****Please see announcement questionnaire for specific court locations****. A Structured Interview process will be used in the recruitment of this position.
Duties
The Chief Administrative Law Judge (Chief ALJ) manages the workload and adjudicatory hearings process relative to employer sanctions, immigration-related unfair employment practices, and immigration-related document fraud cases which may include developing and disseminating policy and providing oversight between all the levels of administrative law judges. The Chief ALJ also acts as a presiding officer with respect to proceedings, presiding over hearings, writing opinions and making decisions, and performing ancillary duties. Hearings range from conducting prehearing conferences to simplify the issues in the case to conducting formal hearings on the record in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Administrative Procedure Act, and the rules of practice promulgated by the agency. As a presiding officer, the Chief ALJ determines who is entitled to participate and to what extent; admits evidence into the record or rejects proffered documents and oral testimony; and considers proposed findings and conclusions and briefs submitted by the parties. The Chief ALJ issues initial decisions and orders in adjudicatory proceedings which become final decisions of the Department of Justice unless administratively reviewed or appealed to the appropriate United States Court of Appeals. Final orders are issued following settlement by the parties, after hearing, pursuant to dispositive motions, or upon waiver of a hearing. As a judge under the Administrative Procedure Act, the Chief ALJ provides a complete formal record of the hearing and issues formal written opinions. The Chief ALJ also performs a range of supervisory duties including overseeing day-to-day operations of the ALJs and ALJ unit support staff; hiring and monitoring of staff performance and determination of performance goals and/or benchmarks consistent with applicable laws, regulations and operational needs; identifying training; and initiating award recommendations and corrective actions as needed. In addition to performing the duties described above, the Chief ALJ is also qualified to conduct, and may be assigned to conduct the following proceedings as an immigration judge: removal, discretionary relief, rescission of adjustment status, claims of persecution, stays of removal, and bond and detention. In accordance with section 101(b)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (Act), the incumbent is an attorney appointed by the Attorney General as an administrative judge who is qualified to conduct specified classes of proceedings, including removal proceedings under section 240 of the Act, and to preside at formal, quasi-judicial hearings to determine the issues arising in exclusion, deportation, and related proceedings. As such, the ALJ must have expert knowledge in immigration and employment law, including the relevant statutes and regulations, precedential decisions of the Board of Immigration Appeals and the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, and decisions of Circuit Courts.
Salary
Qualifications
In order to qualify for the Chief Administrative Law Judge position, applicants must meet all of the following minimum qualifications: Education: Applicants must possess a LL.B., J.D., or LL.M. degree. (Provide the month and year in which you obtained your degree and the name of the College or University from which it was conferred/awarded.) AND Licensure: Applicants must be an active member of the bar, duly licensed and authorized to practice law as an attorney under the laws of any state, territory of the U.S., or the District of Columbia. (Provide the month and year in which you obtained your first license and the State from which it was issued.) AND Experience: Applicants must have seven (7) years of post-bar admission experience as a licensed attorney preparing for, participating in, and/or appealing formal hearings or trials involving litigation and/or administrative law at the Federal, State or local level. Qualifying litigation experience involves cases in which a complaint was filed with a court, or a charging document (e.g., indictment or information) was issued by a court, a grand jury, or appropriate military authority. Qualifying administrative law experience involves cases in which a formal procedure was initiated by a governmental administrative body. NOTE: Qualifying experience is calculated only after bar admission.IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your assessment questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). Ensure that your resume contains your full name, address, phone number, email address, and employment information. Each position listed on your resume must include: From/To dates of employment (MM/YYYY-MM/YYYY or MM/YYYY to Present); agency/employer name; position title; Federal grade level(s) held, if applicable; hours, if less than full time; and duties performed. In addition, any experience on less than a full time basis must specify the percentage and length of time spent in performance of such duties.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package by 11:59 PM (ET) on 02/18/2026, the closing date of this announcement, which includes: Your Resume documenting seven (7) years of litigation or adjudication experience since being admitted to the bar. You must submit a resume (a two page or less resume is required) containing the following information for each job entry listed in your employment history:-Official position title-Employer name and contact information-Start and end dates (including month and year)-Indicate full-time or number of hours worked per week if part-time-A list of duties performed and accomplishments. A complete online Assessment Questionnaire. Document(s) addressing the Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs). (See "How You Will Be Evaluated" section.) Writing Sample demonstrating your ability to author legal documents. (One (1) document, not to exceed 10 pages; an excerpt of a longer document is acceptable.) Current or former Federal employees must provide copies of their most recent Performance Appraisal and their latest SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action. Other Supporting Documents, if applicable: Veterans' Preference Documentation: Although the veterans' preference point system does not apply to this position, we accept preference claims and adjudicate such claims per the documentation provided. Note: If claiming 5-point veterans' preference, include a DD-214 or statement of service. If claiming 10-point veterans' preference, include an SF-15 and documentation required by that form, VA or military letter dated 1991 or later, and DD-214. Any other supporting documentation required for verification as described in the announcement. A cover letter is optional but encouraged. Note: Ensure that your resume contains your full name, address, phone number, email address, and employment information. Each position listed on your resume must include: From/To dates of employment (MM/YYYY-MM/YYYY or MM/YYYY to Present); agency/employer name; position title; Federal grade level(s) held, if applicable; hours, if less than full time; and duties performed. In addition, any experience on less than a full time basis must specify the percentage and length of time spent in performance of such duties. Failure to submit the documents listed above with your application package will result in your application package being removed from consideration.
How to Apply
You must submit a complete application package by 11:59 PM (EST) on 02/18/2026, the closing date of the announcement. 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 are submitted prior to the closing date. To verify your application is complete, log into your USAJOBS account, 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 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. If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.
