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!
*AMENDED TO EXTEND CLOSING DATE TO JULY 30, 2026. *
Learn more about this agency
U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.
All U.S. Citizens - Current Career United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, United States Postal Service and United States Postal Inspection Service, and Postal Regulatory Commission Employees will not be considered or selected from this vacancy announcement.
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 07/30/2026 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.
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be able to pass a drug screening.
- Must be able to pass a background investigation
- Must be able to obtain and maintain Top Secret security clearance
- Must be able to obtain and maintain a government-issued credit card
- May be required to successfully complete a 12-month probationary period
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.
Education must be accredited by an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Applicants can verify accreditation here: https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/higher-education-laws-and-policy/college-accreditation.
Special Instructions for Candidates with Foreign Education:
Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in U.S. education programs. You must submit all necessary documents to a private U.S. credential evaluation service to interpret equivalency of your education against courses given in U.S. accredited colleges and universities.
For further information visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.
Pay is only part of the compensation you will earn working for the USPS OIG. We offer a broad array of benefits programs:
As a result of the passage of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022 (PSRA), USPS employees (including USPS OIG) and retirees will transition from the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program to the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program effective January 1, 2025. Detailed information about eligibility and enrollment will be provided upon hiring. For more information, visit the Postal Service Health Benefits (PSHB) Program website at https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/pshb/.
We offer Health, Dental, Vision, Life and Long-Term Care Insurances with Flexible Spending options as well.For more information about these programs visit: https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/Guide-Me/Federal-Employees/
Retirement and Thrift Savings. For more information about these programs see https://www.opm.gov/retirement-center/ and tsp.gov/.
Flexible Work Schedules. USPS OIG offers a range of family-friendly flexibilities including flexible work schedules, telework and employee assistance programs.
Leave and Holidays. In addition to eleven (11) paid holidays each year, you will earn thirteen (13) days of paid sick leave and thirteen (13) to twenty-six (26) paid vacation days each year depending on your years of service.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status: Exempt (Nonexempt employees are entitled to overtime pay; Exempt employees are not).
This agency provides Reasonable Accommodations to applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodations for any part of the application and/or hiring process, please send an email to [email protected]. The decision on granting an accommodation request will be made on a case-by-case basis.
For further information, please refer to our website at: https://www.uspsoig.gov/frequently-asked-questions
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
The Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications required for this position.
You will no longer be considered for this position if you:
- Receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor
- Fail to attach all required documentation
- Submit a resume that exceeds the two-page limit
- If your application materials indicate that you are not minimally-qualified for this position
- If you fail to qualify on the interview
Only the top-rated candidates will be referred to a review official or the selecting official for further consideration. Top-rated applicants may be required to participate in an interview. Your rating may be further adjusted or rated as ineligible by the review official or the selecting official based on your interview performance. Once all applicant scores are finalized, the selecting official will make a final decision. NOTE: If you receive a zero (0) rating on any evaluation factor or on the interview, you will be considered NOT MINIMALLY QUALIFIED for the position and rated ineligible.
Applicants for this position may be interviewed one or more times as part of the hiring process. During interviews, applicants may not use any AI tool or virtual assistant (such as ChatGPT) to help them answer questions, except for accessibility tools used as part of a reasonable accommodation. Applicants who fail to follow these rules will be disqualified from the hiring process.
You must submit all required documents by 11:59 PM EST on the closing date of this announcement, Vacancy Announcement EX-26-122B-12992643-PC, by closing date 07/30/2026.
1. RESUME - 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. It is essential that your resume and supporting documentation provide sufficient information to substantiate your qualifications for the announced position (categorize as "Resume"). Additional guidance on writing a federal resume can be found at: USAJOBS Help Center - How do I write a resume for a federal job?
Make sure your page margins are 0.5 inches. The recommended font styles are Sans-Serif, Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open Sans, Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noto Sans. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started.
2. COMPLETE OCCUPATIONAL QUESTIONNAIRE. Click the "Apply Online" button and follow the prompts to complete the Occupational Questionnaire. (Required: You must click on "Submit My Answers" button at the end of the Questionnaire to complete this process).
3. A WRITING SAMPLE. One writing sample between 5-10 pages. (Required. Upload and save as "Writing Sample" document.
4. A COVER LETTER. (Required. Upload and save as "Cover Letter" document.)
5. STATE BAR LICENSE. Active bar member in good standing in any U.S. jurisdiction. (Required. Upload and save as "Other" document.)
6. TRANSCRIPTS from an accredited college or university. The information presented in the transcript must be verifiable and should contain the name of the institution, applicant's name, list of completed courses, semester hours, GPA, date and type of Bachelor's Degree issued. Education completed outside the United States must be deemed equivalent to that gained in conventional/accredited U.S. education programs to be acceptable for Federal employment. Attach document verifying that it has been deemed equivalent. For further information visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications.
(Required: Upload and save as "Transcript" document.)
7. PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL dated within the last 15 months. This is required from all applicants including Federal, USPS, OIG, and private sector employees. If a PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL is not available, you must submit a separate statement with the reason a performance appraisal is not available. (Required: Upload and save as "Performance Appraisal" document.) NOTE: An SF-50 IS NOT acceptable as a performance appraisal.
8. UPLOAD SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS which may include:
- Certificates or Licenses, if applicable. Upload and save as "Certificate" or "License" document.
- Veterans Preference Documentation. If you are claiming veterans' preference. You must submit the Member 4 copy of your DD-214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and/or other proof of veterans' preference eligibility, including your VA letter, SF-15 (https://www.opm.gov/forms/standard-forms/), and all required documents related to your SF15 claim. Veterans can request the Member 4 copy of their DD-214 at archives.gov/veterans/military-service- records and can download a copy of their VA letter from Download VA Benefit Letters | Veterans Affairs. If applicable, you are required to submit each veterans' preference document in the application packages. Please name these files as "DD-214" or "SF-15" or "Other Veterans Document."
- SF-50 if you are or have been a Federal employee to demonstrate tenure and competitive/excepted service for eligibility purposes. (If applicable to you, you are Required to upload each applicable SF-50 and categorize as a "SF-50" document.)
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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, 07/30/2026, 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.
Vacancy Inquiries
Address
OGC - Office of General Counsel
1735 N. Lynn Street
Arlington, VA 22209
US
Once the Occupational Questionnaire has been received you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail that your submission was successful. After a review of your application package has been completed, you will be notified of your rating and/or referral to the Selecting Official.
Accepting applications
Posted 06/24/26 · Apply in 2 days
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 30, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
No matching locations found.
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$118,984 - $182,790 per year
Pay scale & grade
GG 00
Learn more about pay scale and grade
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Occupations and job series
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Security clearance
Top Secret
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
EX-26-122B-12992643-PC
