INTERNAL ONLY Review Judge – Olympia

Job Title: Review Judge
Location: Olympia, WA - This position is primarily remote, however, in-person meetings a few times a month is required
Closes: Thursday, April 24th, 2025
Salary: $84,516 - $113,712 Annually


Click here to learn more about DCYF.  

The Opportunity:
This position reviews initial decisions by Administrative Law Judges at the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) and issues final decisions for the Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF). These decisions include child welfare, foster care, child-care licensing, adoption support and child-care subsidy cases. This position exercises authority that requires independent judgment. The incumbent in this position must be guided in all actions by a commitment to the mission of DCYF, due process of law, and the Administrative Services Division’s core values of integrity, respect, positive work attitude, and teamwork.

Some of what you will do:

• Review transcripts and records of cases where a Petition for Review is filed by one or more parties contesting a decision issued by a hearings judge; examine the petition or petitions to determine the basis of the petitioner's request for review; read the entire record and research the basis of the petitioner's request for review, and research the relevant law; determine if the petition or petitions should be granted.
• Review evidentiary and procedural rulings; analyze the testimony of lay and expert witnesses; analyze and evaluate the exhibits admitted in the appeal; weigh all evidence presented by all parties to ascertain where the preponderance of evidence lies.
• Evaluate the hearing judge's application of the law to the evidence, and the correctness of the resulting order contained in the Proposed or Final Decision and Order.
• Issue orders that are not final such as notices, orders on reconsideration, stays and others.
• Write a formal legal opinion for granted appeals which includes a procedural history of the case, a statement as to the legal issues presented, an analysis of the evidence, together with the statute and case law which supports the results reached; prepare finding of fact and conclusions of law on all contested issues. 
• Participate in the agency legislation process and provide consultation if the matter affects agency appeals and Board of Appeals.
• Participate in agency committees and initiatives regarding the administrative hearings process.
• Consult in matters related to hearings administrative process.
• Analyze and interpret laws, rules, regulations, and policies.

Required Qualifications:

• An active or judicial membership in the Washington State Bar Association, AND four (4) years of experience as an Administrative Hearings Examiner in a government agency. 

OR

• An active judicial membership in the Washington State Bar Association, AND four (4) years as a member of an administrative tribunal empowered to issue findings of fact and conclusions of law. 

OR

• An active or judicial membership in the Washington State Bar Association, AND four (4) years of trial practice private or public employment.

Required Competencies:

• Knowledge of administrative, procedural, substantive, and common law; rules of evidence; specific bodies of law applicable to the hearings, including Federal and State statutes, court decisions, and regulations; departmental policies relevant to the contested case and rule-making hearing processes; public disclosure law; and organization of the department.
• Ability to review the hearing record for irregularity in the proceedings; conduct legal research and provide legal advice to peers, superiors, and disclosure coordinators.
• Ability to review the hearing record for errors in fact finding, instructions to parties, rulings on the admissibility of evidence, the application or interpretation of the law, and any other elements which could result in improper resolution of issues. 
• Ability to draft findings of fact, conclusions of law, and orders which are clear and concise.
• Ability to instruct others in disclosure law and on the administrative law and hearing process; preside at rule making hearings.

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following: 

• One year experience working with cases related to DCYF programs (child protective services, foster care, child-care licensing, adoption support and child-care subsidy cases).
   

How do I apply? 
In addition to completing the online application, applicants must attach the following documents to their profile in order to be considered for this position:

• Cover Letter 
• Resume (current/updated) 

Supplemental Information:
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington’s children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve.  If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.

This position is in a bargaining unit represented by the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). For more information: https://wfse.org/.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

If you have any questions pertaining to this recruitment or if you would like to request an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, contact Veronica Jones (Talent Acquisition Specialist) at veronica.jones@dcyf.wa.gov. If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (360) 664-1960.


2025-02673

Salary : $84,516 - $113,712