Special Assistant United States Attorney

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa prosecutes federal criminal offenses and defends the federal government’s interests in civil cases in 52 of the state’s 99 counties. The headquarters office is in Cedar Rapids with a branch office in Sioux City.

The Office routinely ranks among the busiest of the 25 U.S. Attorney’s Offices of comparable size, and its attorneys have a reputation for trying and winning complex, difficult cases. The work environment emphasizes professionalism, teamwork, collaboration, and mentorship.

For more information on the Office, see https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndia.

This posting is for a Special Assistant United States Attorney, or SAUSA, to serve in the Cedar Rapids office.

The SAUSA will handle a broad range of cases involving significant and complex issues related to the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative. The SAUSA’s efforts will focus on investigating and prosecuting cases to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations, end illegal trafficking of dangerous drugs, and stop narcotics and narcotics-related crimes.

This is a non-federal position, and it does not confer status as a federal employee. The Linn County Attorney’s Office will employ the selectee as an Assistant County Attorney and administer the terms, conditions, and salary of the position; the Office will cross-designate the selectee as a SAUSA. This position is funded by a HIDTA grant and expected to have a two-year term. The term may be extended without further competition or end early due to a lack of grant funds.

You must be a U.S. citizen, possess a J.D. degree, be an active member of the bar (any U.S. jurisdiction), and have at least one-year post-JD professional legal experience. SAUSAs do their own legal research and writing and must be substantially self-sufficient in preparing day-to-day correspondence and pleadings. You must be proficient in the use of computers.

You will be a preferred applicant if you have:

Experience, skills, or interest in prosecuting federal narcotics and narcotics-related crimes;

Excellent oral and written advocacy skills

Excellent interpersonal skills, including experience working with multi-agency task forces and other law enforcement officials;

Experience and familiarity with federal grand jury practice

Experience preparing appellate briefs and presenting appellate arguments.

Note that SAUSAs may not engage in the outside compensated practice of law. You are not eligible for this position if you have a deferred employment offer from a law firm and received a payment for the deferral period with the expectation of future employment, nor are you eligible if you will receive any payment from a law firm during your potential term as a SAUSA. Contractors, including employees of contractors who do business with the Department of Justice and who are attorneys, are also not eligible.

To apply, email a cover letter and resume to USAIAN.HR@usdoj.gov. You may also apply by mail be sending those materials to:

Administrative Officer
United States Attorney’s Office
111 7th Ave SE, Box 1
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401

Applications must be received by January 9, 2026. The Office is not responsible for delays in receiving your application, whatever the cause. Consistent with Executive Order 14170 and the Merit Hiring Plan, the Office will not accept resumes more than two pages long. The Office will frown on formatting tricks designed to get around that page limit.

Identify possible conflicts of interest in an addendum to your application, paying particular attention to matters in which your clients, family members, or clients of family members are adverse to the federal government. Doing so allows us to evaluate potential conflict and disqualification issues. Candidates who do not disclose this information will be removed from consideration, including by withdrawal of a job offer.

The annual salary for this position may be up to $90,000 depending on availability of funds and the selectee’s experience. Salary and benefits will be administered by the Linn County Attorney’s Office.