How to hire administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations. • Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence. • Explain to claimants how they can appeal rulings that go against them. • Issue subpoenas and administer oaths in preparation for formal hearings. • Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties. • Prepare written opinions and decisions. • Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions. • Rule on exceptions, motions, and admissibility of evidence. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: Doctoral or professional degree] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension, writing, speaking and active learning skills • Working knowledge of English Language and law and government • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $56.67 an hour ($117,860 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to explain to claimants how they can appeal rulings that go against them. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to issue subpoenas and administer oaths in preparation for formal hearings. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Tell me about written instructions, a policy or a manual you had to follow closely. How did you make sure you followed it correctly?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers do
- Conduct hearings to review and decide claims regarding issues, such as social program eligibility, environmental protection, or enforcement of health and safety regulations.
- Determine existence and amount of liability according to current laws, administrative and judicial precedents, and available evidence.
- Explain to claimants how they can appeal rulings that go against them.
- Issue subpoenas and administer oaths in preparation for formal hearings.
- Monitor and direct the activities of trials and hearings to ensure that they are conducted fairly and that courts administer justice while safeguarding the legal rights of all involved parties.
- Prepare written opinions and decisions.
- Research and analyze laws, regulations, policies, and precedent decisions to prepare for hearings and to determine conclusions.
- Rule on exceptions, motions, and admissibility of evidence.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
- Typical education to start: Doctoral or professional degree (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 4 to 6 years (O*NET)
- Experience usually needed to start: 5 years or more (BLS)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: 0% over ten years, little or no change · about 500 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| New York | $123,170 |
| Florida | $115,920 |
| Illinois | $104,990 |
| Texas | $100,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $98,010 |
See administrative law judges, adjudicators, and hearing officers pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.