Investigator (CHU)

THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER for the District of Arizona is accepting applications for the position of a full-time investigator in the Capital Habeas Unit to be stationed out of Phoenix, Arizona. This position may be eligible for full-time telework within Maricopa County. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 3006A(g)(2)(A) and 3599, to provide federal criminal defense services by court appointment to individuals unable to afford counsel.

Requirements. To qualify, a person must be a high school graduate or equivalent and have at least three years of general experience and three years of specialized experience; some higher education may be substituted for specialized experience. A Bachelor’s degree is preferred. The applicant should possess the ability to write clearly and present complete and interrelated concepts and ideas whether verbally or in writing. Computer literacy and experience with Word, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel, CaseMap, Westlaw, and Lexis is preferred. U.S. Citizenship is required. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation.

Duties. The investigators in the Capital Habeas Unit are part of a team that represents people sentenced to death in Arizona and other states. The duties of an investigator include case preparation, detailed review of the case file, including law enforcement and forensic records, interviewing clients and witnesses, and working with experts. Other duties include investigations into the criminal charges and clients’ backgrounds, locating and interviewing witnesses, identifying factors in the case and the client’s background that require expert evaluations, consulting with attorneys to develop guilt/innocence and penalty phase theories of the case and case strategies, and working with clients and their families while the case is pending. Extensive and extended overnight travel is required.

Salary and Benefits. The starting salary for the investigator position will be fixed commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the applicant within a range from JSP 11, Step 1, to JSP 14, Step 1, and currently yielding $78,117 to $131,568 per annum in the Phoenix area. The position is in the excepted service and does not carry the tenure rights of the competitive Civil Service. The position does include regular government employee benefits including health and life insurance, retirement, and the Thrift Savings Plan. Salary is payable only by Electronic Funds Transfer (direct deposit). All positions are at will and are subject to the availability of funds.

The Federal Public Defender is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age, are encouraged to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer. The Federal Public Defender for the District of Arizona is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals from groups underrepresented in national projects within the defender community are encouraged to apply.