U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
CRIMINAL DIVISION
OFFICE OF OVERSEAS PROSECUTORIAL DEVELOPMENT, ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING
EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY / GS-14 to GS-15
Vacancy Announcement Number: 08-CRM-OPDAT-040
The Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice, seeks an experienced DOJ attorney or Assistant United States Attorney to serve as a Regional Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) for Central America. The RLA will be stationed in Central America – exact location TBD. This assignment is for a term of one year, contingent on funding. (This is a reimbursable detail.)
About the Office: The mission of the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) is to develop and administer technical and developmental assistance designed to enhance the capabilities of foreign justice sector institutions and their law enforcement personnel, so those institutions and their personnel can more effectively combat terrorism, organized crime, corruption, financial crimes, trafficking in persons and other types of crime, in a manner consistent with the rule of law, and can more effectively cooperate regionally and with the United States in combating such crime.
Responsibilities and Opportunities Offered: The RLA represents the U.S. Department of Justice and OPDAT in the implementation of an OPDAT justice sector assistance program. The RLA will relocate to Central America and be responsible for implementation of a program that has been designed to facilitate the following objectives: (1) improve the capacity of prosecutors and law enforcement in the Central American region to investigate and prosecute complex violent crime and corruption cases, and (2) develop advocacy and substantive skills of prosecutors in the region. During his or her tenure, the selected attorney will work closely with regional law enforcement and government officials, including prosecutors, judges, legislators, and others to develop and carry out the justice sector assistance program envisioned by the Merida Initiative. The RLA may also be called upon to provide advice to the local government on criminal justice legislation and on a range of issues relating to the administration of justice and rule of law programs. The RLA will work closely with other DOJ law enforcement components in the region.
Required and preferred Qualifications: The applicant must have excellent interpersonal skills, be a self- starter, and have extensive prosecutorial experience. Experience in bar activities, teaching, and designing course curricula is desired, but not required. Spanish fluency is required and experience with international development projects is strongly preferred. This position involves periodic travel in the region and will require the RLA to engage with justice sector officials from countries in the region on combating violent gang-related crime, financial crimes and corruption through international cooperation. Relocation expenses are authorized.
Application Process Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter as soon as possible. Faxed or E-mailed submissions are also acceptable. Ms. Kalashnikova’s fax number is (202) 616-6770. Use her internal JCON address or her external E-mail address, which is olga.kalashnikova@usdoj.gov or mail to her attention at:
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development,
Assistance and Training, Criminal Division
1331 F Street, NW, Suite 400,
Washington, DC 20004.
ATTN: Olga Kalashnikova, Program Analyst
Deadline Date: Applications will be accepted until October 31, 2008.
Salary Information: Current salary and years of litigation experience will determine the appropriate salary. The possible salary range is GS-14 ($98,033 - $127,442 per annum) to GS-15 ($115,317 - $149, 000 per annum).
This and selected other legal position announcements can be found on the Internet at: http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/.
The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. It is the policy of the Department to achieve a drug-free workplace and the persons selected will therefore be required to pass a drug test to screen for illegal drug use prior to final approval. Employment is also contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background investigation adjudicated by the Department of Justice.
The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities and will reasonably accommodate the needs of those persons. The Department is firmly committed to satisfying its affirmative obligations under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, to ensure that persons with disabilities have every opportunity to be hired and advanced.