Investigator - Trial Unit

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Job location
United States
Organization information
Organization name: 
Federal Public Defender, District of Arizona
Street address: 
407 W. Congress St #501
State: 
Arizona
ZIP: 
85701
Job type: 
Other
Position Description: 

THE FEDERAL PUBLIC DEFENDER for the District of Arizona is accepting applications for the position of a full-time investigator to be stationed in Tucson. The Federal Public Defender operates under authority of Title 18, United States Code, Section 3006A(g)(2)(A), to provide federal criminal defense services by court appointment to individuals unable to afford counsel.

Duties. The duties of an investigator include case preparation, obtaining and reviewing law enforcement records, interviewing clients and witnesses, and meeting with experts. Other duties include social history investigations, locating and interviewing potential penalty phase witnesses, identifying factors in a client’s background that require expert evaluations, consulting with attorneys to develop guilt and penalty phase theories of the case and case strategy, and working with clients and a client’s family while the case is pending.

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 13, Step 1, and currently yielding $76,095 to $108,455 per annum. 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, telework opportunities 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.

Requirements: 

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. Bachelor’s degree preferred. The applicant should possess the ability to write clearly and present complex and interrelated concepts and ideas. U.S Citizenship and heavy and extended travel in and out of Arizona is required. Spanish language fluency is required. Applicants selected for interview will be tested for Spanish fluency. Employment is subject to a satisfactory background investigation.

To apply: 

How to Apply. Qualified persons should apply via the online application system at https://azfd.acquiretm.com/home.aspx. To be considered for the position, applicants need to register at the above web address and create an online profile, or login if you already have a profile. Please follow the prompts to upload a letter of interest, resume, and three (3) professional references. Announced July 10, 2026; Closes: Open until filled.

Notes: 
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.
Salary range: 
JSP 11, Step 1, to JSP 13, Step 1, and currently yielding $76,095 to $108,455 per annum.
Submission deadline: 
Friday, August 21, 2026