Land Law Examiner (Minerals)
What you'd do
You will serve as a Land Law Examiner (Minerals) with Bureau of Land Management. We expect to fill one vacancy at this time; however, additional positions may be filled from this announcement if they become available.First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.
Major duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: - Provides front-line customer service by greeting visitors, answering calls and inquiries, clarifying routine questions, gathering necessary information, and referring complex or technical issues to senior staff for resolution. - Reviews and processes minerals casework, examining forms, applications, claims, correspondence, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, proper execution, and compliance with regulations. - Researches and applies regulatory requirements by locating and interpreting federal regulations, Bureau policies, land records, and standard operating procedures to determine applicable requirements for routine case actions. - Drafts procedural correspondence and case documentation, including clear emails, form letters, requests for additional information, and routine notices or determinations for supervisory review. - Maintains case and customer information in automated systems, entering, retrieving, updating, and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of data in accordance with Bureau standards. 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 - 07/29/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, 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. To qualify for the GS-07: You must posses at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) Collecting and reviewing basic data for routine lands, minerals, oil and gas, mining, or mineral materials cases to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance with applicable regulations. (2) Examining and verifying the accuracy and proper execution of applications or claims, including assessing applicant eligibility and adjudicating routine transactions involving clearly defined facts and established legal or regulatory requirements. (3) Drafting routine adjudication documents, such as decisions, notices, and correspondence, that address straightforward land or mineral cases with readily identifiable land status and clearly defined rights or interests. (4) Using automated systems and databases to input, update, and maintain case data, ensuring data integrity and adherence to established Bureau data quality standards, as well as preparing written materials and communicating findings effectively. -OR- Education: Graduate level education (including law school) that included or was supplement 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: Bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for this position as described above from an accredited college or university, and meets one of the requirements for Superior Academic Achievement based on the following: (1) class standing (upper third standing in the graduating class of a college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses); (2) grade-point average (3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0) as recorded on the official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or (3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. Applicants who qualify for GS-7 on the basis of the superior academic achievement provision must have had at least 12 semester hours of course work related to the administration of land laws. (See OPM's General Policies, Application of Qualification Standards Section 4.f.). -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. To qualify for the GS-09: You must possess at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following: (1) Reviewing and independently processing a full range of lands and minerals cases (e.g., mineral leases and mining claims), ensuring accuracy, completeness, compliance with regulations, and proper documentation. (2) Evaluating and adjudicating complex lands, minerals, and energy-related applications; determining applicant qualifications and assessing bonding requirements while ensuring legal and technical accuracy. (3) Developing and analyzing facts, evidence, and land status information by researching internal and external land records; verifying acreage, ownership, encumbrances, withdrawals, and restrictions; reviewing private title documents; preparing decisions, notices, and Federal Register publications; and ensuring environmental documentation is completed and incorporated into the case file. (4) Preparing documents to communicate with applicants to obtain required information; issuing adjudication decisions; and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies. (5) Using automated systems and databases to maintain, update, and validate case data, ensuring accuracy, data integrity, and adherence to Bureau quality control standards while preparing clear written correspondence and documentation. -OR- Education: Completed at least two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university in a field directly related to the work of the position (including law school) 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- 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. 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. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration or your score may be lowered. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
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