Assistant US Attorney- Criminal (FRAUD)
Department of Justice
Summary
If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! With a talented workforce of over 100,000 people, the mission of the Department of Justice is to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. You will be part of a dedicated team helping to enforce Federal criminal and civil laws that protect life, liberty and the property of citizens. This position is located in Dallas and Fort Worth.
Duties
- The Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) will serve in the Criminal Division of the Dallas and/or Fort Worth offices.
- The position currently being filled will investigate and prosecute cases involving White Collar Crimes, illegal immigration, and targeting the Cartels and Transitional Criminal Organizations designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs).
- Duties to be performed: Partner with federal, state, and local law enforcement to manage criminal investigations and prosecutions brought in the federal courts in the Northern District of Texas.
- Advise federal agents on questions of law and Departmental policy.
- Recommend charging decisions and proposes dispositions with regard to assigned cases.
- Research and draft all legal pleadings and be prepared to try cases in federal court.
- Investigate and pursue asset forfeiture related to prosecutions.
- Oversee and coordinate the preparation of litigation assignments for legal support staff.
- Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.
- 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.
Education
Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree
How You Will Be Evaluated
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.
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 retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that they were transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).
Reasonable Accommodations: 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.
Required Documents
- You must provide a complete Application Package which includes: – Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process). – Required: Your resume cannot exceed two pages – you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages – see USAJOBS for formatting requirements.
- Include relevant employment history as outlined below for each job: Official position title (if Federal, include series/grade), Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (for full consideration you must include month, day, and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments.
- 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. -Required, Writing sample that is five to fifteen pages long, this can come from coursework and/or work experiences. -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 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.
- Outreach and Recruitment for Qualified Applicants with Disabilities: The Department encourages qualified applicants with disabilities, including individuals with targeted/severe disabilities to apply in response to posted vacancy announcements.
- Qualified applicants with targeted/severe disabilities may be eligible for direct hire, non-competitive appointment under Schedule A (5 C.F.R. § 213.3102(u)) hiring authority.
- Individuals with targeted/severe disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position.
- See list of DPOCs.
- Suitability and Citizenship: 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.
- Congress generally prohibits agencies from employing non-citizens within the United States, except for a few narrow exceptions as set forth in the annual Appropriations Act (see, https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/non-citizens/).
- Pursuant to DOJ component policies, only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review, U.S.
- Trustee's Offices, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
- Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, qualifying non-U.S. citizens meeting immigration and appropriations law criteria may apply for employment with other DOJ organizations.
- However, please be advised that the appointment of non-U.S. citizens is 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.
- All DOJ employees are subject to a residency requirement.
- Candidates who have lived outside the United States for two or more of the past five years will likely have difficulty being approved for appointments by the Department Security Staff.
- The two-year period is cumulative, not necessarily consecutive.
- Federal or military employees, or dependents of federal or military employees serving overseas, are excepted from this requirement.
- Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees.
- If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office by providing a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES, or Presidential Appointee); Agency; and Beginning and ending dates of appointment.
About this role
The Assistant US Attorney- Criminal (FRAUD) position with the Department of Justice is based in Dallas, Texas. If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career, this is the position for you! The role pays $83,435 to $173,411 per year.
Day to day, the work involves the Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) will serve in the Criminal Division of the Dallas and/or Fort Worth offices. The full list of duties, conditions, and required documents appears in the official announcement linked on this page.
Who should apply
Review the announcement's Qualifications section closely, since it defines exactly what federal legal work experience this Assistant US Attorney- Criminal (FRAUD) position requires. Match your federal resume directly to the announcement's wording so a reviewer can confirm each requirement in writing. For this Assistant US Attorney- Criminal (FRAUD) position with the Department of Justice in Dallas, Texas, confirm you meet each requirement before applying.
How competitive it is
The posted pay of $83,435 to $173,411 per year places this in a competitive but attainable range for qualified applicants. As an entry or assistant-level position, it is a realistic starting point, and gaining federal status here can open doors to higher-graded roles later. Based in Dallas, Texas, it competes within that local market, which can mean lighter competition than major metropolitan postings. The announcement closes on June 25, 2026, and federal postings can close early once enough applications arrive, so applying promptly is wise.
This overview is general guidance from Job Army to help you understand the role. Always read the official announcement for exact duties, qualifications, and requirements before applying.
