Assistant United States Attorney-Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Open Continuous

Summary

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia (DC) is unique in the size and the scope of its work. It serves as both the local and the federal prosecutor for the nation's capital. On the local side, AUSAs assigned to the Superior Court Division prosecute cases ranging from misdemeanors to homicides. On the federal side, AUSAs assigned to the Criminal Division prosecute federal crimes. The Civil Division further advances the interests of the U.S. in civil suits brought in the DC.

Duties

• The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia is accepting applications for highly motivated attorneys to serve as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) working on Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) matters in the Office's Civil Division. ACE AUSAs investigate and bring affirmative civil actions on behalf of the United States. These matters often involve potential violations of the False Claims Act with respect to health care fraud, government contract or procurement fraud, cybersecurity fraud, and grant fraud. These matters can also involve enforcement of administrative civil penalties, administrative subpoenas, immigration laws, conflict of interest laws, civil rights laws, civil asset forfeiture, and other affirmative civil litigation on behalf of the United States. This AUSA will work closely with other divisions of DOJ and federal law enforcement agencies and may be required to coordinate with criminal AUSAs and/or state prosecutors. Many False Claims Act cases are brought through qui tam actions, in which AUSAs work with whistleblowers and their counsel from case inception through trial. Job duties include independently overseeing investigations, preparing subpoenas, interviewing witnesses, marshaling evidence, coordinating with law enforcement, negotiating settlements, conducting legal research, drafting legal memoranda, preparing and answering written discovery, taking and defending depositions or examinations, and representing the United States at trial and on appeal. There are also opportunities for ACE AUSAs who express interest to be staffed on civil cases defending the United States in order to gain further trial experience and appellate experience, including oral argument at the D.C. Circuit. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. 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 (or equivalent), be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one year post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience. A minimum of three years of post J.D. (or equivalent) legal or other relevant experience is required. United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications: Applicants must have significant litigation experience, superior oral communication skills, and a demonstrated capacity to independently move multiple investigations or litigation forward simultaneously. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

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 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 US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia at 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 US Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia who can be reached at or [email protected]