Chief Administrative Law Judge

Department of Health and Human Services

Office of the Secretary of Health and Human Services

Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals

Summary
This job is open to
Duties
Requirements
How you will be evaluated
Required documents
How to apply

Summary

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.

Summary

Overview

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Accepting applications

Location

1 vacancy in the following locations:

Phoenix, AZ

Miami, FL

Kansas City, MO

Albuquerque, NM

Work site options

Telework eligible: Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Remote job: No

Relocation expenses reimbursed: No

Salary: $176,399 - $209,600 per year

Pay scale & grade

AL 1

Promotion potential: None

Learn more about pay scale and grade

Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.

Work schedule: Full-time

Travel Required: Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type: Permanent

Occupations and job series

0935 Administrative Law Judge

Supervisory status: Yes

Federal service type: This job is in the Excepted Service

Represented by a union: No

Drug test: Yes

Security clearance: Not Required

Position sensitivity and risk: Noncritical-Sensitive (NCS)/Moderate Risk

Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.

Background check type

Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required: Yes; Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number: HHS-OMHA-ALJ-26-12990150

Control number: 882941900

This job is open to

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Federal employees - Competitive service

Current federal employees whose agencies follow the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's hiring rules and pay scales.

Federal employees - Excepted service

Current federal employees whose agencies have their own hiring rules, pay scales and evaluation criteria.

Clarification from the agency

This position is designated as a Schedule E (Excepted Service) position. Selectees generally will be appointed under Schedule E. However, a current OMHA ALJ serving in the competitive service who is selected will retain their competitive service status in accordance with OPM guidance.

Duties

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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.

Requirements

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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:

Currently hold a Federal Administrative Law Judge position.
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.
Have served at the AL-2 level or higher for at least one year by the closing date of the announcement.
Continue to satisfy all applicable Administrative Law Judge qualification and licensure requirements throughout employment.

Executive and Technical Qualifications

Applicants should demonstrate:

Extensive knowledge of administrative law, adjudication, and the Medicare program.
Experience leading large, geographically dispersed organizations.
Ability to lead organizational transformation and strategic change.
Experience managing human capital, budgets, technology, and operational resources.
Demonstrated ability to make legally sound, timely, and defensible decisions.
Experience building partnerships and collaborating with senior Federal officials and external stakeholders.
Commitment to judicial independence, fairness, integrity, and public service.
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.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional 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.

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.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

OMHA will evaluate applicants based on how well their experience, accomplishments, and qualifications demonstrate the mandatory and technical qualifications for this position. Applicants should provide complete and accurate information describing their leadership experience, executive accomplishments, and technical expertise. Information submitted through the application process may be reviewed, evaluated, and verified through interviews, reference checks, and other assessment methods. Applicants determined to be among the best qualified candidates may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Interviews may be required as part of the selection process. Additional assessment methods may also be used to evaluate candidates' qualifications and suitability for the position. Failure to provide all required application materials or to participate in required assessment activities may result in removal from further consideration.

Help

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.

Agency contact information

Gregory Stewart

Phone: 202-401-5714
Email: Gregory.Stewart@hhs.gov

Address: Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals
2550 S. Clark Street, Suite 2001
Arlington, VA 22202
US

Next steps

To verify the status of your application, sign in to your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated.

For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to.Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Required Documents

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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.