Assistant United States Attorney (Defense Litigation)

Summary

The Eastern District of California is seeking attorneys to serve as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Civil Division, Defense Litigation Unit of the Sacramento and Fresno Offices. The selected applicant(s) will be based in our Sacramento or Fresno office and will collaborate with other criminal and civil Assistant U.S. Attorneys based in both Sacramento and Fresno, and will be supported by a staff of paralegals, investigators, auditors, and other professionals.

Duties

• The United States Attorney is seeking attorneys to serve as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Defense Litigation Unit. Responsibilities include defending the United States, federal agencies, and federal employees in all manner of lawsuits, including employment-discrimination actions; medical malpractice, personal injury, and other tort actions; Administrative Procedure Act cases; challenges to land management decisions under the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental statutes; Social Security, Medicare, and other federal programs; "Bivens" civil rights actions, among other duties. This may include handling some immigration matters. The selected applicant(s) will be based in our Sacramento or Fresno office and will collaborate with other criminal and civil Assistant U.S. Attorneys based in both Sacramento and Fresno, and will be supported by a staff of paralegals, investigators, auditors, and other professionals. Your application will be considered for the location(s) that you indicate in your preferences. Additional office location information: Sacramento is located in the heart of California. Sacramento is home to professional ballet and opera theatre companies, providing a wide range of cultural activities and events. Professional sports are represented by the Sacramento Kings, the Sacramento River Cats, and the Sacramento Republic FC. Bound by two rivers and in close proximity to several lakes, water recreation tops the list for outdoor activities such as salmon fishing, river rafting, and boating. Sacramento is located 90 miles northeast of San Francisco and approximately 90 miles west of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountain range, providing numerous recreational opportunities for skiing and boating enthusiasts. Fresno is one of the fastest growing cities in California, due in part to its central location to major tourist areas in California. Fresno is located in the middle of the fertile San Joaquin Valley, also known as the Central Valley, which is a major supplier of food and agricultural products for the United States and the world. This area also includes national treasures such as Yosemite National Park and Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Parks. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent), 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 . Applicants must be active members in good standing of the bar (any jurisdiction). United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications: Ideal qualifications include at least three to five years of experience litigating cases with substantial responsibility for all aspects of discovery, trial, and appeals. 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, paralegals, support staff and client agencies. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function in a highly demanding environment. Applicants will be expected to do their own legal research and writing and will be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. 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. The ideal candidate will have some experience litigating civil cases in federal court, managing cases, handling written discovery and document production, writing and arguing motions, and examining witnesses in depositions and court proceedings and will demonstrate the ability to handle complex cases from the initial investigative stage through trial. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree (or equivalent).

How to apply

This is an open continuous announcement that will remain open until filled or September 30, 2026. This is a job opportunity announcement that will be used to fill vacancies in the Sacramento or Fresno offices. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be 08/21/2026. Qualified applicants will be referred to selecting official at 1-week intervals from then 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 09/30/2026 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 Eastern District of California at (916) 554-2706 or email at [email protected], prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying. The Point of Contact for this vacancy announcement is Eastern District of California who can be reached at (916) 554-2706 or [email protected]