Land Law Examiner (Lands and Realty)
What you'd do
You will serve as a Land Law Examiner (Lands and Realty) located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Montana State Office, Billings, MT. We expect to fill one vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available. Pay will vary based on grade level for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the lower salary range of the grade level.
Major duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Collects and reviews data for a variety of land and realty cases, ensuring applications are accurate, complete, and meet legal requirements. Adjudicates routine to complex cases, prepares correspondence and decisions, and research information needed to complete legal documents. Processes land actions including R and PP, Color-of-Title, withdrawals, exchanges, acquisitions, classifications, and permits. Reviews land title records, prepares title documents and patents, enters data into various databases, ensuring data quality. Verifies applicant eligibility, and analyzes reports and information to appropriately apply laws, policies, and needed stipulations to various documents and work products. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
What you need to qualify
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-07/20/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected. Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications: For GS-07: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience: Basic knowledge of the examination, contents and processing of quasi-legal or legal documents. Ability to do legal research. Ability to interpret laws, regulations and policy guidance. Experience utilizing computer equipment and software applications to input, manipulate, update, and maintain data and request reports. Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, to deal with a variety of individuals and to prepare reports, correspondence and written material. Basic understanding or knowledge of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) and Legal Land Descriptions associated with the PLSS. -OR- Education: 1 full year of graduate level education that included or was supplemented by 12 semester hours of course work related to the administration of land laws. Examples include course work in land surveying, cartography, land use law, real estate law, land appraising, land use planning, water rights, mining laws, or legal instrument review and interpretation. -OR- Superior Academic Achievement: Successfully completed a bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours of course work related to the administration of land laws. Examples include course work in land surveying, cartography, land use law, real estate law, land appraising, land use planning, water rights, mining laws, or legal instrument review and interpretation AND meet one of the following: (1) Class Standing: rank in the upper 3rd of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on the completed courses; OR (2) Grad-Point Average (GPA): earn a GPA of (a) 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on 4 years of education, or based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum -or- (b) 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 ("B" or better) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field, or the required courses completed during the final two years. Note: GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. For GS-09: You must possess one (1) full year of specialized experience: Experience with the examination, contents and processing of quasi-legal or legal documents including land title records. Experience interpreting information, laws, policy and regulations. Ability to read, write and search for legal land descriptions associated with the Public Land Survey System (PLSS). Experience utilizing computer equipment and software applications to input, manipulate, update, and maintain data and request reports. Experience communicating effectively both orally and in writing, to deal with a variety of individuals and to prepare reports, correspondence and written material. -OR- Education: Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D. in fields of study such as land surveying, cartography, land use law, real estate law, land appraising, land use planning, water rights, mining laws, or legal instrument review and interpretation. -OR- Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-9. Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Before you apply
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