The U.S. Attorney's Office, South Dakota's mission is to impartially enforce and uphold the laws of the United States. We are committed to improving public safety, protecting the financial interests of the nation, and ensuring equal justice for all. The district's main office is located in Sioux Falls, with two branch offices located in Pierre and Rapid City. This position is located in Sioux Falls, SD. More information about the Office can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/
Duties
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota is seeking an experienced attorney to fill an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) position in the Criminal Division. AUSAs in the Criminal Division advise federal law enforcement agents on criminal investigations, present criminal cases to the grand jury, prepare and argue a broad range of motions, try criminal cases before the United States District Court, conduct research, and write briefs and present oral arguments to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Candidates should be capable of handling cases involving a variety of violations of federal laws related to firearms, narcotics, white collar fraud, child pornography, and immigration crimes. Candidates should also be capable of handling significant and complex criminal prosecutions involving Major Crimes Act violations in Indian Country such as murder, child sex abuse, rape, and more. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and expertise progress.
Salary
Conditions of Employment
Applicant must be a United States Citizen or National. Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprints, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. 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. Applicant must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of a bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one year of post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. Applicant must be a member, or be eligible to become a member, of the federal district court bar. Note: The U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota requires that all Assistant U.S. Attorneys be admitted to the State Bar of South Dakota within 12 months from the date of an attorney's oath of office for the position in South Dakota. See Local Rule (Criminal) 44.1(F)(1)(a). Accordingly, if the successful candidate is not a member of the South Dakota Bar, he/she must become a member within one year from entry on duty. Applicant must reside in the district to which he/she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See U.S.C. § 545 for district specific information. Applicant must be capable of traveling on occasion in support of the mission. All initial attorney positions to the Department of Justice are made on a 14-month (temporary) basis. This position may be extended or made permanent without further competition. Applicants must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
Applicants must demonstrate superior analytical ability; possess strong research, writing and courtroom skills; exercise fair and sound judgment; follow all Department of Justice and United States Attorney's Office policies; exhibit the ability to work collaboratively in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, and law enforcement agencies; demonstrate superior communication skills; handle matters in court persuasively and justly on behalf of the United States of America; be devoted to excellence; and demonstrate a commitment to public service.
Education
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
Other Information
Salary Information: 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 $73,939 to $193,394, which includes locality pay. * * * 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: Employment will require occasional travel to court at designated sites within and outside the District of South Dakota. Travel is also required for witness interviews, preparation for court hearings, and training, including at the Department of Justice's National Advocacy Center in Columbia, SC. Type of Position: All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation. 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 conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances. 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 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. Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. In addition, continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation. EEO Statement: 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.
Required Documents
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Required-Completed online application found via the link above. Required-Responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire. (This is completed automatically during the online application process.) Required-Resume showing relevant experience and dates of employment to include the day/month/year of service. Required-Cover letter. Required-Writing sample, not to exceed 20 pages. Required-List of 3 references, including name, title, email and phone number for each. The Point of Contact for this vacancy announcement is District of South Dakota who can be reached at 605-357-2305 or KAILENE.FREY@USDOJ.GOV 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
To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/31/2025 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 District of South Dakota at 605-357-2305 or email at KAILENE.FREY@USDOJ.GOV, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.
Benefits
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.
