If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a diverse and talented workforce of over 100,000 men and women, Justice leads the Nation in ensuring the protection of all Americans while preserving their constitutional freedoms. You can be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty, and the property of citizens.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California is one of the largest and busiest in the country. This office prosecutes federal crimes and defends the interests of the United States Government in civil cases. The Southern District of California encompasses San Diego and Imperial Counties and includes a branch office located in El Centro, California.
The SDCA is home to the largest concentration of Navy and Marine Corps installations in the world. The entire Southern boundary of the District borders the Republic of Mexico. Contained within the district are international ports of entry at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico (two ports, East and West) and Andrade. The entire west boundary of the District lies on the Pacific Ocean, with a major port in San Diego.
The Special Assistant United States Attorney position is an uncompensated position.
This is an open continuous announcement to fill current and future vacancies. The position is open until filled.
Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment 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.
This position is located in San Diego, California.
This position is a temporary, not-to-exceed one year. It may be extended without further competition.
To view the entire announcement, including instructions on how to apply, click on tabs above.
Summary
If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a diverse and talented workforce of over 100,000 men and women, Justice leads the Nation in ensuring the protection of all Americans while preserving their constitutional freedoms. You can be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty, and the property of citizens.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of California is one of the largest and busiest in the country. This office prosecutes federal crimes and defends the interests of the United States Government in civil cases. The Southern District of California encompasses San Diego and Imperial Counties and includes a branch office located in El Centro, California.
The SDCA is home to the largest concentration of Navy and Marine Corps installations in the world. The entire Southern boundary of the District borders the Republic of Mexico. Contained within the district are international ports of entry at San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate, Calexico (two ports, East and West) and Andrade. The entire west boundary of the District lies on the Pacific Ocean, with a major port in San Diego.
The Special Assistant United States Attorney position is an uncompensated position.
This is an open continuous announcement to fill current and future vacancies. The position is open until filled.
Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment 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.
This position is located in San Diego, California.
The U.S. Attorney's Office is currently interviewing for a limited number of one-year term Uncompensated Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) positions in the Criminal Division ,San Diego office. The one-year term may be extended in some circumstances. Selected candidates will be assigned to the Reactive Crimes Section, which manages a large volume of reactive cases in U.S. Magistrate and/or U.S. District Court. The casework includes a significant number of drug smuggling and immigration cases, along with a variety of other federal offenses such as alien smuggling, violent crimes, document fraud, and bank robbery. The applicant may be assigned to the Intake Unit, and/or Fast-Track Sentencing Unit. The Intake Unit is responsible for handling new complaints, initial appearances, detention hearings, removal hearings, and magistrate calendars for all reactive cases in U.S. Magistrate Court. The Fast Track Sentencing Unit is responsible for the filing of sentencing documents and appearing in U.S. District Court to handle the sentencing hearings in reactive cases. Opportunities to write Ninth Circuit appeals and work with others on investigations and trials may also exist.
Background investigation, credit and tax checks, and drug test required.
You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
Resume and Cover Letter
Writing Sample
Uncompensated Special Assistant United States Attonrey (SAUSA) Form
Travel: Occasional travel both within and outside the district as necessary.
Type of Position: This position is temporary, not-to-exceed one year. It may be extended without further competition.
Security Requirements: Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory pre-employment 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.
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:Your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire (online or 1203-FX); Your resume and cover letter showing relevant experience and dates of employment (include day/month/year);
Your Legal Writing Sample and the Uncompensated Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) Application Form; Veterans' Preference Information (more specific information can be found in the How to Apply-Required Documents Section).
Note: Employees of the Department of Justice, including UncompensatedSpecial Assistant United States Attorneys, may not engage in the compensated practice of law outside the office. Attorneys are not eligible to serve as Uncompensated Special 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.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree and must currently be an active member of state bar in order to be considered. Proof of an active state bar membership is required. One full year of prior post graduated legal experience is required.
United States citizenship is required.
Preferred Qualifications:Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case. Applicants must demonstrate superior oral and writing skills, as well as strong research and interpersonal skills and good judgment. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, and client agencies. Applicants must also demonstrate excellent computer literacy skills, to include experience with automated research on the Internet, electronic court filing, and electronic e-mail and word processing systems.
SAUSAs are given training by the U.S. Department of Justice and by the U.S. Attorney=s Office. Appointment is subject to an FBI background investigation, including credit, arrest, reference and drug use inquiries.
Department Policies: The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination based on color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit 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. 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.
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. Only U.S. Citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office of Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are 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.
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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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Salary Information: None - This is a uncompensated position. Employee benefits for this position will be limited.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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. To preview the Occupational Questionnaire, click the following link View Assessment Questions
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 his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Salary Information: None - This is a uncompensated position. Employee benefits for this position will be limited.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
under the Application Form section in Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word) and attach these documents as "Other."
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 Nitza Williamson, who can be reached at 619-546-9273 or nitza.williamson@usdoj.gov.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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 (EST) on Thursday, August 31, 2017 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.
Faxing Applications or Supporting Documents:
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
NOTE: If you applied online and your application is complete, do not fax the paper application (1203FX) as this will overwrite your prior online responses and may result in you being found ineligible.
If you completed the occupational questionnaire online and are unable to upload supporting document(s):
1. To fax your documents, you must use the following cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf and provide the required information. The Vacancy ID is 1900464
2. Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144.
If you cannot complete the Application Package online, you may fax all of your materials. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Thursday, August 31, 2017 to receive consideration. Keep a copy of your fax confirmation in the event verification is needed.
To complete the occupational questionnaire and submit via fax:
3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents to 1-478-757-3144. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.
Executive Office for United States Attorneys
880 Front St
Room 6293
San Diego, CA 92101
Next steps
We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation, to include a credit and tax checks, and a drug test by urinalysis.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
under the Application Form section in Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Word) and attach these documents as "Other."
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 Nitza Williamson, who can be reached at 619-546-9273 or nitza.williamson@usdoj.gov.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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 (EST) on Thursday, August 31, 2017 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.
Faxing Applications or Supporting Documents:
You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.
NOTE: If you applied online and your application is complete, do not fax the paper application (1203FX) as this will overwrite your prior online responses and may result in you being found ineligible.
If you completed the occupational questionnaire online and are unable to upload supporting document(s):
1. To fax your documents, you must use the following cover page http://staffing.opm.gov/pdf/usascover.pdf and provide the required information. The Vacancy ID is 1900464
2. Fax your documents to 1-478-757-3144.
If you cannot complete the Application Package online, you may fax all of your materials. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on Thursday, August 31, 2017 to receive consideration. Keep a copy of your fax confirmation in the event verification is needed.
To complete the occupational questionnaire and submit via fax:
3. Fax the completed 1203FX form along with any supporting documents to 1-478-757-3144. Your 1203FX will serve as a cover page for your fax transmission.
Executive Office for United States Attorneys
880 Front St
Room 6293
San Diego, CA 92101
Next steps
We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process has been completed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation, to include a credit and tax checks, and a drug test by urinalysis.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
