Job Posting: CEA C Chief Administrative Law Judge

Public Utilities Commission

JC-520629
-
CEA C Chief Administrative Law Judge
C. E. A.

$13,472.00 - $17,233.00 per Month
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.

Final Filing Date: 7/31/2026

Job Description and Duties


The Chief Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), under the general direction of the President, reports to and serves at the pleasure of the Commissioners. The Chief ALJ is responsible for all managerial and supervisorial functions of the ALJ Division and shall plan, organize, direct staffing efforts, and control the work of the ALJ Division to ensure that policies, functions, and objectives of the CPUC are met. Under the leadership, management and direction of the Chief ALJ, the Division is responsible for processing all formal proceedings that come before the California Public Utilities Commission. The ALJ Division includes: eight Assistant Chief Administrative Law Judges; approximately 55 ALJs; the Hearing Reporter Branch, led by a Chief Hearing Reporter; and four support units, each led by an SSM I or SSM II: Agenda, Intervenor Compensation and Budgets, Proceedings Support, and Records Management.


You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

The Chief Judge must possess the mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard
office equipment, including a computer and phone (70 percent of time), and the ability to read
written materials on paper and on a computer screen (40 percent of time). The Chief Judge
occasionally bends, stoops, kneels, reaches, pushes and pulls drawers to open and close to retrieve
and file information (20 percent of time). The Chief Judge must possess ability to lift, carry,
push, and pull materials and objects weighing up to 20 pounds (10 percent of time). The Chief Judge
must possess the mental acuity and ability to meet deadlines, to bring matters to closure, to act
decisively, and to work with judicial temperament and professional composure in an environment
characterized by adversarial interaction and political scrutiny. [Note: Percentages do not add up
to 100 percent because reading also involves computer use.]

• Proficiency with communications-related technologies, including personal computer applications,
telecommunications equipment, Internet, voicemail, email, etc.
• Dress appropriately for a business/government environment.
• Travel is required, mostly within California, and may require overnight stay.

This position can be filled in San Francisco or Sacramento.

Minimum Requirements

This position does not have a Classification Specification. Requirements and qualifications for this position can be found in this announcement. For additional questions, please contact the hiring department listed below.

Additional Documents

Position Details

Job Code #:
JC-520629
Position #(s):
680-304-7500-001
Working Title:
CEA C Chief Administrative Law Judge
Classification:
C. E. A.
$13,472.00 - $17,233.00 C
New to State candidates will be hired into the minimum salary of the classification or minimum of alternate range when applicable.
# of Positions:
1
Work Location:
United States
Telework:
Hybrid
Job Type:
Career Executive Assignment - Non Tenured, Full Time

Department Information

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) regulates services and utilities, protects consumers, safeguards the environment, and assures Californians' access to safe and reliable utility infrastructure and services. The essential services regulated include electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, railroad, rail transit, and passenger transportation companies. 

Department Website: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/

Special Requirements

Electronic applications submitted through your CalCareer Account are highly recommended and will be received/processed faster than other methods of filing. 

Application Instructions

Completed applications and all required documents must be received or postmarked by the Final Filing Date in order to be considered. Dates printed on Mobile Bar Codes, such as the Quick Response (QR) Codes available at the USPS, are not considered Postmark dates for the purpose of determining timely filing of an application.

Final Filing Date: 7/31/2026

Who May Apply

Individuals who are eligible to be appointed to this Career Executive Assignment (CEA) by the State of California.

How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included. If you choose to not apply electronically, a hard copy application package may be submitted through an alternative method listed below:

Address for Mailing Application Packages

You may submit your application and any applicable or required documents to:

Public Utilities Commission
N/A
Attn: Human Resources -- CEA Selections Analyst
505 Van Ness Ave, Room 3008
San Francisco, CA 94102

Address for Drop-Off Application Packages

You may drop off your application and any applicable or required documents at:

Public Utilities Commission
N/A
Human Resources -- CEA Selections Analyst
505 Van Ness Ave, Room 3008
San Francisco, CA 94102
08:00 AM - 05:00 PM

Required Application Package Documents

The following items are required to be submitted with your application. Applicants who do not submit the required items timely may not be considered for this job:

  • Current version of the State Examination/Employment Application STD Form 678 (when not applying electronically), or the Electronic State Employment Application through your Applicant Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. All Experience and Education relating to the Minimum Qualifications listed on the Classification Specification should be included to demonstrate how you meet the Minimum Qualifications for the position.
  • Resume is required and must be included.
  • Statement of Qualifications - Statement of Qualifications - (SOQ) is a mandatory requirement.  Please refer to the 'DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS' Section of this examination bulletin for detailed SOQ instructions. 

    NOTE:  Applicants who do not submit an SOQ with their application packet will automatically be disqualified from consideration for this position.  Cover letters, resumes, and applications will not take the place of this document
Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for the hiring interview process must request the necessary accommodations if scheduled for a hiring interview. The request should be made at the time of contact to schedule the interview. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this job posting.

Examination Qualification Requirements

All applicants must possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements, described in this announcement.

Note: Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in the civil service.

Minimum Qualifications

CEA examinations are open to all applicants who possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements as described in the examination bulletin. Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in civil service.  

CLICK HERE for more Career Executive Assignment (CEA) (7500) information.

General Qualifications

State civil service employees must possess essential general qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others.

Knowledge and Abilities

Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform high administrative and policy – influencing functions effectively. Such overall ability requires possession of most of the following more specific knowledge and abilities:

(1) Knowledge of the organization and functions of California State Government including the organization and practices of the Legislature and the Executive Branch; principles, practices, and trends of public administration, organization, and management; techniques of organizing and motivating groups; program development and evaluation; methods of administrative problem solving; principles and practices of policy formulation and development; personnel management techniques; the department's or agency's equal employment opportunity objectives; and a manager's role in the equal employment opportunity program.

(2) Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of multidisciplinary professional and administrative staff; analyze administrative policies, organization, procedures, and practices; integrate the activities of a diverse program to attain common goals; gain the confidence and support of top level administrators and advise them on a wide range of administrative matters; develop cooperative working relationships with representatives of all levels of government, the public, and the Legislative and Executive Branches; analyze complex problems and recommend effective courses of action; prepare and review reports; and effectively contribute to the department's or agency's equal employment opportunity objectives.  

These knowledge and abilities are expected to be obtained from the following kinds of experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation and/or evaluation of program policies (experience may have been paid or volunteer; in State service, other government settings, or in a private organization):

CEA Level A - Responsible for broad administrative and program activities, including the execution and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level B - Responsible for extensive managerial and program administration or broad program manager experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation, and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level C - Responsible for extensive highly professional influence and contributes to program, policy, and the methods to provide professional services needed to set policies, to meet the mission of the State department and often exercising technical and or professional skills that are required at this level.

Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS REQUIREMENT

**Please follow all of the instructions. This will be the only tool used for determining your final score and rank on the eligibility list for this position.** 

Instructions: 

A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) is a narrative discussion of how your education, training, and experience qualifies you for the CEA C – Chief Administrative Law Judge position. The SOQ responses also serve as demonstration of each candidate’s ability to present written information clearly and concisely.

In your SOQ, address how you possess each Desirable Qualification using specific examples of your education, training, and experience. 

Please address and number each Desirable Qualification in the same order as listed on in this bulletin.

The SOQ must be typed, single-spaced, in size 11-point font or larger, and should present the information in a concise manner.

Applicants who do not follow these parameters shall be disqualified from the examination

NOTE: Cover letters and resumes do not take the place of this SOQ requirement.

Please write your SOQ to address the following:

1. Proven ability to lead and manage a multidisciplinary team, ideally in the public sector. 

Describe your experience in management and leadership demonstrating your ability to collaboratively plan, organize, motivate, and direct multidisciplinary staff in the areas of establishing partnerships, customer service, training, and timely completion of deliverables. Describe the strategies used and how you monitored progress. 

2. Demonstrated leadership and management experience across program areas, including identifying and building workforce capacity, implementing structural changes to meet business needs and managing growth and change.

Describe your experience managing programs, developing and implementing programs aligned with an organization's core policies and principles, while ensuring staffing to achieve success. Describe how you identified and implemented any structural changes needed as well as how you managed growth and change. 

3. Demonstrated experience in deploying tools or processes to achieve success in projects and programs.

Describe your experience working collaboratively to develop and implement initiatives or other means to accomplish program goals, objectives, or improvements that maximize program success. Describe how you identified an issue, developed the tool or process and how you evaluated success. 
 
4. Demonstrated skill and experience in setting a vision, goals and expectations to meet organizational policies and needs.

Describe your experience in creating a clear vision, setting goals and expectations, and exercising sound judgment in developing and managing a team, unit or division to ensure that the policies, functions, and objectives of an organization are met. 

5. Demonstrated experience being successful in a judicial or administrative system.

Describe your experience working in a judicial or administrative system, as perhaps a clerk, attorney, or judicial officer.  Specifically discuss the work performed and successful outcomes within the system. 

6. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the public utility or regulatory sectors.

Describe your knowledge of and experience in public utility regulation and laws governing entities regulated by the CPUC or the practices and rules governing other similar regulatory agencies. Discuss the challenges encounter and strategies used to address these challenges.



Examination Information

The examination process will consist of each candidate's Statement of Qualifications (weighted 100%).  A departmental evaluation panel will screen Statements of Qualifications based on the identified minimum qualifications, the desirable qualifications for the position, and the competitive nature of each candidate’s relevant knowledge, skills, and experience.

Results from this examination will only be used to fill the position of CEA C – Chief Administrative Law Judge, Administrative Law Judge Division with CPUC.


The desirable qualifications listed on this bulletin will be used as the evaluation criteria to screen applicants.

It is critical that each applicant include specific information on how his/her background and, knowledge and abilities meet the desirable qualifications.  

If you meet the requirements stated in this announcement, you may take this competitive examination. Possession of the Examination Qualifications requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination will be compared with the performance of others who take this examination, and all successful candidates will be ranked according to their scores.

A minimum rating of 70% must be attained in the Examination to obtain list eligibility for this position. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results.

The results of this examination will only be used to fill this position. Applications will be retained for twelve months.

Hiring interviews for the Job may be conducted with the most qualified candidates.

The examining Department reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service law and rules and all competitors will be notified.

Special Testing Arrangements

If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, answer the Reasonable Accommodations question appropriately on your Application (STD 678). You will be contacted to make specific arrangements. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this announcement.

Benefits

For more details about employee benefits, visit the California Department of Human Resources website.

Contact Information

The Human Resources Contact is available to answer questions regarding the position or application process.

Department Website: http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/
Human Resources Contact:
Talent Acquisition Unit
(916) 597-5683
cpucrecruiter@cpuc.ca.gov

Please direct requests for Reasonable Accommodations to the interview scheduler at the time the interview is being scheduled. You may direct any additional questions regarding Reasonable Accommodations or Equal Employment Opportunity for this position(s) to the Department's EEO Office.

EEO Contact:
Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator
(916) 894-5799
ReasonableAccommodation@cpuc.ca.gov
California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice) TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

Application Methods:
Electronic (Using your CalCareer Account)
By Mail
Drop-off
Print Job