About this role
Job SummaryAs a Land Law Examiner you will serve as the state's authoritative expert in all phases of adjudication duties and responsibilities associated with land and minerals program actions and cases, providing guidance and expertise to lower-graded examiners in the Bureau of Land Management. First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.
QualificationsAll qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 08/12/2026-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, adjudicating, or reviewing basic lands and minerals cases; Researching and reviewing legal land descriptions and ownership status from various map and records sources; Using a variety of 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.
Major DutiesThe duties below are at the full performance level. Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following: Provide advice and guidance to other examiners, management, and/or Solicitors on general legal principles, precedent decisions, and the proper application and use of varied, different, arcane and infrequently used public land laws, including special and private acts of Congress. Adjudicate the most difficult, unusual, complex, controversial, unprecedented cases that are received or referred for final examining and decision. Process and make determinations on cases that set precedent and have significant economic impact, competing government interests, and/or affect several different geographic areas including the national level. Perform support research for the Solicitor's Office when required on cases pending court action or other litigation through that office. Utilize data systems and applications to collect, enter, manipulate, update and maintain data according to prescribed Bureau and program standards. Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.RequirementsMust provide proof of U.S. citizenship. Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication. Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service. Direct Deposit participation required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/. A financial disclosure report will be required within 30 days of appointment. You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1- year probationary period or 2-year trial period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest. This probationary or trial period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary or trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.