Land Law Examiner (Minerals)
What you'd do
You will serve as a Land Law Examiner (Minerals) with Bureau of Land Management. There will be one position filled at either the GS-09 or GS-11 level. We expect to fill one vacancies 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 step 1 rate.
Major duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Serves as the state's authoritative technical expert in solid and/or fluid minerals adjudication, providing guidance, legal interpretation, and case direction to lower-graded examiners, management, and solicitors. Adjudicates the most complex, controversial, unusual, and precedent-setting mineral leasing and mining law cases, requiring extensive legal research, interpretation of conflicting laws, and resolution of intricate title, land status, and ownership issues. Independently reviews, processes, and makes determinations on the full range of mineral leasing and mining adjudication actions, including leases, permits, unitization/communitization agreements, mining claims, bonding, drainage, title documents, and applicant qualifications. Prepares complex legal documents and adjudication decisions, including acceptance/rejection decisions, maintenance fee determinations, appeals responses, forfeiture actions (e.g., Abandoned and Void, Null and Void), Federal Register notices, and curative and deficiency requests. Conducts advanced research, including historical land and minerals records, IBLA decisions, solicitor opinions, old or seldom-used statutes, and other legal precedents to support findings, decisions, and case recommendations. Provides authoritative program analysis, reviewing and preparing formal written comments on proposed rules, regulations, manuals, policies, and procedural changes that affect lands, minerals, and mining adjudication programs. Represents the State Office in high-level meetings, negotiations, workshops, and hearings, coordinating with applicants, industry, public agencies, and internal programs to resolve conflicts and ensure legal and policy compliance. Leads and trains other adjudicators, conducting on-the-job training, mentoring, and technical review of work, and may lead teams in completing large or complex adjudication projects. 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 - 08/10/2026-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-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; 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; Communicating effectively both orally and in writing 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.