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Assistant United States Attorney/Border District Surge - Term

Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys

Beaumont, TXFull-time / Temporary$74–189K/yrPosted today

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At a glance

Compensation
$74–189K/yr
Location
Beaumont, TX
Schedule
Full-time / Temporary
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Active U.S. Bar MembershipDoctorate

Job overview

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas seeks an experienced Assistant United States Attorney to investigate and prosecute cases involving illegal immigration, dangerous drug and human trafficking, and designated cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The term position may also involve related forfeiture work. Applicants must hold a J.D. and be an active member of a U.S. bar; prior felony trial experience is preferred.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Criminal ProsecutionLegal ResearchLegal WritingOral CommunicationInterpersonal SkillsJudgmentCourtroom SkillsAnalytical Ability

Qualifications

J.D. DegreeActive U.S. Bar MembershipPrior Felony Trial ExperienceProsecution From Investigation Through Trial

Benefits

Paid Time Off
Medical Insurance
401(k) Match
Relocation Assistance

Full job description

Summary

If you are looking for an exciting and challenging career in public service, this is the position for you! The U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Texas, is hiring a criminal prosecutor to work on investigations and prosecutions relating to immigration, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. The position will be located in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana, or Tyler, TX.

Duties

Please note: This is a term position not-to-exceed March 31, 2028, subject to availability of funds. This position may be extended, or made permanent, without further advertising. Overview of the United States Attorney's Office - Eastern District of Texas. 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. The U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Eastern District of Texas is a large district consisting of six staffed offices that cover 43 counties in the eastern part of the state, spanning more than 50,000 square miles from the Oklahoma border to the Gulf of America. Offices are located in Beaumont, Lufkin, Plano, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tyler. The U.S. Attorney's Office works closely with federal agencies and law enforcement personnel located throughout the District and in the Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas. Our mission to represent the people of the United States in a manner that will instill confidence in the fairness and integrity of our office and the judicial system, and to conduct our work with the highest integrity. We strive to perform our mission in the most efficient and effective manner. The Office adheres to the highest standards of excellence and ethical behavior while pursuing justice and we seek to build a legacy of excellence. Duties of Criminal Assistant United States Attorneys: Assistant US Attorneys located in the Eastern District of Texas prosecute a wide variety of federal crime, breaches of national security, child exploitation, public corruption, transnational organized crime, and violent crime. Note: The position currently being filled will investigate and prosecute cases involving illegal immigration, illegal trafficking of dangerous drugs and human beings, and targeting the Cartels and Transitional Criminal Organizations designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) and Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) pursuant to the process established in Executive Order 14157. The attorney position funded as part of this initiative may work on any type of casework directly tied to the purposes outlined above, to include criminal casework, or related forfeiture efforts. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress. For more information on the Department of Justice and the USAOs, visithttps://www.justice.gov/careers. .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

Please note: This is a term position not-to-exceed March 31, 2028, subject to availability of funds. This position may be extended, or made permanent, without further advertising. The U.S. Attorney's Office is seeking one qualified, experienced AUSA to: · Partner with federal, state, and local law enforcement to manage criminal investigations and prosecutions brought in the federal courtsin the Eastern 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. Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). Preferred Qualifications: Hiring preference will be given to applicants with prior felony trial experience and those who have demonstrated the ability to prosecute from the initial investigative stage through trial. 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, support staff and client agencies. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

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. Other Information

Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $67,863, to $148.202 per year. · Beaumont, Lufkin, Texarkana, and Tyler Texas: Salary is $73,939 to $173,485 which includes 17.06% locality pay. · Plano and Sherman Texas: Salary is: $86,362 to $188,602 which includes 27.26% locality pay. Other Benefits: The Department of Justice offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation; sick leave; holidays; telework; life insurance; health benefits; and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. The Benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal Employees. Relocation and recruitment incentives may be authorized. This and other vacancy announcements can be found under Attorney Vacancies and Volunteer Legal Internships. The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information. Travel: Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for the position. Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances. Type of Position: These are term positions which are currently funded through March 31, 2028. Additionally, all initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a 14 month (temporary) basis pending favorable adjudication of a background investigation.. Political Appointees (Current and Former): Political Appointees (Current or Former): 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 or Non-Career SES employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the HR Office. Failure to disclose this information could result in disciplinary action including removal from Federal Service. EEO Statement/Policy: The United States government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.

How this job compares

Set against the 2,060 open Attorney jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 27, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$74–189K/yr
  • Texas median$92–180K/yr70 salary ranges
  • US median$111–184K/yr1,329 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $131K, is 5% below the Texas median midpoint ($138K) — in the middle half of Attorney salary ranges in Texas.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 153 open Attorney jobs in Texas and 2,060 across the US. 5% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Experience
Attorney postings that state a minimum ask for 4 years of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 2 to 5 years (1,396 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a doctorate or professional degree; 1,147 of the 2,060 open Attorney jobs (56%) ask for a doctorate or professional degree.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 27, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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