, TX or Sherman, TX.
As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Help
If Selected For This Position, You Will Serve As a Victim Witness Specialist For The United States Attorney's Office For The Eastern District Of Texas. Typical Work Assignments Will Include
- Responding to victim and witness inquiries concerning a variety of difficulties they may experience as a direct result of a crime and determining program eligibility for victim-witness services.
- Identifying resources and providing referrals to crime victims, their families, and witnesses.
- Assisting AUSAs in locating victims and witnesses and assessing their ability to testify in court proceedings.
- Providing information to victims on schedule changes, status of defendants' pleas, and results of trial.
- Making transportation and hotel arrangements for victims and witnesses to facilitate court appearances.
- Providing in-court support to victims and witnesses during and prior to hearings and trials.
- Preparing victims and witnesses to deliver testimony and aiding in the preparation of victim impact statements.
- Collaborating with law enforcement personnel, Federal investigative agency victim specialists and social service providers.
- Developing a network of victim service providers to increase resources and services to comprehensively support crime victims and witnesses.
- Speaking to public, civic, industry, and special interest groups on victims' issues to publicize Federal efforts to develop and improve assistance programs.
- Assisting USAO staff by securing a wide variety of specialized victim services, e.g., translators, special transportation, etc.
Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress
Help
Conditions of employment
- You must be a United States Citizen or National.
- You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
- You may be required to complete a probationary or trial period. See "Additional Information" for specific details.
- Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31st 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
- You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
- A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.
- Time-in-Grade: Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days after the closing date of this announcement.
To be eligible at the GS-9 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, a combination of Education and Experience.
One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing the following types of duties: assisting in a victim-witness or similar program; assisting attorneys with information regarding victims and witnesses; assisting attorneys in trial preparation which includes victim-witness issues; informing victims and/or witnesses of their rights and assist victims with exercising those rights throughout the prosecution; informing victims of the various means available to seek financial restitution; providing information to victims and/or witnesses regarding status of cases and results of trials; providing in court support during hearings; obtaining services and assistance for victims and/or witnesses; and performing as an advocate for the mission of the organization.
One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice): a Master's or equivalent graduate degree (such as an LL.B or JD., if related); OR 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be more than 1 full year.
To be eligible at the GS-11 level, you must meet at least ONE of the following conditions, as defined below: Specialized Experience, Education, OR a combination of Education and Experience.
One full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience performing the following types of duties: administering and providing services of special programs and funds for victims and witnesses; assisting attorneys in locating victims and assessing their ability to testify in court proceedings; providing court support to victims during and prior to hearings and trials; providing information to victims and witnesses on schedule changes, status of defendant's pleas and results of trial; informing victims and/or witnesses of their rights and assisting victims with exercising those rights throughout the prosecution; informing victims of the various means available to seek financial restitution; provide advisory guidance and assistance in preparing victim impact statements; serve as a speaker to civic, industry and special interest groups on victims issues; conducting training to law enforcement and community service providers on victim's issues and victim-witness matters; review literature regarding victim and witness issues.
One of the following types of education in a related field (e.g., Criminal Justice): a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree (such as a LL.M., if related); OR 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree. Education at the graduate level must be in an accredited college or university and must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the position.
Combinations of successfully completed graduate education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements. To qualify based on a combination, graduate education must be more than 2 full years.
You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the 10/09/2026 of this announcement.
Your resume must support your responses to the application questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.
After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement 10/09/2026 to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.
VEOA allows eligible veterans to apply and compete for positions announced under merit promotion procedures when the hiring agency is recruiting from outside its own workforce. To be eligible for a VEOA appointment, a veteran must be honorably separated and either a preference eligible or have substantially completed three (3) or more years of continuous active military service. If you are applying for a Merit Promotion announcement and wish to be considered under VEOA, you must submit a Member 4 Copy of your DD-214, in addition to any other required documents listed on this announcement.
People with disabilities, veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more, certain other veterans, spouses of certain members of the armed forces, and returning Peace Corps volunteers are examples of individuals who are potentially eligible for non-competitive appointments. For further information, click on the links provided below. You must specify in your online questionnaire under what authority you wish to be considered and submit appropriate documentation to verify your eligibility.
Noncompetitive Appointment Authorities Links:https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/competitive-hiring/#url=Types-of-Appointments.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements, please see the statements below.
Education must be reviewed and certified by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, in order for it to be creditable towards your qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from accredited institution.
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
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.
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.
Federal Agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities, where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.
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.
Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring agency directly. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. The DOJ Reasonable Accommodation policy can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/reasonable-accommodation#policy.
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.
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.
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