Description

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana is considered a medium-sized district and has offices located in Billings, Butte, Great Falls, Helena and Missoula. The Criminal Division prosecutes a wide range of federal cases involving immigration, terrorism, domestic and international narcotics distribution, illegal firearm possession, violent crime, child exploitation/child pornography, human trafficking, organized crime, complex securities and fraud cases, health care fraud, and public corruption. Those matters include the prosecution of violent crimes and other cases on most of Montana's Native American Reservations, including homicide, sexual and non-sexual assault, burglary, drug distribution, and fraud. The Civil Division prosecutes and defends affirmative and defensive cases filed in the District of Montana, at both the trial an appellate level, involving matters such as health care, civil rights, the environment, false claims, immigration, tort and discrimination claims against the sovereign, the internet, telecommunications, energy policies, and the First Amendment. AUSAs are assigned to a unit within either the criminal or civil divisions.

The office seeks to hire three Assistant U.S. Attorneys who will be assigned to the Criminal Division. The successful candidates will be assigned to the Billings, Great Falls, and Missoula branch offices. Dependent upon the assigned branch and the qualifications of the successful candidate, the casework for the positions will primarily include the investigation and prosecution of a wide range of matters including drug trafficking, illegal firearm possession, criminal immigration, violent crime, crimes committed in Indian Country, child exploitation, and economic crimes. The qualified applicant would be expected to (a) assist federal law enforcement agents in structuring and implementing criminal investigative plans and strategies; (b) actively participate in grand jury proceedings, including the presentation of witnesses before the grand jury; (c) litigate cases of moderate to high complexity from start to finish with limited supervision; (d) write and argue appeals; (e) handle additional point of contact assignments based on the office's needs; and (f) if assigned to prosecute Indian Country crimes, be a liaison to an assigned reservation.

Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. Some travel may be required.

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.

Requirements

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.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

Applicant must possess a J.D. degree and must currently be an active member of a state bar in order to be considered. One (1) full year of postgraduate legal experience is required.

United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications:
Hiring for AUSA positions is highly competitive. The ideal candidate will have:

• Superior oral and written communication skills;
• Excellent research and analytical skills;
• High EQ and interpersonal skills, and good judgment;
• Excellent advocacy and courtroom skills;
• The ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, and client agencies;
• A demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding environment;
• Excellent organizational capabilities, including the ability to track and meet deadlines across multiple active cases;
• Excellent computer literacy including experience and competence with automated electronic court filing.

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

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

Additional 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 $76,748 to $200,743 which includes 17.06% locality pay.

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.