The Eastern District of California is seeking to fill an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) position in its Appellate Unit. The selected applicant will be based in our Sacramento or Fresno office and will work with other AUSAs in the criminal and civil divisions to prepare all briefs filed in the Ninth Circuit.
Duties
The United States Attorney's Office is seeking to fill an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) position in its Appellate Unit. The Appellate Unit writes briefs, edits briefs, conducts moots, and provides legal advice and guidance on the Office's criminal and civil matters before the Ninth Circuit. In the criminal realm, these cases involve some of the most challenging issues in criminal law and procedure, including constitutional challenges to criminal convictions, statutory questions of first impression, application of the Sentencing Guidelines, and post-conviction matters. In the civil realm, these cases recently include litigation of rapidly evolving constitutional, statutory, and regulatory issues in immigration law. Appellate AUSAs work with other AUSAs in the criminal and civil divisions to prepare all briefs filed in the Ninth Circuit. In addition, they counsel prosecutors and civil litigators on difficult legal issues, providing crucial input on trial-level procedure and strategy. Depending on workload, Appellate AUSAs may also take on district court level duties, including motions practice, habeas corpus litigation, or criminal or civil case development. Your application will be considered for the location(s) that you indicate in your preferences. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Additional office location information: Sacramento is located in the heart of California. Sacramento is home to professional ballet and opera companies, providing a wide range of cultural activities and events. Professional sports are represented by the Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento River Cats, and the Sacramento Republic FC. Bound by two rivers and in close proximity to several lakes, water recreation tops the list for outdoor activities such as salmon fishing, river rafting, and boating. Sacramento is located 90 miles northeast of San Francisco and approximately 90 miles west of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, providing numerous recreational opportunities for skiing and boating enthusiasts. Fresno is one of the fastest growing cities in California, due in part to its central location to major tourist areas in California. Fresno is located in the middle of the fertile San Joaquin Valley, also known as the Central Valley, which is a major supplier of food and agricultural products for the United States and the world. This area also includes national treasures such as Yosemite National Park and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Salary
Qualifications
Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree (or equivalent), be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia, and have at least 2 years of post-J.D. experience. Applicants must be active members in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction). Applicant must have strong legal writing experience, as well as some foundational experience in either criminal or civil practice. United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications: Ideal qualifications include previous appeals experience, either criminal or civil. The applicant must be capable of efficiently drafting and working with other to produce high-quality pleadings and briefs. The applicant should be team-oriented and desire to work with other appellate AUSAs in the Office, as well as AUSAs from the criminal and civil divisions. The applicant should enjoy both spontaneous consultations with colleagues, as well as the deep solitary work required of appellate brief-writing. Clerkship experience a plus. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Education
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent).
Required Documents
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). - Required: Cover letter. - Required: Writing sample - Required: Your 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 (for full consideration you must include month, day, and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and 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. Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements. Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority. Individuals with targeted/severe disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. See list of DPOCs. Suitability and Citizenship: It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and persons selected for employment will be required to pass a drug test which screens for illegal drug use prior to final appointment. Employment is also contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/). Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S. Trustee's Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations. However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is extremely rare; such appointments would be possible only if necessary to accomplish the Department's mission and would be subject to strict security requirements. Applicants who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement. Candidates who have lived outside the United States for two or more of the past five years will likely have difficulty being approved for appointments by the Department Security Staff. The two-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive. Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement. Current or Former Political Appointees: 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 by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); Agency; and Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
How to Apply
This is an open continuous announcement that will remain open until filled or September 30, 2026. This is a job opportunity announcement that will be used to fill a vacancy in the Sacramento or Fresno office. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be 08/21/2026. Qualified applicants will be referred to selecting official at 1-week intervals from then. To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/30/2026 to receive consideration. 1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. 2. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.) 3. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete. You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. However, should you not be able to apply online, please contact Eastern District of California at (916) 554-2706 or email at Lauren.Horwood@usdoj.gov, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying. The Point of Contact for this vacancy announcement is Eastern District of California who can be reached at (916) 554-2706 or Lauren.Horwood@usdoj.gov
