ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY
UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO
VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: 12-NM-AUSA-6

As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement

THIS IS A TERM POSITION , NOT-TO-EXCEED 15-MONTHS. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CANNOT MAKE ANY PROMISES CONCERNING EMPLOYMENT BEYOND THIS TERM APPOINTMENT.

About the Office: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico has approximately 165 employees and contractors. The main office is located in Albuquerque. The branch office in Las Cruces is located approximately 225 miles south of Albuquerque, is 50 miles from the Mexican border, and includes approximately 45 of the district employees and contractors. The District also has an unstaffed office in Santa Fe.

Location: Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico, located approximately 60 miles from the state capital of Santa Fe. As the Hot Air Balloon capital of the world, Albuquerque hosts the annual International Balloon Fiesta, one of the most photographed events in the world! Albuquerque and the surrounding areas offer an array of activities from hiking and skiing to cultural activities such as the opera, arts, celebrated museums, legendary historic sites, and majestic monuments. The metro area with approximately 860,000 residents sprawls over 100 square miles at elevations ranging from 4,500 feet above sea level in the Rio Grande Valley to 6,500 feet at the foot of the Sandia Mountains. Albuquerque enjoys blue skies and sunshine 310 days of the year, with low humidity and mild winters.

The State of New Mexico, also known as the “Land of Enchantment,” is a unique mix of Native cultures, blended with Hispanic and European traditions. Ranked the 5th largest state, it totals 121,593 square miles. New Mexico shares 180 miles of international border with the Country of Mexico.

Responsibilities and Opportunity Offered: The attorney selected will handle prosecutions of a wide variety of federal offenses, with the emphasis on the prosecution of immigration, firearms and narcotics crimes. Prosecutions of narcotics offenses include enforcement of Title 21 and cases involving organizations responsible for the trafficking of heroin, marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and other controlled substances. Immigration offenses include re-entry after deportation, transportation of illegal aliens and other crimes.

Qualifications: Applicants must possess a J.D. degree, be an active member, in good standing, of the bar (any jurisdiction), and have at least one (1) year of post-J.D. experience.

Applicants must demonstrate a quick analytical ability and the facility to accurately and precisely articulate the critical issues in a case and demonstrate superior oral and writing skills as well as strong research and interpersonal skills, and good judgment. Applicants must possess excellent communication and courtroom skills and exhibit the ability to work in a supportive and professional manner with other attorneys, support staff and client agencies. Applicants must have a demonstrated capacity to function, with minimal guidance, in a highly demanding office and courtroom environment.

Applicants will be expected to conduct their own legal research and writing and must be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day to day correspondence and pleadings. Applicants must also possess computer literacy skills to include experience with automated research, electronic court filing, electronic e-mail and word processing systems.

United States citizenship is required.

Travel: Moderate travel may be required.

Salary Information: Assistant United States Attorneys’ pay is administratively determined based, in part, on the number years of professional attorney experience. The range of pay for this position is $50,894 – $134,702, including locality pay, depending on experience. Pay may be set based on highest previous rate received in civilian government service.

Relocation Expenses: Payment of relocation expenses will not be authorized.

Application Process and Deadline Date: Please send your cover letter and resume to (Please refer to vacancy announcement number 12-AUSA-NM-6 on your application/resume.)

Kenneth J. Gonzales
United States Attorney
ATTN: Human Resources
201 Third Street NW, Suite 900
Albuquerque, NM 87102

No telephone calls please. This vacancy closes on September 7, 2012.

Internet Sites: District of New Mexico Website: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nm/

This and other attorney vacancy announcements can be found at:
http://www.usdoj.gov/oarm/attvacancies.html

Department Policies: Assistant United States Attorneys generally must reside in the district to which he or she is appointed. See 28 U.S.C. § 545 for district-specific information.

All initial attorney appointments to the Department of Justice are made on a time-limited (temporary) basis. Temporary appointments may, or may not, be extended or made permanent without further competition.

The U.S. Department of Justice is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer.

Except where otherwise provided by law, there will be no discrimination because of color, race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability (physical or mental), age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a parent, membership or nonmembership in an employee organization, on the basis of personal favoritism, or any non merit factor. The Department of Justice welcomes and encourages applications from persons with physical and mental disabilities. 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 on the basis of merit within the Department of Justice. This agency provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the agency. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review and the United States Attorneys’ Offices. Unless otherwise indicated in a particular job advertisement, non-U.S. Citizens may apply for employment with other organizations, but should be advised that appointments of non-U.S. Citizens are 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.

There is no formal rating system for applying veterans’ preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans’ preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans’ preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (e.g., the DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty and other supporting documentation) to their submissions. Although the “point” system is not used, per se, applicants eligible to claim 10-point preference must submit Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, and submit the supporting documentation required for the specific type of preference claimed (visit the OPM website, www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf for a copy of SF 15, which lists the types of 10-point preferences and the required supporting document(s). Applicants should note that SF 15 requires supporting documentation associated with service-connected disabilities or receipt of nonservice-connected disability pensions to be dated 1991 or later except in the case of service members submitting official statements or retirement orders from a branch of the Armed Forces showing that his or her retirement was due to a permanent service-connected disability or that he/she was transferred to the permanent disability retired list (the statement or retirement orders must indicate that the disability is 10% or more).

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The Department of Justice cannot control further dissemination and/or posting of information contained in this vacancy announcement. Such posting and/or dissemination is not an endorsement by the Department of the organization or group disseminating and/or posting the information.

Career Opportunity

ADVOCACY and POLICY COUNSEL – CRIMINAL JUSTICE [ASD-21]

American Civil Liberties Union Foundation

Affiliate Support and Advocacy Department, NY

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU), founded in 1920, is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with more than 500,000 members dedicated to the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution. The Affiliate Support and Advocacy Department of the ACLU’s National Office in New York City seeks a full-time Advocacy and Policy Counsel. 

OVERVIEW

Through its affiliates, members, and national staff, the ACLU has a presence in every state across the country. Each affiliate works with its state’s legislature and policymakers to further the protection and advancement of civil liberties.

Reporting to the Director of Advocacy and Policy, the Advocacy and Policy Counsel will focus on supporting nationwide state-based advocacy to advance state legislative and public policy priorities. The Advocacy and Policy Counsel will be part of an integrated team, including litigators, advocacy staff, communications specialists, and federal lobbyists, and work closely with ACLU affiliates. The Advocacy and Policy Counsel’s work will primarily be with the ACLU’s Center for Justice’s Initiative to End Overincarceration, which seeks an end to excessively harsh crime policies that result in mass incarceration and stand in the way of a just and equal society. State legislative and public policy advocacy will focus on the reform of state pre-trial practices, drug laws, sentencing schemes, and parole and probation policies.

The Advocacy and Policy Counsel is a non-litigating attorney position for a lawyer with exceptional analytical and writing abilities.   The Advocacy and Policy Counsel will devise and execute nationwide state-based advocacy strategies, assess emerging policy trends, and mobilize affiliates across the country. Work will include drafting state legislation and legislative amendments, preparing state legislative advocacy materials, researching legal issues related to state legislation, and assisting in identifying litigation opportunities. 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Determine and execute state-based advocacy strategies to achieve public policy goals, including developing campaign objectives and strategies.
• Provide legal analysis and strategic advice to ACLU affiliates to assist their state-based advocacy.
• Draft policy analyses designed to effect change by state policymakers.
• Conduct legal analysis on the interpretation and constitutionality of proposed state legislation and policy initiatives.
• Develop and produce advocacy tools for ACLU affiliates to assist their state-based advocacy.
• Develop expertise in criminal justice and other key civil liberties issues.
• Work with ACLU affiliates in strategic goal setting, coalition-building, community organizing, and public engagement in furtherance of public policy outcomes.
• Assist in identifying litigation opportunities.
• Coordinate ACLU affiliates’ participation in the National Office’s federal advocacy campaigns.
• Collaborate with the administration of grants to affiliates programs.
• Monitor relevant state bills.
• Participate in national coalitions and develop relationships with allies and other organizations to further advocacy goals.
• Speak publicly at national, state, and local forums, conferences, and meetings.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• A JD degree and a minimum of three years of legal experience are required; this position does not include active litigation, but the ability to identify and develop possible litigation is required.
• Experience working in political, policy, legal, or government settings; familiarity with public policy and legislative processes is preferred.
• Exceptional ability to conduct legal analysis and research.
• Experience with constitutional issues, legislation, and organizing is preferred.
• Ability to work independently as well as within a team.
• Excellent research, writing, analytic, and communication skills.
• Ability to communicate complex legal issues to the general public.
• Ability to simultaneously handle multiple tasks, work efficiently and quickly, and meet deadlines under pressure.
• Willingness to travel.
• Strong and demonstrated commitment to civil liberties and social justice issues; expertise in criminal justice advocacy is strongly preferred.

COMPENSATION

The ACLU offers a generous and comprehensive compensation and benefits package, commensurate with experience and within the parameters of the ACLU compensation scale.

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants should send a cover letter (including salary requirements), resume, the names and phone numbers of three references, and a writing sample by email to hrjobs@aclu.org – Reference [ASD-21/NABA] in the subject line – or by mail to:

Human Resources

American Civil Liberties Union Foundation

[Re: ASD-21/NABA]

125 Broad Street, 18^th Floor

New York, NY 10004

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Please indicate in your cover letter where you learned of this career opportunity.

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required.  It does not represent a contract of employment.  The ACLU reserves the right to change the job description and or posting at any time without advance notice.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and encourages applications from all qualified individuals including women, people of color, persons with disabilities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation.  Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees.  The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties.  This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name “ACLU.”