Uncompensated Special Assistant U.S. Attorney

Please see the required documents and how to apply section. Applications for the position must be emailed to USAVAE.SAUSA@usdoj.gov. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. For more information on the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's Offices, visit http://www.justice.gov/careers/careers.html

Duties

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has openings in our Alexandria Division for a one-year uncompensated Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) position. The position may be extended. The start date is January 5, 2026, although an earlier or later start date may be accommodated. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled. SAUSAs will work in the office's General Crimes Unit, prosecuting a variety of felony and misdemeanor matters, including opportunities to prosecute violent crimes, narcotics, child exploitation, immigration, and fraud cases. SAUSAs will routinely appear before federal magistrate and district court judges, and the grand jury. They will gain substantive experience through handling all stages of the prosecution from initial appearance through trial and sentencing.

The detail will be located at (Alexandria Division) 2100 Jamieson Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, near the King Street and Eisenhower Metro Stations (blue and yellow lines). Living accommodations and parking will not be provided.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Salary

• $0

Conditions of Employment

Travel: No Travel is Required.

Type of Position: This is a temporary position not-to-exceed one year. This position may be extended without further competition.

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.

Note: Employees of the Department of Justice, including Uncompensated Special Assistant United States Attorneys, may not engage in the compensated practice of law outside the office. Attorneys are not eligible to serve as UncompensatedSpecial Assistant United States Attorneys if they have had an employment offer deferred by a law firm and received a payment for the period of their deferral with the expectation of future employment with the law firm, or if they will receive any payment from a law firm during their unpaid employment with the Department of Justice. In addition, contractors, including employees of contractors who do business with the Department of Justice, and who also are attorneys, are not eligible to serve as Uncompensated Special Assistant United States Attorneys.

Selective Service: 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.

Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.

Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction)

Uncompensated positions are not subject to the requirement for one year of professional, post J.D. experience.

United States citizenship is required.

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Education Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree Other Information 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. Reasonable Accommodations: This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. 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 disabilities may also contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC). 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. 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. Required Documents

You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Required - Your resume showing relevant experience and dates of employment (include day/month/year). (cover letter optional).
• 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 under the "Qualifications and Evaluations" Tab above 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.

: The Point of Contact for this vacancy announcement is Eastern District of Virginia who can be reached at 703-299-3713 or Erica.Barlow@usdoj.gov

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 12/12/2025 to receive consideration.

Please submit one PDF file in accordance with the requirement below:

A resume, no longer than a single page, in a single combined PDF attachment using the filename format Lastname Firstname (e.g., SmithJane.pdf). A cover letter is optional.

Applications for the position must be emailed to USAVAE.SAUSA@usdoj.gov. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.