Duties

Summary

The Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) supervises and has responsibility for enforcing federal statutes pertaining to narcotic drugs and other controlled substances. The section has direct litigation responsibilities in significant drug and narco-terrorism investigations and prosecutions targeting national and international narcotics trafficking and money laundering organizations. This position is located in the Litigation Unit and requires a three year commitment to NDDS.
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Responsibilities

The Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice is seeking a qualified, experienced trial attorney in the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Litigation Unit (NDDS) located in Washington, D.C.

As a Trial Attorney, the incumbent:

• Manages complex narcotics investigations and money laundering prosecutions brought in the federal courts in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States;
• Utilizes a myriad of sophisticated techniques to pursue often cutting edge investigations against multifaceted transnational criminal organizations;
• Obtains and incorporates evidence acquired overseas by U.S. and foreign law enforcement;
• Makes charging decisions and proposes dispositions with regard to assigned cases;
• Researches and drafts all legal pleadings and is prepared to try cases in federal court;
• Investigates and pursues asset forfeiture related to illicit narcotics, narco-terrorism, and money laundering;
• Advises federal agents and Assistant U.S. Attorneys on complicated questions of law and Departmental policy;
• Oversees and helps to coordinate the preparation and litigation assignments of paralegals and clerical personnel; and
• Participates in outreach and training conducted by NDDS trial attorneys throughout the United States and abroad.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional travel will be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to qualify for this position.
• You must undergo a pre-employment security investigation.
• All male applicants born after 12/31/1959 must have registered for the selective service. If selected, the applicant must sign a statement certifying his registration, or the applicant must demonstrate exempt status under the Selective Service Law.
• DIRECT DEPOSIT: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.
• You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications : Interested applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of any State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and be an active member of the bar in good standing.

Grade Specific Qualifications :

• To qualify at the GS-14 grade level, applicants must have at least three (3) years post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-13 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: performing legal analysis and formulating recommendations to senior managers; composing pleadings, briefs, and other court documents involving legal issues in civil or criminal litigation; and conducting civil or criminal litigation.
• To qualify at the GS-15 grade level, applicants must have at least four (4) years post J.D. legal experience, one of which was specialized experience at, or equivalent to, the GS-14 grade level. Examples of specialized experience include: independently performing legal analysis; composing pleadings, briefs and other court documents involving unique and/or difficult legal issues in civil or criminal litigation; conducting highly complex civil or criminal litigation; and leading paralegals and support staff.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Experience in supporting, litigating, and supervising criminal cases in federal or state courts;
• Experience with complex investigations and the use of legal process (such as subpoenas and wiretap orders), especially in gathering electronic evidence;
• Jury trial experience;
• Ability to communicate clearly through well-organized and accurately written documents;
• Ability to perform cogent and correct legal analysis on a variety of contentious and complex substantive issues;
• Ability to provide legal advice to others;
• Spanish or Chinese language proficiency;
• Experience with CIPA litigation;
• Experience with international investigations or prosecutions.

Education

A J.D. Degree.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement to fill vacancies that occur subsequent to this announcement.
An in-person interview in Washington, D.C. may be required for this position prior to final selection. The cost of travel to the interview site will be the responsibility of the applicant unless otherwise stated. Reasonable accommodation requests will be considered on an individual basis as requested by a person with a disability. Declining an invitation to interview may remove you from further consideration.

The Criminal Division participates in the Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program ( E-Verify ). E-Verify helps employers to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or non-membership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. 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.

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. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys' Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are 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.

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.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. A list of eligible candidates will be referred to the hiring managers every two weeks during the open period of the announcement. If you are interested in applying, it is recommended that you do so early, as the vacancy may close prior to the advertised date if selections are made.

BASIS OF RATING: Once the announcement closes, your application will be automatically evaluated and rated by the system and a Human Resources Specialist. To determine if you are qualified for this job, a review of your application and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the assessment questionnaire. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

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 include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. 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, 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 his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

See "How to Apply"

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.