Chief Administrative Law Judge

The Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA) administers the third level of Medicare appeals and is committed to fair, timely, and impartial adjudication. The Chief Administrative Law Judge (CALJ) leads OMHA's nationwide operations, providing executive leadership, strategic direction, and judicial oversight while ensuring Medicare appeals are adjudicated in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and Departmental policies.

Duties

The Chief Administrative Law Judge (CALJ) leads OMHA's nationwide Medicare appeals program and is responsible for the overall management and direction of the organization. The CALJ provides executive leadership for headquarters and field operations, oversees Medicare appeals adjudication activities, and ensures Administrative Law Judges conduct fair and impartial hearings and issue decisions in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. The CALJ also establishes organizational priorities, performance goals, and operational strategies to support OMHA's mission.

The CALJ oversees workforce planning, budget and resource management, and modernization initiatives to improve the efficiency, quality, timeliness, and consistency of Medicare appeals adjudication. In addition, the CALJ serves as the principal advisor to Department leadership on Medicare hearings and appeals matters, represents OMHA and HHS before Federal and external stakeholders, and may personally hear and decide particularly complex, significant, or sensitive cases.

Salary

• $176,399 - $209,600/year

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Must successfully complete all pre-employment requirements.
• Subject to a suitability or fitness determination based on a background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Must complete and maintain Executive Branch public financial disclosure requirements.
• Selective Service registration requirements apply, where applicable.
• Employment is subject to all Federal ethics requirements and restrictions.
• May be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.

Qualifications

Mandatory Requirements

Applicants must:

1. Currently hold a Federal Administrative Law Judge position.
2. Possess and maintain a valid license to practice law and be authorized to practice law under the laws of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territorial court established under the United States Constitution. Judicial status is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in jurisdictions that prohibit sitting judges from maintaining active bar membership. Being in "good standing" is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in jurisdictions where the licensing authority considers good standing to constitute authorization to practice law.
3. Have served at the AL-2 level or higher for at least one year by the closing date of the announcement.
4. Continue to satisfy all applicable Administrative Law Judge qualification and licensure requirements throughout employment.

Executive and Technical Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate:

1. Extensive knowledge of administrative law, adjudication, and the Medicare program.
2. Experience leading large, geographically dispersed organizations.
3. Ability to lead organizational transformation and strategic change.
4. Experience managing human capital, budgets, technology, and operational resources.
5. Demonstrated ability to make legally sound, timely, and defensible decisions.
6. Experience building partnerships and collaborating with senior Federal officials and external stakeholders.
7. Commitment to judicial independence, fairness, integrity, and public service.
8. Recent, significant leadership experience addressing substantial backlogs of complex adjudicatory matters while maintaining timely, high-quality service delivery amid fluctuating case volumes, changing priorities, and resource constraints.

Other Information HHS has a critical preparedness and response mission: HHS protects the American people from health threats, research emerging diseases, and mobilizes public health programs with domestic and international partners. In support of this mission, HHS offers its employees the opportunity to volunteer to become Federal Civilian Detailees and contribute their unique skills through voluntary temporary assignments to humanitarian emergencies or Departmental priorities countering new and emerging health, safety, and security threats. Probationary Period: An administrative law judge receives a career appointment and is exempt from the probationary period requirements under 5 CFR Part 930 Subpart B. Preferred Experience: Highly qualified candidates typically possess experience leading complex adjudicatory organizations and driving organizational transformation, operational excellence, and workforce engagement. Standards of Conduct/Financial Disclosure HHS inspires public confidence by maintaining high ethical principles, and all Federal Government employees are subject to the conflict-of-interest statutes and regulations, including the Standards of Ethical Conduct, that govern activities with outside organizations and reporting financial holdings. The Ethics in Government Act, PL 95-521 also requires the applicant selected for this position to submit a Public Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278, prior to assuming the position, annually thereafter, and upon termination of employment. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: HHS is an equal opportunity employer. The Department provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities and complies with all applicable Federal civil rights, equal employment opportunity, and merit system principles. Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to If applying online poses a hardship to you, you may submit your application by contacting an agency representative in the agency contact section of this announcement. Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact an agency representative in the agency contact section of this announcement. Requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis. Veterans Preference Veterans Preference applies as far as administratively feasible. Selective Service Selective Service registration requirements apply, where applicable: https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office. Required Documents

To receive consideration, all required documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.

Resume (Required)

Submit a resume that clearly demonstrates your qualifications and experience relevant to this position. Your resume must specifically address the Mandatory and Technical Qualifications identified in this announcement and must not exceed two (2) pages. Failure to provide sufficient information may impact your eligibility and consideration for this position.

Assessment Questionnaire (Required)

Complete the online assessment questionnaire as part of the application process.

SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (Required)

Submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 that identifies your current position, pay plan, grade, step, salary, tenure, and position title. This document will be used to verify eligibility.

Proof of Licensure (Required)

Submit documentation demonstrating that you possess and maintain a valid license to practice law and be authorized to practice law under the laws of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any territorial court established under the United States Constitution. Judicial status is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in jurisdictions that prohibit sitting judges from maintaining active bar membership. Being in "good standing" is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in jurisdictions where the licensing authority considers good standing to constitute authorization to practice law.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above.

*To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

*Click the Submit My Answers button to submit your application package.*It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. Failure to provide all required documents and information requested by the closing date will result in your application not being considered.

To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account at https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link, and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account at https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

The complete Application Package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 09/15/2026.