TTP96-30 NLO Corrections to Jet Cross Sections in DIS

Next-to-leading order corrections to jet cross sections in deep inelastic scattering at HERA are studied. The predicted jet rates allow for a precise determination of $\alpha_s(\mu_R)$ and the gluon density at HERA. We argue, that the ``natural'' renormalization and factorization scale is in general set by the average $k_T^B$ of the jets in the Breit frame. Some implications for the associated forward jet production in the low $x$ regime at HERA are discussed.