Special Assistant United States Attorney (Detail)- General Crimes Unit

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia has openings for an eight-month detail. The next classes will start September 8, 2026, November 9, 2026, and January 4, 2027. Detailees will handle a wide variety of matters in federal court, including but not limited to felony narcotics trafficking, firearms, violent crimes, child exploitation, fraud, immigration, as well as misdemeanor offenses.

Detailees will receive extensive training on all facets of criminal litigation practice from the most experienced prosecutors in the office. Detailees will routinely appear before federal magistrate and district court judges, and the grand jury. They will gain substantive experience through handling all stages of the prosecution from initial appearance through trial and sentencing.

The detail will also include opportunities to work on appellate briefs, habeas corpus petitions, motion responses, and supervised release position papers. EDVA has utilized and trained detailees from DOJ and other agencies for more than 30 years, with over 700 Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) participating. The detail will be located at 2100 Jamieson Avenue, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, near the King Street and Eisenhower Metro Stations (blue and yellow lines).

Living accommodations and parking will not be provided. Details are extendable up to one year with the permission of the home office. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Salary Information: None - This is a uncompensated position. Employee benefits for this position will be limited. Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses will not be authorized. Travel: Occasional

Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree

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. 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 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).

EEO Statement: 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. 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. 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 disabilities may also contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC). 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. 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.

Please submit one PDF file in accordance with the requirement below: A resume, no longer than a single page, in a single combined PDF attachment using the filename format LastnameFirstname (e.g., SmithJane.pdf). A cover letter is optional. Applications for the detail must be emailed to [email protected]. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/17/2026 to receive consideration.

Please submit one PDF file in accordance with the requirement below: A resume, no longer than a single page, in a single combined PDF attachment using the filename format LastnameFirstname (e.g., SmithJane.pdf). A cover letter is optional. The Point of Contact for this vacancy announcement is April Russo who can be reached at 703-299-3919 or [email protected] 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.