U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
CRIMINAL DIVISION
OFFICE OF OVERSEAS PROSECUTORIAL DEVELOPMENT, ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING
EXPERIENCED ATTORNEY / GS-14 to GS-15
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 Resident Legal Advisor (RLA) for Central America. This assignment is for one year term with the possibility of an extension, contingent on availability of 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 RLA represents the 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; (2) develop advocacy and substantive skills of prosecutors in the region; (3) coordinate closely with U.S. government law enforcement working in the region to identify and develop curriculum to address training needs; and (4) work closely with the ILEA San Salvador to implement training programs. 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 local governments 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.
Travel: 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 crimes, financial crimes and corruption through international cooperation.
Location: The RLA will be stationed in San Salvador, El Salvador.
Relocation Expenses: Relocation expenses are authorized.
Application Process: Interested applicants should send a resume and cover letter as soon as possible, but not later than May 31, 2009, to the attention of Olga Kalashnikova, Program Analyst, Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training at the e-mail address: Olga.Kalashnikova@usdoj.gov; with an electronic copy to Acting Regional Director Kathleen O’Connor at Kathleen.OConnor@usdoj.gov.
Salary Information: Current salary and years of litigation experience will determine the appropriate salary. The possible salary range is GS-14 ($102,721-133,543 per annum) to GS-15 ($120,830 - $153,200 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.