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TRIAL ATTORNEY & SAUSA - INSPEC SVC

U.S. Postal Service
U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Summary

The Trial Attorney serves as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney while litigating mail theft and other complex cases as designated by the Chief Inspector or designee for an assigned division/ geographic region of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This position will be filled though a term limited contract appointment under 39 U.S.C §1001(c).

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted this week · Apply by 08/08/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 8, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$130,570 - $198,140 per year

The salary will be based on previous experience, salary history, and current postal pay policies.

Pay scale & grade
UA 1
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Term - Not to Exceed 5 years
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
DE-12993500-26-LLO
Control number
876222500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens, permanent resident aliens, citizens of American Samoa or any other territory owing allegiance to the United States. Current career Postal Service employees are ineligible to apply to this posting.

Duties

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  1. Represents the United States Postal Service in the prosecution of federal crimes.
  2. Develops and recommends strategies and coordinates the preparation of litigation for mail theft, mail fraud and other complex cases.
  3. Performs all aspects of criminal discovery, motions practice, trials and appeals.
  4. Meets with defense attorneys in advance of trial to conduct pre-trial conferences and negotiations.
  5. Works closely with postal inspectors and other law enforcement agents, witnesses and victims during criminal investigations, trial preparation and all phases of litigation.
  6. Conducts legal research. Prepares memoranda and briefs on questions of law. Prepares pleadings.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Applicants must also be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident alien status. Current career Postal Service employees are ineligible to apply to this posting.
  • The Inspection Service criminal background check is conducted using United States information resources only (e.g., FBI fingerprint check, state and county checks). A criminal background check involves a 10-year inquiry for any location where the individual has resided, worked or gone to school within the United States or its territories. As a result of this limitation, the criminal background checks of individuals who have not resided in the United States or its territories for the preceding 5-years may not be considered complete. The Inspection Service may be able to process inquiries for U.S. Citizens only, but only if their time spent out of the country was spent as: a trailing spouse or dependent of someone working for the U.S. government (military or civilian), a missionary, a student attending school in a foreign country, a Peace Corps participant, or as an employee of a U.S.-based employer/company. If the Inspection Service is unable to perform a complete background check because of residency outside the United States, such individuals will be ineligible for Postal employment.
  • Qualified applicants must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening to meet the U.S. Postal Service's requirement to be drug free.

Qualifications

  1. Ability to conduct legal research to gather and interpret information and ensure accuracy of details, using resources such as internal and external documents, archives, electronic databases, and interviews.
  2. Ability to provide legal advice and services and to formulate opinions involving the analysis and interpretation of federal, state, and local laws.
  3. Ability to litigate cases before federal courts.
  4. Ability to communicate orally and in writing, including the ability to negotiate with third parties on behalf of clients and to prepare legal documents and presentations.
  5. Ability to obtain and maintain status as Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
  6. SPECIAL CONDITION: Qualified applicants must be licensed and in good standing in a state bar.
  7. EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT: At least three years of experience in legal practice, of which one year may be met through the completion of a judicial clerkship. The clerkship must be documented in the applicant's résumé.
  8. SPECIAL CONDITIONS: Applicant must submit to a Tier 5 Single-Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) and a Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) if required. This investigation requires, among other things, completion of a questionnaire and fingerprinting for a criminal records check. The investigation may require a drug test. The successful applicant will be required to obtain and maintain a Top Secret or Top Secret/SCI clearance while holding this position.

Education

Applicants must have a Juris Doctor degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school.

Additional information

  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service System.
  • Applicants must be age 18 at the time of hire.
  • Please add the following email domain addresses to your contact list right away to allow correspondence, especially if you use SPAM blocking software, use a yahoo or Gmail account, or use a work or military email address! @usps.gov @psionline.com @geninfo.com.
  • You may receive multiple requests for background checks in regards to this employment opportunity. Respond to all requests quickly as we anticipate filling our vacancies quickly and nonresponses may result in disqualification for this opportunity.
  • Newly appointed employees are subject to a 1-year probationary period.
  • Reimbursement of relocation expenses will NOT be authorized.
  • This position requires a SSBI clearance. This process can take up to 6 months from the date the offer letter is returned.
  • The USPS provides reasonable accommodation for any part of the application, interview, and/or selection process, please make your request to the examiner, selecting official or local manager of Human Resources. This request can also be made by someone on your behalf. Explain the nature of your limitations and the accommodation needed. The decision on granting reasonable accommodation will be on a case-by-case basis.
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an equal opportunity employer.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applicants must be available for screening activities, including an interview. We will review your resume and supporting documents to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and evaluate your relevant professional, educational, and work experiences as it relates to fundamental competencies, identified in the Qualifications section above, required for this position.

U.S. Postal Service

Agency contact information

Human Resources
Phone
202-934-1090
Email
Talent@usps.gov
Address
United States Postal Service
Administrative Operations
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington, DC 20261
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at U.S. Postal Service, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://about.usps.com/careers/

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