Assistant United States Attorney

Hiring Organization

USAO District of South Dakota

Hiring Office

Criminal Division

Job ID

24-SD-12535432-AUSA

Location:

Multiple Locations

Application Deadline:

Saturday, September 21, 2024

About the 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 financial interests, and ensuring equal justice for all. In all matters, it is our mission to represent the people of the U.S. in a manner that will instill confidence in the fairness and integrity of our office and the judicial system, and to conduct our work with the highest integrity.

The district's main office is in Sioux Falls, SD, with two branch offices located in Pierre and Rapid City. This position may be located in either Rapid City or Pierre, SD.

Rapid City
Rapid City, known as the gateway to the famous faces of Mt. Rushmore, lies east of the Black Hills National Forest in western South Dakota. As the 2nd largest city in South Dakota, there are several national parks, monuments and memorials as well as a host of nearby hiking trails. Rapid City offers a rich cultural heritage experience as well as a contemporary vibe with a downtown that is walkable and pedestrian-friendly, offering history, art, dining and attractions for every taste and preference.
Ranked as the second-best state in the nation for overall wellbeing and happiness, SD residents are friendly, enjoy opportunity everywhere, and have one of the lowest costs of living in the nation.

Pierre
Situated on the bluffs overlooking the beautiful Missouri River, Pierre is South Dakota’s state capitol. Pierre is an outdoors paradise boasting 50 miles of trails and pathways and a variety of outdoor and water activities such as boating, fishing, hunting and kayaking and is located a few miles away from one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, Lake Oahe. Ranked as the second-best state in the nation for overall wellbeing and happiness, SD residents are friendly, enjoy opportunity everywhere,
and have one of the lowest costs of living in the nation.

More information about the U.S. Attorney's Office, SD can be found at:
http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.

Job Description

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 of its Rapid City or Pierre office. 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, write briefs and present oral arguments to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Candidates should be capable of handling significant and complex criminal prosecutions involving a variety of violations of federal laws related to firearms, narcotics, white collar fraud, child pornography, and immigration crimes as well as Major Crimes Act violations in Indian Country involving murder, child sex abuse, rape, and more.

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

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.

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.

Qualifications

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen or National.
• Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
• You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
• J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
• Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
• Occasional travel. You may be expected to travel occasionally for this position.

Required:

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. United States citizenship or National is required. In addition, applicant must be a member, or be eligible to become a member, of the federal district court bar. If the successful candidate is not a member of the South Dakota Bar, applicant must become a member of the South Dakota Bar within twelve months.

Preferred:

Applicants must demonstrate superior analytical ability; 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; superior analytical and communications skills; handle matters in court persuasively and justly on behalf of the United States of America; and be devoted to excellence.

The ideal candidate should have the ability to work in a supportive and professional team environment with client agencies, support staff and other attorneys, and a demonstrated commitment to public service.

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

Application Process

Please provide a complete Application Package by June 3, 2024, which includes:

https://www.usajobs.gov/job/807744000

Online application found via the above link.

•Required - Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire. (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
•Required - Your resume showing relevant experience and dates of employment (include day/month/year).
•Required - Cover letter.
•Required - Writing sample (not to exceed 20 pages).
•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.

Salary

Assistant United States Attorney pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional experience.

The range of starting pay including locality pay is $72,553 to $189,771.

All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14-month(temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.

Number of Positions

1

Travel

Employment will require occasional travel to court at designated sites within and outside the district. Travel is also required for training at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center, Columbia, SC.

Relocation Expenses

Relocation expenses will not be authorized.

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Department Policies

Equal Employment Opportunity: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex - including gender identity, sexual orientation, or pregnancy status - or because of age (over 40), physical or mental disability, protected genetic information, parental status, marital status, political affiliation, or any other non-merit based factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. For more information, please review our full EEO Statement.

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 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 must have lived in the United States for at least three of the past five years. The three-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. This is a Department security requirement which is waived only for extreme circumstances and handled on a case-by-case basis.

Veterans: 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 include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. 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, 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 their 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).

USAO Residency Requirement: Assistant United States Attorneys must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.

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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.

Updated September 3, 2024Co