Administrative Law Judge (Licensing and Benefits)

Summary

These positions are located in Disability Adjudication, Hearings Hubs nationwide. The incumbent is subordinate to and accountable to the direction and supervision of the Commissioner of Social Security. The incumbent holds hearings and makes and issues decisions on appeals from determinations on claims filed under Titles II, VIII, and XVI of the Social Security Act, as amended. The incumbent is responsible for managing a policy compliant docket in a high volume caseload environment.

Duties

Under agency regulations that implement Titles II, VIII, and XVI of the Act, the incumbent holds hearings and issues timely and legally sufficient decisions in a high volume caseload environment and may: 1) dismiss a request for hearing and rule on a request for an extension of time; 2) identify issues to be resolved; 3) analyze the evidence; 4) determine whether there are other parties to be joined in the case; 5) issue subpoenas and rule on petitions to revoke subpoenas; 6) consider and resolve conflicting evidence; 7) hear testimony and rule on all motions, petitions, or exceptions involving questions of law, procedure, and the admissibility of evidence; 8) hold pre-hearing conferences with the claimant, representative, or both; 9) make the evidence of record available to the parties and inform them of any evidence or expert testimony required in connection with the hearing; 10) administer oaths and affirmations; 11) govern the conduct of the parties at the hearing, and in general regulate the course of the hearing; 12) control the examination and cross-examination of witnesses; 13) introduce into the record documentary and other evidence deemed necessary for the completion or full development of the record; 14) hear oral argument, and receive and consider briefs that are submitted; 15) evaluate the credibility of witnesses, and resolve conflicts in lay and expert evidence; 16) consider and dispose of proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law submitted by the claimant; 17) make findings of fact in accordance with the Act, the agency's regulations, rulings, and policy on each issue, giving reasons therefore, and render conclusions of law; 18) fully consider all the evidence of record, issue timely and legally sufficient final decisions within the requirements of the Act, and which are individually signed or individually approved by the incumbent prior to issuance; and 19) entertain petitions for representative fees and issue orders designating the amount of fee authorized. 20) Exercise effective docket management including schedule cases for hearing; hear and decide cases in a high volume environment; timely move cases toward dispositions; and issue timely, decisive, and legally defensible dispositions.

Qualifications and evaluation

Your resume and supporting documentation will be compared to your responses to the ALJ Assessment Questionnaire, which is designed to capture the desired competencies for this position. Please provide sufficient details in your resume to enable us to determine if you meet the requirement for qualifying experience (as stated in the Qualifications section). Providing insufficient details in your resume may result in a lower or ineligible rating. To enable us to determine the length of your experience, it is important that you provide the month, day, and year of the starting and ending dates of employment. When describing the duties performed for each position, be brief and concise, but inclusive in the description of your experience. If you held multiple positions with the same employer, please include the job title, dates, and duties for each position. You may also include information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments. Please make sure you answer all questions and follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your evaluation. The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. To preview the questions, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13045892 After evaluating responses to the ALJ Assessment Questionnaire, higher scoring candidates' resumes will be reviewed. The Agency will invite higher-scoring applicants to participate in a structured interview. Candidates who are selected to participate in a structured interview may also undergo a background investigation and reference checks. Selections will be made from those candidates after review of all application material submitted, along with results of the structured interview, background investigation, and reference checks. Candidates who are invited to interview must be available during the timeframe that has been designated for interviews. Candidates who are not available will receive no further consideration. Once an interview has been scheduled, candidates will not ordinarily have the option to re-schedule. Interviews will be held virtually.

Education

Applicants must possess a JD. TRANSCRIPTS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO SUBSTANTIATE POSSESSION OF THE REQUIRED AND CLAIMED EDUCATION. UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS (INCLUDING SCREEN PRINTS FROM YOUR SCHOOL'S WEB PORTAL) ARE ACCEPTABLE FOR INITIAL APPLICATION; HOWEVER, YOUR TRANSCRIPT MUST SHOW A DEGREE AND CONFERRED/AWARDED DATE PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. SELF-PREPARED TRANSCRIPTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT. Foreign Education: If your transcripts show education completed in foreign colleges or universities, you must also provide documentation that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in a conventional/accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications (ed.gov) In addition, when reviewing an applicant's transcripts, assumptions will not be made. Applicants MUST state which coursework is relevant.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Resume documenting at least seven (7) years of relevant litigation or administrative law experience. Per OPM's new resume guidance, resumes must be limited to 2 pages only. ALJ Assessment Questionnaire Verification of active bar membership (see 'Required Documents' for more information) Transcripts Veterans Documentation (if applicable) The complete Application Package must be submitted before midnight (EST) on 09/11/2026. To begin the process, click the Apply Online button to create an account or log in to your existing USAJOBS account. Follow the prompts to complete the occupational questionnaire. Please ensure you click the Submit My Answers button at the end of the process. If you use assistive software or an adaptive device, or you are experiencing some other type of technical difficulty and/or otherwise require assistance with the application process, please contact ALJ Applicant Mailbox at hr.alj.applicant@ssa.gov or 4109650000. Individuals with hearing or speech disabilities may use the listed email or 7-1-1 for TTY-based Telecommunications Relay Services to call the listed phone number. Additional Telecommunications Relay Services options are available in each state: https://www.fcc.gov/general/trs-state-and-territories Due to our security procedures, our office will not accept any applications submitted via email or standard mail. The email address is listed only for inquiries about the position or the How to Apply process. To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log in to your USAJOBS account.

Required documents

The following documentation/information must be provided: Resume documenting at least seven (7) years of relevant litigation or administrative law experience. Per OPM's new resume guidance, resumes must be limited to 2 pages only. Proof of Active Bar Membership Transcripts Veterans Documentation (if applicable) RESUME: You may create a resume in USAJOBS or upload one of your own. 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/DD/YYYY-MM/DD/YYYY or MM/DD/YYYY to Present); agency/employer name; position title; Federal grade level(s) held for each Federal position, 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. Please refer to 'How You Will Be Evaluated' for further details regarding the information you should provide in your resume. PROOF OF BAR MEMBERSHIP: You will be required to provide the state(s) in which you are licensed, your license/bar number (if applicable), and month/year of your licensure as part of the online assessment questionnaire. You may also upload documentation that reflects your active bar membership, but this is optional and must be in addition to providing the information requested on the assessment. In order to be eligible for consideration, you must be an active member in good standing of a Bar of a State, Commonwealth or Territory of the United States or District of Columbia and authorized and eligible to practice law. Judicial status is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in States that prohibit sitting judges from maintaining "active" status to practice law. Being in "good standing" is acceptable in lieu of "active" status in States where the licensing authority considers "good standing" as having a current license to practice law. TRANSCRIPTS: Transcripts are required to substantiate possession of the required and claimed education. Unofficial transcripts (including screen prints from your school's web portal) are acceptable for initial application; however, your transcript must show a degree and conferred/awarded date prior to the closing date of this announcement. Self-prepared transcripts will not be accepted. Official transcripts are required at the time of appointment. NOTE: Failure to submit the required documents or information above with your application package may result in your application being removed from consideration. VETERANS' PREFERENCE: If you are claiming veterans' preference, you must submit a copy of your military discharge certificate (DD-214 member 4 copy preferred) or an official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty. To be acceptable, the document must contain dates and show Character of Service. If you are claiming 10-point veterans' preference based on a service-connected disability, you must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veterans' Preference (SF 15) and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Applicants claiming derived preference must submit the SF-15 and the required documentation specified on the reverse of the SF-15. Preference will be granted based on the documents received. Note: If you are a current active duty military member who does not have a DD-214 and are claiming preference under the Veterans Opportunity to Work (VOW) Act, you must submit certification from the Armed Forces indicating that you will be discharged or released under honorable conditions from active duty within 120 days of the date on the certification. Certifications must be on letterhead from the appropriate military branch and include the following information: military dates of service and expected discharge or release date, the character of service, military rank, type of discharge, and date when terminal leave will begin. Certifications must be signed by or under the direction of military members' military personnel offices, unit commanders, or higher headquarters. For more information visit the Vet Guide.

Additional information

Please note: The Entrance on Duty (EOD) date for these positions will be late March or early April 2027. Mandatory in-person training will begin shortly after EOD. ENTRANCE ON DUTY AND TRAINING DATES WILL NOT BE NEGOTIATED. Additional selections may be made for this vacancy at a future date if additional positions become available. Relocation expenses may be authorized in accordance with agency policy.