Employment with the U.S. Attorney's Office provides a unique, challenging, and rewarding experience for a highly motivated attorney. It is an opportunity to litigate a broad range of cases involving significant complex issues in Federal court and to become part of a dedicated team pursuing justice on behalf of the United States. This position is located in Columbus, OH. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.
Duties
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio is seeking qualified attorneys to fill Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) vacancies in the Criminal Division of its Columbus office. The AUSAs will be responsible for prosecuting all types of crimes under federal law including criminal immigration enforcement and alien smuggling, violent offenses, narcotics trafficking, firearms violations, cartel and transnational organizations, complex white-collar crime, public corruption, and fraud schemes pursuant to the Administration and Department priorities. Generally, an AUSA assigned to the Criminal Division has the following responsibilities: Handle case development and management of all phases of investigation and litigation including, but not limited to, the use of grand jury, advising federal law enforcement agents, preparing appropriate pleadings, litigating motions, and conducting trials in U.S. District Court. Manage incoming and outgoing case materials through all phases of discovery and litigate cases of moderate to high complexity from start to finish with limited supervision. In collaboration with Division managers, develop and maintain the assigned caseload in a timely and efficient manner to foster effective district investigation and prosecution of criminal violations, including advising on strategy and legal complexities, and developing litigation priorities. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as training and experience progress.
Salary
Qualifications
Required Qualifications Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 1 year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications The preferred candidate will have experience in litigation and will demonstrate a quick analytical ability to accurately and precisely identify critical issues in a case. The preferred candidate will possess excellent research abilities, as well as superior oral advocacy, writing, and courtroom skills. The preferred candidate will have significant computer and computer software literacy, will be able to communicate effectively, and will exhibit the ability to work both as a professional team member with other attorneys, support staff, and outside agencies, and as an independent and self-motivated litigator. The preferred candidate should have the capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment while balancing a high caseload. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
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 $77,153, to $195,100, which includes locality pay. Other Benefits The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; 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. * * * 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 Occasional travel, both within and outside the district, may be required. 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) 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 - Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the online application process). Required - Your resume showing relevant experience and dates of employment (month/year), date J.D. Degree was awarded (month/year), and date of bar admission (month/year). Required - Cover letter describing your qualifications and interest in the Southern District of Ohio. Required - Writing sample. Required, if applicable - A recent copy of an SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), showing title, series, grade, and current salary; and a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. 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. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE POLICIES 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. ยง 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 below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/25/2025 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. Applicants must 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 the agency prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.
