Land Law Examiner (Minerals)

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.

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.