Hiring Organization
USAO Southern District of Iowa
Attorney Appointment Type
Attorney Permanent
Job ID
26-IAS-12994591-AUSA
Location:
210 Walnut St, Suite 455
Des Moines, IA 50309 - United States
Application Deadline:
Friday, July 31, 2026
About the Office
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa employs approximately 30 Assistant United States Attorneys. The District's headquarters office is located in Des Moines. The District has staffed branch offices in Davenport and Council Bluffs, which serve the District's eastern and western divisions.
More information about the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa can be found at: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdia
Job Description
The United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa is seeking an experienced attorney to serve as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Criminal Division. This position is located in Des Moines.
Assistant United States Attorney handle a wide variety of complex cases, including drug trafficking and money laundering crimes, terrorism-related offenses, firearms and other violent crime offenses, child exploitation and sex trafficking, cyber-crimes, immigration crimes, and financial fraud and white-collar offenses. Assistant United States Attorneys handle these criminal cases at all phases of prosecution, including grand jury investigations, pre-trial proceedings, trials and sentencing hearings, and appeals.
Des Moines offers the unique combination of a thriving legal and business community with an outstanding quality of life and affordable cost of living. The metro area is known for its vibrant downtown, nationally recognized restaurants, excellent schools, and welcoming community atmosphere. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy extensive bike trails, nearby lakes and parks, and easy access to recreation throughout central Iowa. Des Moines is also home to a growing arts and cultural scene, professional sports, live music venues, and year-round community events, while still offering short commute times and a family-friendly environment that makes it an exceptional place to live and work. With easy access to major interstates and an international airport, Des Moines combines the advantages of a larger city with the convenience and affordability of a smaller market, making it an outstanding place to live, work, and build a career.
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 jurisdiction), and have at least two-year post-J.D. legal or other relevant experience. At least three years of post-J.D. litigation experience is preferred, with extensive research and writing experience.
Preferred qualifications: Possess superior oral and written communication skills as well as strong interpersonal skills, exhibit good judgment, function with minimal guidance in a highly demanding environment, and a demonstrated record of integrity. Interested AUSAs or government attorneys must have at least a successful evaluation for the past year. All applicants must be an active member of the bar (any jurisdiction) and not have received any disciplinary action within the past three years from the date of the application. In addition, applicants must exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff, and client agencies, and the ability to lead, motivate, mentor, and evaluate other highly qualified attorneys.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Conditions of employment
You must be a United States Citizen or National.
Initial appointment is conditioned upon a satisfactory preemployment adjudication. This includes fingerprint, credit and tax checks, and drug testing. Continued employment is subject to a favorable adjudication of a background investigation.
You must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable.
J.D. degree and active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction) required.
Must reside in the district to which appointed or within 25 miles thereof. See 28 U.S.C. 545 for district specific information.
Appointment Type: Permanent.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Political Appointees (Current and Former): 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.
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.
EEO Statement/Policy: 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. More information can be found here: https://www.justice.gov/jmd/media/1425556/dl?inline.
Application Process
Please apply to the USA Jobs Advertisement Here:
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/874360900
You must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
- Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed automatically during the apply online process).
- Required: 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.
The Point of Contact for this vacancy announcement is Southern District of Iowa who can be reached at (515) 473-9337 or
[email protected]@usdoj.gov.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Applicants should familiarize themselves and comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible conflicts of interest in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify this Office if you currently represent clients or adjudicate matters in which this Office is involved and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflicts of interest or disqualification issues that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.
Salary
Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorney's pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number of years of professional attorney experience. The range of basic pay is $77,371 to $197,100 includes locality pay.
