Clarification from the agency

All Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) employees in the Competitive Service within the Department of Labor and those eligible for CTAP within the local commuting area

Salary Range for Vacancy Locations:
Covington, LA $89,508-$116,362
Cincinnati, OH $93,231-$121,203

Major Duties:

• Provides administrative services to the ALJ staff to include IT, supplies, procurement, budget and finance, human resources, safety and health, and travel.
• Provides information, analysis, advice, and recommendations on administrative matters to the DCJ.
• Monitors the effectiveness of court operations; identifies problems; recommends and implements procedures and administrative changes.
• Maintains professional relationships with Judges, attorney-advisors, and law clerks.
• Serves as the primary contact with computer specialists in both the OALJ National Office and OCIO (manages the network) and provides on-site support for concerning problems remediation for both the network and IT equipment.
• Manages and controls expenditures for supplies and procurement of any items needed by the District Office including all contracts for office equipment and necessary services such as equipment maintenance and translation requirements.
• Utilizes Enterprise-Wide DOL systems to perform procurement, human resource and financial functions.
• Manages the recruitment, interview, and selection of attorneys, paralegal specialists and oversees College Extern hiring program.
• Reviews requests and motions from parties and, if such requests should be granted, prepares appropriate orders and related legal documents based upon the circumstances of the case and the legal requirements for judicial approval.
• Functions as the records officer for the district office and manages FOIA requests.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be at least 16 years old.
• Candidate required to obtain the necessary security/investigation level.
• Requires a probationary period if the requirement has not been met.
• May require to obtain and maintain a current Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting Officer’s Representatives (FAC-COR) program certification.

Qualifications

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. POSITION TITLES ALONE CANNOT BE USED TO DETERMINE IF YOU ARE QUALIFIED. PLEASE LIST DATES IN MM/DD/YYYY FORMAT. THIS IS IMPERATIVE IN DETERMINING IF WHETHER YOU HAVE AT LEAST ONE YEAR OF CREDITABLE SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE. DATES WILL NOT BE ASSUMED.

For GS-12: Applicants must have 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS-11 in the Federal Service. You must meet the Specialized Experience to qualify for Administrative Specialist, as described below.

Specialized Experience is the experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform the duties of the position successfully, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level.

Qualifying specialized experience for GS-12 includes:

-Performing administrative services to support the organization's mission such as IT support, supply management, procurement, budget/finance, human resources, safety and health, and/or travel functions;
- Monitor and evaluate court operational effectiveness; identify emerging issues; and/or recommend and implement administrative and procedural improvements to enhance efficiency and compliance;
- Communicating with diverse internal and external stakeholders to implement process-improvement strategies that support organizational mission and operational goals;
- Supporting adjudicatory and legal teams by managing case and data tracking, preparing reports, and ensuring accurate, timely, and secure handling of electronic hearing and trial record requirements.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your evaluation will be based on how well you meet the qualifications outlined in this vacancy announcement, as demonstrated through your resume and supporting documentation.

You may preview application questions for this vacancy here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12911235

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You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

Click here for evaluation details.

The information you provide may be verified by a review of your paid, unpaid, and volunteer, as it demonstrates the competencies or skills required for the position to be filled. Your evaluation may include an interview, reference checks, or other assessment conducted by HR specialists, subject matter experts, or panel members and may include other assessment tools (ex. interview, structured interview, written test, work sample, etc.).

INFORMATION FOR CTAP ELIGIBLE(S) ONLY: If you are eligible for special priority selection under CTAP, you must be well-qualified for the position to receive consideration. CTAP eligible(s) will be considered well-qualified if they attain at least a rating score of 85 in a numerical rating scheme. Be sure to review the eligibility questions to reflect that you are applying as a CTAP eligible and submit supporting documentation.

When Office of the Secretary of Labor completes its hiring, the remaining list of qualified candidates may be shared with additional sub-agencies in the Department. You will have an opportunity to opt-in if you would like your name, application material, and assessment results shared to be considered for employment with additional sub-agencies at DOL. There is no guarantee of further consideration, and you can continue to explore other job opportunity announcements.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be serving in a position in Schedule Policy/Career of the excepted service. You will obtain competitive status after two years of service in this position, if applicable. Your employment in this position will be at-will. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeals of adverse actions concerning performance, discipline, and other matters arising under chapters 23, 43, and 75 of title 5, United States Code, will not be available to an individual serving in this position. Prohibitions on prohibited personnel practices will be enforced by the Office of General Counsel [or agency equivalent position] and not the Office of Special Counsel.

The following documents must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on the vacancy closing date.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements of time-in-grade (52 weeks at the next lower grade), time-after-competitive-appointment (90 days), and minimum qualifications (52 weeks equivalent to the next lower grade in federal service). These requirements must be met within 30 days of 03/25/2026 the announcement closing date.

The following documents are required from all applicants (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):

• AGENCY EMPLOYEES: Please provide a copy of your last or most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your appointment eligibility for the position for which you are applying. Your SF-50 must identify the highest grade you held on a permanent basis, Pay Plan/Pay Schedule, Series, Grade/Pay Band, and career status. Multiple SF-50 may be submitted to demonstrate your highest previous rate and eligibility.

*WARNING: An award SF-50 (ex. cash or time off award) may not indicate grade, step, and competitive status. For current DOL employees, an award SF-50 DOES NOT indicate grade and step.

• Resumes are required- provide a resume either by creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one from your profile. To receive full consideration for relevant and specialized experience, please list the month, year, and number of work hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We also suggest that you preview the vacancy questions, and confirm that your resume supports your question responses.
• Most recent performance appraisal/evaluation signed and dated within 18 months is requested by the agency, but will not disqualify candidates if not submitted. If not submitted during the application process, one may/will be requested at the time of the interview if the opportunity is extended. *In most cases, CTAP applicants must submit this document - see the CTAP link below for more details.

The following documents are required (if applicable):

• Displaced Employee Placement Documents: Only required if requesting priority consideration under Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) Eligibility. Click/Review this CTAP link to confirm what must be submitted as proof that the requirement has been met.

Cover Letters are not mandatory and will not be used to verify experience but may be submitted.

Do not upload password-protected documents.

Applicants selected for employment who are not current DOL employees will be required to provide proof of citizenship, and the E-Verify system will be used to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1 year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your 1 year probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Next steps