Land Law Examiner

Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Collects data on a variety of assigned cases related to lands oil and gas mining or minerals cases.
• Determines the accuracy and proper execution of applications or claims and the qualifications of applicants for legal rights as requested.
• Adjudicate routine lands mining or mineral leasing applications filed which have more complex statutory and regulatory provisions require development and review of a considerable amount of data and involve controversial factual situations.
• Determines the accuracy and proper execution of applications or claims and the qualifications of applicants.
• Prepares routine correspondence including decisions to process cases.
• Drafts progressively complex adjudication decisions (concerning lands mining oil and gas or mineral leasing cases).
• Independently gathers and researches information and data necessary to complete and adjudicate a legal document.
• Utilizes 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.

• Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born aftermust be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more visit cannot hold an active real estate license nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• A financial disclosure report will be required for the GS-09 within 30 days of appointment.
• You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 1-3 nights per month. You may be required to obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• You may be required to complete training and obtain/maintain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

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 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 individuals employment should continue and that their appointment should be 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 period of trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-09/18/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. All candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements.

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:

To qualify for this position at the GS-05 grade level:

Experience:To qualify you must possess at least three (3) years of general experience one (1) year of which was equivalent to at least a GS-4. General experience is defined as demonstrated experience: that provided a familiarity with real property laws and legal land descriptions land titles tract maps and legal documents or other experience that involved explanation application or interpretation of laws regulations policies etc. Such experience may have been gained in positions such as law clerk claims examiner contact representative or other work dealing with laws rules regulations procedures etc.

-OR-

Education: Four-year course of study leading to a bachelors degree. You must include hours per week and 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-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 bachelors 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) Grade-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. Applicants applying under SAA must have 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. Transcripts must be provided.

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 Masters 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.

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.