Assistant United States Attorney

Summary

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey seeks attorneys to serve as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the Criminal or Civil Divisions in Newark, Trenton, and Camden. AUSAs handle a broad range of matters advancing the criminal and civil legal interests of the federal government. Position may be stationed in any of the three offices in the District of New Jersey (Newark, Trenton, or Camden), and you should indicate a preference in your cover letter.

Duties

• Criminal Division. The Criminal Division investigates and prosecutes violations of federal criminal law throughout New Jersey, working to protect communities, uphold public safety, and enforce federal statutes. The Division handles a wide range of criminal matters, including narcotics trafficking, organized crime and gang activity, economic and financial fraud, cybercrime, public corruption, health care fraud, money laundering, and offenses involving transnational criminal organizations. Civil Division. The Civil Division represents the United States, its agencies, and federal employees in a broad range of civil litigation and affirmative enforcement matters. The Division primarily defends the government in federal court actions involving immigration, tort claims, employment discrimination, constitutional and civil rights claims, real property disputes, environmental matters, commercial litigation, challenges to agency actions, and other civil lawsuits. Civil Division attorneys manage all phases of litigation, including case assessment, discovery, motion practice, alternative dispute resolution, hearings, trials, and appeals. In addition to defensive litigation, the Division handles affirmative enforcement matters such as actions under the False Claims Act, civil rights enforcement cases, and collection, foreclosure, and bankruptcy proceedings. The Division also represents the United States in specialized federal litigation, including habeas corpus petitions and other post-conviction matters. Depending on operational needs, attorneys may handle motions involving compassionate release, sentence reductions, early termination of supervised release, and other federal litigation matters. Civil Division attorneys regularly coordinate with components of the Department of Justice and federal agencies on matters of national significance and provide legal counsel and representation to advance and protect the interests of the United States. Special Programs. The United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey is seeking attorneys, including attorneys with 1 to 3 years of legal experience, to serve as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the Criminal and Civil Divisions to support priority litigation needs within the Office. In the near term, these AUSAs will work primarily in the Civil Division representing the United States, its agencies, and employees in matters including habeas corpus petitions fi led by illegal aliens and related post-conviction litigation. Additional responsibilities may include matters involving compassionate release, sentence reductions, and other federal litigation, as operational needs require. These positions offer attorneys the opportunity to gain substantial federal litigation experience and, over time, transition into broader assignments within the Civil or Criminal Divisions consistent with the Office's evolving needs. The United States Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey is seeking to fill Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) positions to staff a newly formed Special Programs Unit, which will focus on a mix of criminal and civil programs. The selected AUSAs will begin their work primarily in the Civil Division to represent the United States, its agencies, and employees with respect to petitions for habeas corpus filed by illegal aliens. In addition, the selected AUSAs may represent the United States in matters including, but not limited to, motions for post-conviction release fi led under 28 U.S.C. § 2255, motions for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c), motions for early termination of supervised release under 18 U.S.C. § 3583(e), and motions for reduction of sentence under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c) and the U.S. Sentencing Commission's Amendment 821. This is an open continuous announcement that is intended to solicit applications in order to fill immediate and future vacancies. Applications will be reviewed and referred as vacancies occur and will only remain active until December 31, 2026. Applicants will be notified when their applications have been reviewed/referred for further consideration. Hiring will occur on a rolling basis. 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

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, and be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). United States citizenship is required. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 12/31/2026 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. You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. However, should you not be able to apply online, please contact District of New Jersey at 9736452810 or email at [email protected], prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.