Special Assistant United States Attorney (PAID)
Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations
Location(s): Chicago, Illinois
Salary Range: $118984 - $182790 Per Year
Job Summary: The USPS OIG is seeking a highly qualified applicant to fill our Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) position detailed to the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois (Chicago, Illinois). Bring your skills and voice to our team!
Major Duties:
- Previous criminal law experience and/or experience in litigation is required. Previous experience as an Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) or Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) is beneficial but not required. Experience with Postal Service matters, healthcare fraud, narcotics investigations and public corruption is desired, but not required. Additionally, the applicant must possess strong academic credentials from an ABA accredited law school, demonstrate excellent writing, research ability, advocacy, and investigative skills, work effectively in a team environment, and have a proven record of creative thinking. Applicant must be an active member in good standing to practice law in any state, U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia and be an active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). The successful candidate will report to the USPS OIG Office of General Counsel (OGC) and the U.S. Attorney's Office (USAO) in the Northern District of Illinois (NDIL), Chicago, Illinois. He or she will primarily prosecute Postal employees who have engaged in theft of mail, embezzlement of funds, narcotics violations, healthcare fraud, and public corruption. The selectee will prosecute other cases as needed, for training or otherwise, as directed by the USAO. The successful candidate will engage in grand jury investigations and appear on behalf of the United States in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for hearings, including: arraignments, bail hearings, preliminary and pretrial hearings, plea hearings, and sentencing hearings. The successful candidate will handle trials in United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and appeals in the United States Court of Appeals for the Seven Circuit. The successful candidate will be responsible for preparing and presenting investigative and charging documents to include warrants, complaints, information, and indictments. NOTE: This is a TERM appointment, with an initial term of two years, with the possibility of three additional up to one-year extensions. The position may be extended further without competition. NOTE: While this position reports to USPS OIG Headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, the candidate will be detailed full-time to the USAO NDIL. The candidate is expected to comply with residency requirements for the NDIL at the time they begin employment. Candidates will be evaluated on the skills that they possess that are directly related to the duties of the position and the experience, education and training that indicate the applicant's ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position. Only those candidates who meet all qualification and eligibility requirements and who submit the required information by 11:59 PM EST on 03/23/2026 will be considered. The USPS OIG uses a Pay Banding system, which is equivalent to the Federal GS scale. Grade and salary determinations will be made based upon a candidate's education and professional experience. This position is being advertised at the Journey/Attorney Band level, equivalent to a GS-13 - GS-14. The salary range for this position is $118,984.00 - $182,790.00. The salary figures include locality pay. Promotion potential to a GS-14 is at management's discretion. Please note that the duties and responsibilities associated with this position may vary based upon the agency's needs at the time of hire. The following description of major duties and responsibilities is only intended to give applicants a general overview of the expectations. Provide legal advice and guidance to federal agents in the development of cases for prosecution. Conduct legal research, prepare and present to the district court necessary investigative documents, including motions, search warrants, and subpoenas to support the investigations undertaken by USPS OIG investigators. Lead the investigative team through investigations, case development, and grand jury presentation. This will include preparation of prosecution memoranda in compliance with the requirements of the USAO NDIL. Represent the USPS OIG and the federal government as the prosecuting attorney on assigned cases before judges and hearing officers at all stages of criminal litigation and appeal. Work closely with other USPS OIG attorneys, other USAOs, the Department of Justice, and other organizations to keep abreast of legal developments and best practices, and to effectively represent the USPS OIG's interests.
Qualifications: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS You must meet ALL of the minimum qualifications listed below. At least 4 years of post J.D. litigation and/or criminal law experience. Graduation from an ABA accredited law school. Excellent writing, research, and advocacy skills. Active member in good standing of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction). DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of the U.S. Postal Service. Experience prosecuting healthcare fraud, narcotics and/or public corruption. Top academic credentials. Experience participating and/or leading a team. Proven record of creative thinking. EVALUATION FACTORS You must have the experience, knowledge and skills as listed in EACH of the evaluation factors. Failure to demonstrate that you meet all of the evaluation factor requirements as listed below will result in a score of zero (0); an ineligible status, and you will not be referred for further consideration. Include your major accomplishments relevant to the position requirements in your resume. Experience in criminal litigation, as prosecution or defense, preferably involving postal statutes, healthcare fraud, narcotics investigations, and/or public corruption. Skill in legal writing, including preparation of legal Memoranda, Motions and other court submissions, charging documents and appellate briefs. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and work collaboratively while maintaining excellent client relationships. Ability to manage a diverse workload that includes investigations and active litigation, while maintaining effective communication with law enforcement partners, USAO management, and USPS OIG management. You will no longer be considered for this position if you: fail to respond to all of the questions in the self-assessment questionnaire; fail to address a factor in the narrative section (no response or "See resume" or similar language will be scored a zero (0)); or receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor. Failure to demonstrate that you meet all evaluation factor requirements will result in a score of zero (0). Upon receipt of a zero score, you will be deemed "not minimally qualified," and you will not be referred for further consideration.
How to Apply: To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. IMPORTANT UPDATE: Your resume must not exceed two (2) pages. You will no longer be considered for this announcement if your resume exceeds the two-page limit. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date, 03/23/2026, to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply Online to access an online application. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account or you may need to create a new account. You will be taken to an online application. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation, and submit the application. You will receive an email notification when your application has been received for the announcement. To verify the status of your application, 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 Application Status page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and your responses submitted to the online application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. You are strongly urged to read and print the entire vacancy announcement.
Application Deadline: 2026-03-23