Administrative Judge

Federal Aviation Administration •

Washington DC, District of Columbia, United States

Position Type: Contractor

Job Description:

The FAA seeks a candidate to serve as a “Dispute Resolution Officer and Administrative Judge” (AJ) in its Office of Adjudication, which includes the Office of Dispute Resolution for Acquisition (ODRA). AJs preside over bid protests, contract disputes, and informal aviation enforcement cases. They advise the FAA Administrator or delegee in administrative enforcement appeals. AJs serve as neutrals in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings.

Duties

The Office of Adjudication conducts administrative proceedings under 14 CFR Parts 13, 14, and 17. Matters before the office involve the enforcement of Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) under Part 13 and acquisition matters under Part 17. Part 14, the FAA’s regulation implementing the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), applies to both areas of practice. (Potential applicants are encouraged to review the stated regulations and the office website (www.faa.gov/go/adjudication) for a complete understanding of its mission.)

AJs preside over administrative adjudications in bid protests, contract disputes, informal aviation enforcement hearings, and EAJA matters. They conduct hearings, administer oaths, receive evidence, rule on motions, and issue initial decisions. They develop the administrative record, and ensure due process is provided under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). AJs administer agency-level appeals under Part 13, subparts D and G, and provide advice to the FAA decisionmaker (typically the FAA Administrator) in these matters. They write decisions, orders, letters, memoranda, and other documents in an organized, clear, and persuasive manner capable of withstanding review in a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. AJs serve as ADR neutrals in matters within the Office of Adjudication’s jurisdiction.

Additionally, AJs write or update regulations, standing orders, guides, and other materials affecting the work of the Office of Adjudication. They often engage with the public and other government offices as an invited speaker to promote an understanding of the law and mission of the Office of Adjudication. AJs are expected to identify and learn emerging issues, principles, and practices relevant to the docket.

Administrative Judges also perform other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements:
Requirements Conditions of Employment

US Citizenship is required.
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
This position has a positive education requirement. Transcript(s) required.
Applicants who are or have been employed by the Federal Government SHOULD submit a copy of the most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), along with the remainder of the required application documents.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must meet all of the following criteria:

(1) Have a JD or equivalent degree from an accredited law school;

(2) Be admitted and authorized to practice law under the laws of a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any U.S. territorial court;

(3) Be an active or judicial member of that bar in good standing (or its equivalent); and

(4) Demonstrate at least seven (7) years of experience as a licensed attorney preparing for, participating in, or conducting formal hearings or trials involving litigation and/or administrative law at the federal, state, or local level. Experience in the adjudicatory process and litigation (e.g., as counsel for a party) must be clearly evident in the application package.

Qualifying experience must include at least one year (52 weeks) of SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE equivalent to the next lower grade/pay band (FG/GS-14/FV-J) that is typically related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been at least equivalent to the next lower level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as:

Experience adjudicating or representing parties in judicial proceedings, formal administrative hearings, or ADR for such proceedings or hearings. (Note: Formal hearings are defined as proceedings conducted on the record under procedures at least as formal as those prescribed by the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. Sections 553 through 559.)

How You Will Be Evaluated:

Applicants who fail to demonstrate possession of any of the above criteria AND who do not provide the required documentation will receive no further consideration for this position.

Eligible applicants meeting the minimum qualification requirements and/or Selective Placement Factor(s) (SPF) may be further evaluated on the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) and/or Quality Ranking Factor (QRF) (if applicable) listed in the announcement. Based on this evaluation, a screening committee will further evaluate all minimally qualified candidates and provide selection recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation for final decision. In determining the degree to which candidates possess the required knowledge, skills, and abilities, the screening committee will consider the breadth, recency, and length of experience in the field; education and training; professional stature; awards and commendations; past and current performance; and community or outside professional activities. Your resume is key in the entire evaluation and selection process. Therefore, we encourage you to submit a complete and thorough resume package that clearly demonstrates your experience that directly relates to this position.

DO NOT ASSUME THAT BECAUSE YOU HOLD, OR HAVE HELD THIS POSITION, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE FOUND ELIGIBLE. You may be asked to provide evidence or documentation that you have this type of experience later in the selection process. Your responses are subject to verification through job interviews, or any other information obtained during the application process. Proof of bar membership and status must be dated within one year of the closing date of this announcement. Any exaggeration of your experience or any attempt to conceal information can result in disqualification.

Advice to Applicants:

Your resume and other supporting documents must fully demonstrate the qualifications as described above. Your full application package will be used to assess your qualifications and eligibility and during the review/interview process, you must demonstrate the following:

The experience, poise, temperament, judgment, collegiality, and professional stature required to perform successfully the important duties and responsibilities of a presiding Administrative Judge in proceedings that come before the Office of Adjudication.
Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to make fair and impartial decisions in a timely manner based on the record.

Applicants may be asked to verify information on their application for employment with the FAA.

**All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.**

Education

This position has a positive education requirement: Applicants must submit a copy of their college or university transcripts(s) and certificates by the closing date of announcement to verify qualifications. If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to appointment. You may upload these documents with your application in USAJOBS or fax it to fax number provided in the announcement (please include announcement number on each page).

Failure to do so will result in loss of consideration.

Schools must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Accreditation may be verified at the following website: www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Foreign education must be evaluated by a private professional organization specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials or an accredited U.S. educational institution in terms of equivalence to a degree acquired at an American college or university. A copy of the evaluation results must be included, otherwise your foreign education will not be considered.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide such evidence at the time of application. For additional information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Applicants who are not currently in the 905 occupational series (Attorney) in the Federal Government and fail to provide a copy of an unofficial or official transcript will not receive further consideration for this vacancy. Upon selection, if not currently employed in the 905 occupational series (Attorney), you will be required to submit an official transcript prior to appointment. If you do not have an official transcript (original, with the raised seal), you should contact your school immediately to request it.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

IMPORTANT: Applicants may be rated on the extent and quality of experience, education, and training relevant to the duties of the position(s). All answers provided in the on-line process must be substantiated. Ensure that your application package/resume supports your responses.

Required Documents

A complete application package MUST include all of the following:

1) Resume (Your resume must reflect your full work history, along with examples of subject matter experience directly related to this position, and include contact information for 3 professional references.) (Note: For guidance on how to create a Federal resume, visit http://www.archives.gov/careers/jobs/forms/resume-guide.pdf.)

2) Proof of active bar membership to any State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any U.S. territorial court. This must include your bar number(s) and clear evidence of active status.;

3) Writing sample (not to exceed 20 pages); and

4) Copy of unofficial/official transcript verifying JD degree.

Only the documents listed above will be accepted in combination with your online application. These documents MUST be uploaded before the closing date of this announcement. Failure to submit all required documents by the closing date will result in a finding of ineligible. We are not responsible for incomplete, missing or illegible documents. Please DO NOT email application documents. Documents received via email will NOT receive consideration.

This position has a positive education requirement; college transcripts are required for ALL candidates newly appointed to the FAA in the 905 series.

College transcripts must be submitted from current FAA employees applying for internal vacancies if they have never held a position in the 905 series with the FAA.

College transcripts are not required from current FAA employees who are currently occupying a 905 series.

If selected, official transcripts are required prior to employment.

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.

Salary Range: $145,671 - $221,900

Job Ident #: 795977000

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Administrative Judge

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