Summary
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska is a vibrant and energetic office in the most majestic state in the country. The USAO has offices in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau. There are nearly 30 Assistant United States Attorneys who prosecute federal crimes and defend and pursue the interests of the United States in civil cases. This employment opportunity is in the Criminal Division of our Anchorage office.
Duties
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Alaska is seeking applications from experienced and motivated attorneys who have superb research and writing skills as well as a criminal law background to fill Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) vacancies in the Criminal Division. Additional vacancies may be filled using this announcement. The successful candidate primarily will be responsible for handling the investigation and prosecution of federal crimes in national priority areas including violent crime, fentanyl trafficking, gang/cartel related crimes, and illegal firearms offenses. In addition, the candidate may also be called upon to assist in the prosecution of a wide variety of other criminal cases as needed to address the District's priorities, including child exploitation, fraud, and public corruption. Assistant United States Attorneys work their cases from inception through appeal, and thus, in addition to district court work, the successful candidate will be responsible for drafting appellate briefs and presenting oral arguments before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The successful candidate must have the legal acumen and experience to successfully prosecute a complex organized crime or drug trafficking case or be capable of prosecuting such a case if given the appropriate training and experience. The candidate must establish a commitment to the District of Alaska. The candidate must also have a prosecutor's professional temperament and judgment. They must have the desire to do justice, meaning to vigorously use the power of our office to protect the public, but also to protect the rights of defendants based on strong ethical beliefs. Finally, the successful candidate must be an inspiring colleague and leader or be capable of being such a colleague and leader as they develop. An essential part of being this type of colleague is being a dedicated team player; someone who believes in effective teamwork. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Residency Requirements: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district-specific information. 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.
Education
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
How you will be evaluated
Evaluation Method: Once your complete application package is received, it will be reviewed to ensure you meet all job requirements. An attorney interview panel will then review all qualified applicants and make recommendations for invitation to interview. You will be notified if selected for an interview. The Occupational Questionnaire will take you approximately 20 minutes to complete. Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must indicate their preference in response to the appropriate question in their assessment questionnaire (it is also recommended that information is included in their cover letter or resume) and they must submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) which verifies their eligibility for preference. Although the "point" system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/sf15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more). 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.