U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CRIMINAL DIVISION OFFICE OF OVERSEAS PROSECUTORIAL DEVELOPMENT, ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY / GS-14 to GS-15 (ILA-SURINAME AND GUYANA)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
CRIMINAL DIVISION
OFFICE OF OVERSEAS PROSECUTORIAL DEVELOPMENT, ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING
EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY / GS-14 to GS-15 (ILA-SURINAME AND GUYANA)

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 an Intermittent Legal Advisor (ILA) in Suriname and Guyana. This assignment is for a term of two to four months, 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 Opportunity Offered: The ILA will represent the U.S. Department of Justice and OPDAT in the implementation of an OPDAT justice sector assistance program. The ILA will work closely with the host countries (Suriname and Guyana), the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (G/TIP), and U.S. embassies to assess the current situation, plan and initiate workshops to enhance the investigative and prosecutorial skills of police, prosecutors, and others for combating trafficking in persons (TIP) and enhance responsiveness to the victims of this crime. The ILA will be responsible for consulting with the host country governments, developing training workshops, and providing technical assistance and skills development programs on prosecutorial and investigative techniques and strategies. To the extent possible, programs will also include a train-the-trainer component. The ILA will draw on U.S. investigators and victim/witness experts, and other experts, as needed. Also, to the extent possible, the ILA will work with host country judges to familiarize them with TIP issues to foster effective and efficient adjudication of TIP cases. The ILA may be assigned to engage in or assist in similar activities in Belize.

Location: The ILA will be based in Suriname or Guyana and, if possible, the position will be filled no later than March 31, 2009.

Relocation Expenses: This is a temporary duty assignment and relocation expenses are not authorized.

Required and Preferred Qualification: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be duly licensed and authorized to practice as an attorney under the laws of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia. Applicants must be a current Department Trial Attorney or Assistant United States Attorney and have at least four years experience as a prosecutor (federal and/or state). Applicants must have the ability to function effectively in an international, multi-cultural environment; be mature and self-sufficient; be able to efficiently initiate and manage work projects, and possess excellent interpersonal skills. Applicants must have excellent oral and written communication skills. Specialized experience in trafficking in persons, human smuggling, and/or organized crime is desired.

Application Process: Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter via e-mail to the attention of Kathleen O’Connor, Regional Director, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Her e-mail address is: kathleen.oconnor@usdoj.gov

Deadline date: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

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.