Assistant United States Attorney (Bankruptcy)

Hiring Organization

USAO District of Oregon

Hiring Office

Civil Division

Attorney Appointment Type

Attorney Permanent

Job ID

26\-OR\-12965383\-AUSA\-CIVIL

Location:

1000 SW Third Avenue

Suite 600

Portland, OR 97204 \- United States

Application Deadline:

Wednesday, June 3, 2026

About the Office

The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon is seeking an attorney to serve as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in our Civil Division. We're seeking a motivated individual who enjoys working on a variety of challenging litigation matters while supported by colleagues of the highest caliber.

Although the District of Oregon encompasses the entire state, these positions are located in our District's headquarters in Portland, in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, near the Cascade Mountains and just a short drive to the Pacific Ocean (1\.5 hours west), the vineyards in the Willamette Valley (30 minutes west), the Columbia River Gorge recreation area (30 minutes east), and the ski slopes of majestic Mount Hood (1\.5 hours east). Portland itself is home to an eclectic mix of neighborhoods, a superb food scene, a system of extensive parks, and many recreational opportunities on the Willamette River, which runs through the city.

Job Description

Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the Civil Division are responsible for representing the federal government and its agencies and employees in civil litigation pending in the District of Oregon and in appeals before the Ninth Circuit. The attorney selected for this position will be primarily responsible for litigation before federal bankruptcy courts in the district. This litigation generally involves representation of federal agency creditors in Chapter 7, 11, 12 and 13 proceedings under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and in adversary proceedings. Creditor agencies include the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Education. Bankruptcy AUSAs are assigned cases to litigate from inception to completion as the sole attorney representing those federal agencies in bankruptcy court, to preserve said agencies' claims to payment from the bankruptcy estate. Job duties may include conducting legal research, drafting legal memoranda, preparing and answering discovery, taking and defending depositions or examinations, representing the United States in judicial proceedings.

The AUSA may also be assigned other civil defensive or affirmative cases as the need arises. Responsibilities will increase and assignments will become more complex as your training and experience progress.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. Degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).

United States citizenship is required.

Preferred Qualifications: Applicants should be capable of managing numerous ongoing litigation matters \- including juggling court appearances, depositions and deadlines for discovery \- in a collegial, supportive manner. Applicants should have experience appearing in court, arbitrations, and/or depositions. Trial experience is preferred. Applicants should possess superior research and writing abilities, with the ability to prepare high\-quality, persuasive pleadings. Writing is a major aspect of every civil AUSA's portfolio. Applicants should be experienced with handling litigation from initial case filing through discovery and dispositive motions.

Applicants should possess impeccable judgment and the proven ability to work independently, while also being self\-aware enough to know when they need supervisory input with difficult or sensitive issues.

You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

Application Process

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.

The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on June 3, 2026 to receive consideration. Applications will only be accepted through the USAJobs website at:

https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/870004000

1\. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2\. Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package. (It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation are submitted prior to the closing date.)

3\. To verify your application is complete, 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 Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re\-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

You are encouraged to apply online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application. However, should you not be able to apply online, please contact the District of Oregon at Sarah.Fischer@usdoj.gov, prior to the closing date of this announcement to request an alternate method of applying.

A complete Application Package includes:

• Required: Your responses to the Online Occupational Questionnaire (This is completed 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 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).

• 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 appropriate Veterans' Preference documentation. It's recommended that you include veterans' preference information in your cover letter or resume.
• Required: Cover Letter referencing announcement 26\-OR\-12965383\-AUSA\-CIVIL
• Required: Writing Sample. Include a sample of your legal writing, such as a portion or all of an appellate brief, memorandum of points and authorities, or opinion letter. The writing sample should be a recent example of your work and demonstrate your ability to analyze legal issues and present that analysis in written form. Please limit your writing sample to 10 pages.

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.

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

$79,667\.00 to $197,100\.00 which includes locality pay.