Administrative Law Judge Job in Arlington, VA

Vacancy No. ALJ-25-001-KGF Department Drug Enforcement Administration
Salary $150,000.00 to $207,500.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/2/2025 Close Date 9/25/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Arlington, VA


Summary

Want to make a difference in drug law enforcement? Consider a career with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and you will make a difference for your community and your country. DEA's mission is to enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States. DEA is the lead agency responsible for the development of overall Federal drug enforcement strategy, programs, planning, and evaluation.

Duties

About the position: This position is located in the Office of Administrative Law Judges, in Arlington, Virginia. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Administrative Law Judges, under the administrative supervision of the Chief Administrative Law Judge, conduct adjudicatory hearings throughout the United States in formal, contested, often complex administrative proceedings which arise under the Controlled Substances Act.

In conformity with the Administrative Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. 551, et. seq. as well as the Controlled Substances Act and its attendant regulations, DEA Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) make pre-hearing rulings, preside over formal hearings, decide post­ hearing matters, issue written recommended decisions, and certify hearing records to the DEA Administrator, who issues the agency's final orders. The litigation is frequently complex, highly contested, and often subject to demanding time constraints. Litigation issues include registration and controlled substance scheduling issues and involve the interpretation and application of federal and state law. These responsibilities may require some travel.

The Administrative Law Judge responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  1. Conducting administrative enforcement and rulemaking hearings in accordance with the Controlled Substances Act (CSA); Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, as amended; and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). 5 U.S.C. 551, et seq.
  2. Serving as a presiding officer with respect to each case assigned to him/her by the Chief Judge, presides over the pre-hearing procedures, motion practice, and hearings.
  3. Drafting and signing all orders and recommended decisions resulting from each assigned case in addition to timely and accurate completion of reports regarding case workload as required by Law Judge management.
  4. Adjudications with respect to application and revocation actions related to acquiring or continuing controlled substance registrations.
  5. Promoting and maintaining efficient operation of his/her assigned Adjudication Unit (AU) to include regular updates of relevant databases and office calendars and to fully cooperate in any and all assessments regarding workload and/or office performance.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain a Background and/or Security Clearance
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service
  • Drug testing designated position
  • Must possess and maintain the highest level of character and conduct

Qualifications

Mandatory Qualifications:
  1. Applicant must currently hold a juris doctorate from an accredited law school with licensure and authorization 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 U.S. Constitution.
  2. An "active" bar status and/or membership in "good standing" for at least seven years total in at least one jurisdiction in which the applicant is admitted. 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 in States where the licensing authority considers "good standing" as having a current license to practice law.
  3. Five years of relevant litigation or administrative law experience; experience demonstrating judicial temperament; experience demonstrating complex legal writing ability; the ability to travel.
"Relevant litigation experience" includes: appearing as an attorney in and/or conducting formal hearings, trials, or appeals at the federal (including military), state, or local level or as part of congressional or state legislative hearings or investigations; and/or hearing cases as a judge or adjudicator. Litigation preparation and settlement, standing alone, does not constitute "relevant litigation experience," but the definition does include cases which were actively litigated by trial, hearing(s), or motion practice but were resolved through settlement. The definitional touchstone is active lawyering and advocacy in a contested trial, hearing(s), or motion practice environment.

"Relevant administrative law experience" as used in the above context is active litigation experience in contested cases initiated before a governmental administrative body, and includes cases which have resolved through settlement. The preparation and filing of routine forms or paperwork to be adjudicated by an administrative body or government official, standing alone, does not constitute "relevant administrative law experience." The definitional touchstone is active lawyering and advocacy in a contested environment, and includes motion practice.

Desirable Qualifications (DQs): The narrative for each DQ is limited to ONE PAGE and should be formatted so that each desirable qualification is individually addressed.
  1. Experience in adversarial litigation (especially multi-day proceedings) and timely adjudication of a high volume of cases.
  2. Excellence in legal writing involving complex legal issues and interpretation of statutory or regulatory language.
  3. Ability to understand, analyze, decide, and orally communicate difficult and complex technical, legal, and factual issues, and produce a comprehensive written, legally and technically defensible agency decision while exhibiting judicial temperament.
  4. Capacity to manage contested courtroom proceedings effectively and apply appropriate judicial temperament in dealing with parties and counsel.
  5. Experience in leading and supervising staff in an effective manner.
  6. Ability to operate and manage technology such as (but not limited to) word processing software, case management software, and video teleconferencing equipment.
  7. Ability to engage in and completing administrative tasks ancillary to adjudication, such as the timely filing of status reports, time records, etc.
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

Juris doctorate from an ABA accredited law school.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/).

Additional information

Direct Deposit: All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choosing.

Selective Service: MALE APPLICANTS BORN AFTER 12/31/1959 must certify prior to job offer that they have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under Selective Service law.

In accordance with 5 CFR 2635.704, applications will not be accepted in postage-paid Government envelopes.

The Drug Enforcement Administration participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-VERIFY - http://www.dhs.gov/E-Verify). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.

Drug testing is required for this position.

All non-DEA applicants must complete a drug use questionnaire. Applicants who are found, through investigation or personal admission, to have experimented with or used narcotics or dangerous drugs, except those medically prescribed, will not be considered for employment with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Exceptions to this policy may be made for applicants who admit to limited youthful and experimental use of marijuana. Such applicants may be considered for employment if there is no evidence of regular, confirmed usage, and the full-field background investigation and results of other steps in the process are otherwise favorable. Compliance with this policy is an essential requirement of the position.

It is highly suggested that you complete the Drug Questionnaire form when submitting your application package. However, if you do not complete and submit this form with your application package, it will not disqualify you from the application process. You will be asked to complete the Drug Questionnaire form before extended a conditional offer. Click the following link to access the Drug Questionnaire.

To submit your completed Drug Questionnaire please follow the instructions for uploading documents in the "How to Apply" section of this announcement.

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.

Benefits

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.

Review our 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.

All applicants will be evaluated on the Mandatory Qualifications requirements and the Desirable Qualifications for this position. Interviews may be required for this position depending on the number and qualifications of the applicants. The Attorney General will select and appoint successful candidates with recommendations from the DEA.

Do not overstate or understate your level of experience and capability. You should be aware that your ratings are subject to evaluation and verification. Later steps in the selection process may be used to verify your stated level of experience and capability. If a determination is made that you have rated yourself higher than is supported by your resume you will be assigned a rating commensurate to your described experience. Deliberate attempts to falsify information may be grounds for not selecting you. If you are found to be among the top candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

Background Checks
Once a conditional offer is made, DEA will conduct a continuous evaluation of information, as it is obtained, to ensure that the prospective employees with DEA meet the agency-specific qualifications in the areas of character and conduct. To this end, an unfavorable decision in any of the areas that follow will be deemed as disqualifying: Drug Policy Requirements (as specified in this announcement), Credit History, Candor and Honesty, Work History, History with the Law, and other qualities that would detract from the integrity and efficiency of the DEA.

Required Documents

To receive consideration applicants must submit:

  1. Resume - 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. Your resume MUST include the starting and ending of dates of employment and your position title, pay plan, series, and grade level of position held for all applicable federal work experience. Please ensure that your resume contains the basic information outlined under the Applying for a Federal Job link: http://www.gpo.gov/careers/pdfs/of0510.pdf.
  2. Three references with complete addresses (mailing and email) and telephone numbers.
  3. Copy of two recent writing samples, which may include significant decisions.
  4. Answers to the Desirable Qualifications (DQ).
  5. A performance appraisal issued within the past 12 months; or if none exists, please include a statement to that effect.
NOTE: Failure to provide the required documents and information requested by the closing date will result in your application NOT BEING CONSIDERED.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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.

How to Apply

A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.

- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.

- Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.

- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.

- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account, 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, click here. (https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/applications/status/).

If you are unable to apply online, you must request an alternative application which is available from the Human Resources Office. Please contact Ambuja S. Bale via email, Ambuja.S.Bale@usdoj.gov, to obtain an alternative application. Alternative applications will not be accepted in a postage paid government envelope in accordance with 5 CFR 2635.704.

Agency contact information

Katrina Flowers
Address
Drug Enforcement Administration
Do Not Send Postal Mail
Springfield, VA 21310
US

Next steps

Once you successfully complete the application process, you will receive an acknowledgement letter of receipt. Your application package will be reviewed to ensure you meet the basic eligibility and qualifications requirements. A review will be made of the documentation you submitted to support your responses. A list of qualified applicants will be created and sent to the selecting official. You will receive a notification letter of the results of the review of your application package via email.

Regarding Interviews: The selecting official may choose to conduct interviews, and once the selection is made, you will receive a notification of the decision. Accommodations may be made to conduct telephonic interviews to preclude travel hardships for applicants.

NOTE: Declining to be interviewed or failure to report for a scheduled interview will be considered as a withdrawal from further consideration for employment regarding this vacancy.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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