Hearing Examiner

The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission serves New Mexico by ensuring safe operations and reliable utility services at fair, just, and reasonable rates consistent with the State's legal, economic, environmental, and social policies. The PRC is located in Santa Fe, but has a satellite office in Albuquerque.

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The hearing examiner is a public-facing position in which the hearing examiners act as a proxies for the Commissioners. Hearing examiners must perform the duties of an administrative law judge in the highly technical field of utility regulation. Hearing examiners preside over public evidentiary hearings, usually involving multiple parties, and issue timely recommended decisions and certifications to the Commission. They must also address parties' pleadings and motions with prompt, well reasoned orders, know when and if to hold pre-hearing meetings and status conferences with parties, and respond to Commissioner and advisor inquiries and questions in a timely and thorough fashion.

As administrative law judges, hearing examiners are expected to learn the complex area of regulatory law, including the regulation of public utilities, electric cooperatives, small water service companies, and telecommunications carriers. Hearing examiners must also demonstrate a strong grasp of procedural and evidentiary principles. The hearing examiner's key responsibilities are to conduct hearings and issue independent recommended decisions that include findings of fact and conclusions of law to the Commissioners.

This requires strong writing and organizational skills. The hearing examiners each carry their own case load, but also work as a team within and across divisions. Hearing examiners are expected to engage in self study as well as participating in educational opportunities presented by the PRC and beyond.

Commission proceedings invariably implicate public rights and the public interest. Commissioners are appointed to exercise specialized professional judgment to advance the public interest. Hearing examiners must also conduct proceedings with the goal of serving the public interest by providing the Commission with a full, fair, and accurate evidentiary record and recommendations.

The ideal candidate will have some familiarity with utility-regulation principles and the regulatory field in New Mexico and nationally or a willingness to commit themselves to learning this complex area under some time pressure. It is essential that the candidate have excellent organizational skills as well as the ability to manage workload independently, prioritize competing deadlines, and meet established timelines in a mostly remote work environment.

The candidate should be eager to to engage in self-directed study of utility-regulation concepts beyond what is necessary to adjudicate individual cases assigned. Finally, the ideal candidate must be highly articulate and have exceptional legal writing skills.

Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law and two (2) years of experience in the practice of law. Must be licensed as an attorney by the Supreme Court of New Mexico or qualified to apply for limited practice license.

Driver's License and Background check prior to hire.

Work is sometimes performed in an office setting and sometimes remotely, but the hearing examiner must be consistently available by phone, text message and email during regular work hours. Though the PRC is a Santa Fe based organization, the hearing examiner will sometimes be required to attend meetings and conduct proceedings in either the PRC's Santa Fe or Albuquerque offices. Hearing examiners often teleconference and use the Teams and Zoom platforms so any candidate must be proficient in these applications.

Travel may be required.