Assistant United States Attorney
Agency
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Location
Rapid City, South Dakota, South Dakota
Salary
$73,939 - $193,394 Per Year
Open & closing dates
Posted: November 25, 2025
Closes: December 15, 2025 (0 days left)
Job Description
The U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota is seeking an exceptional, motivated prosecuting attorney to join our Criminal Division in Rapid City, SD. In all matters, our mission is to represent the people of the United States in a manner that instills confidence in the fairness and integrity of our office and the judicial system, and to conduct our work with the highest integrity. More information about the U.S. Attorney's Office, SD can be found at: http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/.
Qualifications
Required qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least one year post-J.D. experience. If not already an active member of the South Dakota bar, any applicant hired will be required to take (prior to their entry on duty date) and subsequently pass the South Dakota bar exam. AUSAs must become active members of the South Dakota bar and maintain South Dakota bar membership. Applicant must be a member, or be eligible to become a member, of the federal district court bar. Note: The U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota requires that all Assistant U.S. Attorneys be admitted to the State Bar of South Dakota within 12 months from the date of an attorney's oath of office for the position in South Dakota. See Local Rule (Criminal) 44.1(F)(1)(a). Accordingly, if the successful candidate is not a member of the South Dakota Bar, he/she must become a member within one year from entry on duty. Preferred qualifications: Hiring for Assistant U.S. Attorney positions is highly competitive. The USAO seeks a diverse complement of lawyers with a wide range of exceptional skills and experience, unified by keen intelligence and sincere commitment to public interest. Litigation experience, superior academic record, excellent writing skills, impeccable character, demonstrated interest in public service, courtroom presence, and the ability to work with and relate to a wide variety of people are all taken into account. Most attorneys hired have several years of experience, although highly qualified recent graduates with some experience in practice or as a judicial clerk will also be considered.You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Required Documents
A complete Application Package including: Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process) Required: Cover letter Required: Writing sample, not to exceed 20 pages Required: 3 References that includes name, title, email and phone for each Required: Resume. Your resume cannot exceed two pages - you will be deemed ineligible and receive no further consideration if your resume exceeds two pages - see USAJOBS for formatting requirements. Include relevant employment history as outlined below for each job: Official position title (if Federal, include series/grade), Employer name and contact information, Start and end dates (for full consideration you must include month, day, and year), Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time, and A list of duties performed and accomplishments. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Required, if applicable: To get Veterans' Preference, you must indicate your preference in response to the appropriate question in your assessment questionnaire and you must submit the appropriate supporting documentation. See the "How you will be Evaluated" section for details regarding what is appropriate Veterans' Preference documentation. It is also recommended that you include veterans' preference information in your cover letter or resume. 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 targeted/severe disabilities are encouraged to contact one of the Department's Disability Points of Contact (DPOC) to express an interest in being considered for a position. 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. 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.
Department Information
Agency
Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Department
Department of Justice
Location
Rapid City, South Dakota, South Dakota, United States