Land Law Examiner (Minerals)
What you'd do
You will serve as a Land Law Examiner (Minerals) with Bureau of Land Management. The positions available are as follows: Falls Church, VA: One position at the GS-09 or GS-11 level Boise, ID: Two positions at the GS-07, GS-09 or GS-11 level Billings, MT: One position at the GS-09 level Pay will vary based on grade level & location for which you're selected. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.
Major duties
Some of the major duties you will perform at the Falls Church, VA and Billings, MT locations include but are not limited to the following: Independently reviews and processes the full range of the most difficult and complex fluid minerals or mining law adjudicative cases that are received or referred for final examining and decision. Performs independent adjudication actions in areas such as geothermal resources, and oil and gas leasing Conducts extensive legal research into old, inactive, or infrequently used laws, rules, and regulations that conflict with other laws or policies and therefore require very precise interpretation Routinely provides advice and guidance to other examiners. Analyzes lands records, regulations, judicial decisions, Solicitor opinions and other decisions that impact minerals adjudications Adjudicates applications for technical accuracy and legal adequacy. Prepares necessary leases, permits, grants, and other documents involving appropriate provisions as to royalty and other payments, limitations and stipulations. Advises managers and/or Solicitors on general legal principles, precedent decisions, issues that would adversely affect fluid minerals or mining law adjudication, and the proper application of varied, different, arcane and infrequently used laws. Utilize data systems and applications to collect, enter, manipulate, update, and maintain data according to prescribed Bureau and program standards. Some of the major duties you will perform at the Boise, ID location include but are not limited to the following: Adjudicate complex mineral casework across multiple minerals programs: Review, analyze, maintain, and make determinations on mining claims, mineral permitting and leasing cases, geothermal nominations, oil and gas actions, bond filings and associated filings; ensure compliance with FLPMA, the Mineral Leasing Act, the Geothermal Steam Act, the Mining Law of 1872 and the respective 43 CFR mineral regulations. Evaluate evidence and determine the legal sufficiency of mineral rights claims: Examine legal instruments, location notices, maintenance fees, affidavits of labor, and validity records; make determinations regarding forfeiture, abandonment, compliance, and continued rights. Prepare legally binding decisions subject to protest and appeal: Draft and issue adjudicative decisions affecting property rights, including rulings on mineral claim status, lease continuation, suspensions, assignments, terminations, expirations, and related determinations; provide clear appeal rights and ensure decisions meet defensibility requirements for IBLA review. Conduct comprehensive land status, title, and records reviews: Research and interpret Master Title Plats, historical case files, Control Document Index entries, and cadastral survey documents to determine surface and subsurface ownership, existing encumbrances, withdrawals, segregations, or conflicts affecting mineral adjudication. Coordinate with internal and external legal partners on mineral adjudication matters: Participate in adjudication coordination calls with the Office of the Solicitor and Department of Justice to ensure legal sufficiency of proposed actions and support litigation, protests, and appeals related to mineral rights. Provide technical guidance to BLM program staff, operators, stakeholders, and other agencies: Interpret and apply mineral laws, regulations, and policy to assist field offices, operators, landowners, members of the public and Federal/state partners; respond to inquiries regarding mineral claim status, leasing processes, geothermal leasing, and adjudication requirements. Maintain and update official Federal minerals records: Ensure accurate and timely entry of adjudicative actions into official systems of record; update MTPs, Cadastral records, and case files to reflect adjudication outcomes, consistent with statutory responsibilities as the official record keeper for the Federal government. Participate in minerals adjudication training and statewide coordination: Engage in minerals adjudication courses such as SOFIA Module 1 to advance technical competency; contribute to statewide minerals program consistency through regular participation in adjudication team meetings and statewide minerals calls. 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 - 08/07/2026-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 this position at the GS-07 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-05 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Determining the accuracy and proper execution of applications or claims and the qualifications of applicants for legal rights as requested; Adjudicating routine lands, mining, or mineral leasing applications; Answering inquiries from the public or internal customers regarding public land laws and regulations; Preparing routine correspondence You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least one full year of graduate level education. This includes or 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. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience as listed above. You must include hours per week and transcripts. -OR- Superior Academic Achievement (SAA): Successfully completed a bachelor's degree in a directly related field 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 the one decimal place, for example, 2.95 = 3.0, 2.94 = 2.9; OR (3) Membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-07 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Processing and/or adjudicating basic lands and minerals cases; Researching and reviewing legal land descriptions and ownership status from various map and records sources; Using basic computer and software applications to handle data; and Communicating effectively with internal and external customers on routine topics. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D in a field 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. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience as listed above. You must include hours per week and transcripts. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level: Experience: To qualify, you must possess at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-09 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as demonstrated experience: Processing and adjudicating complex and unusual minerals cases; Researching, interpreting, and applying laws, rules, and regulations applicable to minerals cases; Interpreting legal land descriptions and ownership status from various map and records sources; Using a variety of computer and software applications to handle data and complete work assignments; and Communicating effectively with a broad range of internal and external customers to resolve complex problems. You must include hours per week worked. -OR- Education: Successful completion of at least a PH.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., in a field 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. You must include transcripts. -OR- Combination of education and experience as listed above. You must include hours per week and transcripts. 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
Federal applications are different: your resume should be 3–5 pages and mirror the language of this announcement. Read our federal resume guide first — it's the #1 reason qualified people get screened out.
Don't miss the next one.
Get an email the moment a similar federal job opens — postings can close in as little as 5 days.