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.
Employment is contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation.
Selective Service Registration is required, as applicable.
Relevant experience (see qualifications below.)
Qualifications must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
If selected, you must file a financial disclosure statement in accordance with the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.
You must receive your Federal salary by Direct Deposit (to a financial institution of their choosing).
Conversion to permanent position is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a probationary period and appointment by the Attorney General.
Moving and Relocation Expense are not authorized.
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.
Additional information
Employment is contingent upon the completion and satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation. Selectee(s) must be able to maintain a public trust clearance. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of Justice considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants eligible for veterans' preference must include that information in their cover letter or resume and attach supporting documentation (see section entitled "Required Documents" for further details).
Conditions of Employment: Only U.S. Citizens or Nationals are eligible for employment with the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Dual citizens of the U.S. and another country will be considered on a case-by-case basis. All DOJ applicants, both U.S. Citizens and non-citizens, whose job location is with the United States, must meet the residency requirement. For a total of three (not necessarily consecutive years) of the five years immediately prior to applying for a position, the applicant must have: 1) resided in the United States; 2) worked for the United States overseas in a Federal or military capacity; or 3) been a dependent of a Federal or military employee serving oversees.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications stated above will be further evaluated to determine those who are best qualified. This determination will be based, in part, on the following Quality Ranking Factors (QRFs), which need to be addressed as part of the application package.
Ability to demonstrate the appropriate temperament to serve as a judge.
Litigation or adjudication experience, preferably in a high volume judicial or administrative context.
Experience conducting administrative hearings or adjudicating administrative cases.
Experience handling complex legal issues.
Knowledge of immigration laws, employment law, and administrative law and procedures.
Experience serving in a managerial or supervisory capacity, preferably of judges, attorneys or other legal professionals.
Applicants are required to address each of the six (6) QRFs in narrative form, to the best of the applicant's ability. A response stating only that the applicant does not have experience will not be considered as addressing the affected QRF. Applicants that do not have experience within a specific factor should instead discuss a similar skill/ability/knowledge/experience for evaluation. Failure to address each factor at this minimum level will result in an ineligible determination. The QRFs must be addressed on a separate document which indicates the number of the specific QRF you are addressing. Applicants should be thorough in addressing the QRFs. For example, applicants addressing QRF #2 (litigation or adjudication experience) should discuss the approximate number of cases or matters handled in a given period of time, the applicant's specific role (e.g. adjudicator, first chair, co-counsel, responsible for the written brief only, etc.), and the length of time involved in a given role (e.g. lead counsel in 20 immigration proceedings in 10 years). Applicants should also include specific examples of the types of cases (asylum application, plea, settlement, bench trial, jury trial, etc.), the number of court and administrative appearances made in those cases, and the case dispositions (ruling on the merits, plea or similar resolution, settlement, trial, jury trial, etc.) Conclusory statements (such as "the applicant has been involved in a substantial amount of litigation") without further elaboration will receive little or no weight in the evaluation of the QRFs.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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.
Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer
5107 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
US
Next steps
We will evaluate the qualifications and eligibility of all applicants, and then assess those who meet the minimum qualifications. All candidates who meet all the minimum requirements will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration. We will notify you of the final outcome after all of these steps have been completed.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
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.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
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.
Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer
5107 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041
US
Next steps
We will evaluate the qualifications and eligibility of all applicants, and then assess those who meet the minimum qualifications. All candidates who meet all the minimum requirements will be referred to the hiring official for further consideration. We will notify you of the final outcome after all of these steps have been completed.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
