Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal)

Assistant United States Attorney (Criminal)

Department: Department of Justice

Location(s): Charleston, South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, Greenville, South Carolina

Salary Range: $76748 - $197100 Per Year

Job Summary: The U.S. Attorney's Office represents the Federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States. This includes all criminal prosecutions for violations of Federal law, civil lawsuits by and against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. For more information about the District of South Carolina, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sc These positions are located in Columbia, Charleston, or Greenville.

Major Duties:

• The Criminal Division of the United States Attorney's Office in South Carolina provides a fulfilling and supportive work environment. The Criminal Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) enjoy genuine camaraderie with their colleagues while pursuing rewarding careers, both professionally and personally. The Criminal Division is comprised of three Sections - the White Collar, Human Trafficking, and Child Exploitation Section; the Major Crimes Section; and the Narcotics and Organized Crimes Section. In the office's White Collar, Human Trafficking, and Child Exploitation Section, prosecutors handle a wide variety of cases, including financial fraud, healthcare fraud, public corruption, human trafficking, and child exploitation investigations and prosecutions. In the Major Crimes Section, prosecutors handle a variety of matters including violent crime and firearms offenses, as well as immigration offenses. In the Narcotics and Organized Crime Section, prosecutors handle investigations and prosecutions of criminal organizations, including gang prosecutions and narcotics trafficking. Prosecutors in this Section also focus on cases from the Homeland Security Task Force, a multi-agency effort led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), FBI, and HSI to combat transnational criminal organizations. In prosecuting federal crimes, AUSAs work with a broad range of federal agencies, including; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Secret Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Agency; Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service; Postal Inspection Service; Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and others. Due to the range and complexity of the work, Criminal AUSAs are expected to demonstrate initiative and ability sufficient to independently manage all phases of a criminal case, from investigation to post-conviction litigation. Our AUSAs are required to possess interpersonal skills conducive to working with a variety of federal and state law enforcement agents, defense attorneys, judges, and court staff; oral and written communication skills for presenting cases to the grand jury, representing the government in court hearings, trying cases, writing trial and appellate briefs; and superior character and judgment in the exercise of prosecutorial discretion and the discharge of their duties. 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. See www.sss.gov.

Qualifications: Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least 1* year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. United States citizenship is required. Preferred Qualifications: Preferred candidates will have a strong academic background and excellent research and writing skills. In addition, preferred candidates will possess a strong work ethic, exhibit good organizational skills, exercise fair and sound judgment, be attentive to facts and details, work well both independently and on a team, have leadership skills, be ready and willing to volunteer to assist other AUSAs, possess excellent negotiation skills, and effectively represent the Government's interests at hearings and trials before the United States District Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Preferred candidates will also have criminal trial experience (federal or state) or commensurate civil trial experience. Particular knowledge, skills, or training involving civil rights, accounting, banking, tax compliance, or financial investigations is not required but also preferred. You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

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 03/20/2026 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 District of South Carolina at 803-929-3058 or email at brienna.lykes@usdoj.gov, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-20