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FUL - Land Law Examiner (Minerals)

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Land Management
BLM Colorado State Office

Summary

You will serve as a FUL - Land Law Examiner (Minerals) analyzes land records to determine ownership, rights, and legal document validity.

This position is also open to status candidates under announcement BLM-CO-MP-26-13015220-MH. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted yesterday · Apply by 08/12/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 12, 2026
Location
3 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$56,262 - $89,470 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 9
Promotion potential
11
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Other
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
BLM-CO-FUL-26-13019702-MH
Control number
878330300

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority and is open to U.S. citizens and nationals who meet all eligibility requirements, including permanent and exclusive residency within the defined vicinity of the field unit as described in this announcement. Under this authority, veterans' preference and traditional rating and ranking procedures do not apply.

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Duties

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

2 vacancies will be filled primarily focusing on fluid minerals.
1 vacancy will be filled primarily focusing on solid minerals.

Please see the major duties listed below for each of these position.

Fluid Minerals:

  • Processing and adjudication of record title and operating rights assignments include research and review of the assignments and related material to determine if it is in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations.
  • Analyzing, researching and verifying entire and undivided interest in record title assignments and operating rights transfers for compliance with regulations, abstracts lessee interests.
  • Determines that lease account status is in good standing using the Business Information System; and if deficiencies are identified, requests additional information.
  • Researching BLM Records to verify acreage and legal land description.
  • Preparing assignments for approval ensures case abstract reflects current interest holdings, and notifies appropriate agencies of approved assignment (e.g., surface managing agency, Office of Resources Revenue, etc.).
  • Writing letters and decisions requesting additional evidence of further compliance with regulations and precedent decisions.
Solid Minerals:
  • Bond adjudication for surface management and mineral materials operations - this involves coordination with field offices, other agencies and operators to adequately manage reclamation and performance bonds for authorized operations. Work will focus on ensuring the bond is legally binding, fully funded and enforceable. Work will consist of intake, form verification, solvency checks, database and file management, riders and amendments, forfeiture notification and collection.
  • Mining claim adjudication - this involves coordination with operators and interagency staff to adequately process filings. Work will focus on reviewing filings, verifying compliance with federal and state laws and timely coordination. Work will consist of preparing decision documents and or notices, requests for additional information or curative actions, land status determinations, responses to appeals, requests for missing or deficient fees, and database and file management.
  • Minerals program support - this involves providing support for cross-functional areas in the Branch. Work will consist of providing support to the public room staff, the business administration staff and management for questions, inquiries, data calls and other relevant tasks.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must 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.
  • Appointment will be subject to a favorably adjudicated background/suitability investigation/determination.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
  • You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
  • You may be required to travel overnight away from home up to 1-2 nights per month. You may be required to obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
  • A financial disclosure report will be required for GS-09 within 30 days of appointment for.
  • 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 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 -year probationary period -OR- 2-year trial period the public interest.

This 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.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-08/12/2026-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-07 grade level:

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): I have successfully completed all of the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for this position as described above from an accredited college or university, and meets one of the requirements for Superior Academic Achievement based on the following: (1) class standing (upper third standing in the graduating class of a college, university, or major subdivision, such as the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Business Administration, based on completed courses); (2) grade-point average (3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0) as recorded on the official transcript, or as computed based on 4 years of education, or (3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0) based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; (3) election to membership in a national scholastic honor society (NOTE: You must submit a copy of your official transcripts that show a confer/completion date and any additional documentation to support your response to this question). 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 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.

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.

Education

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education. https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualification

Additional information

This position will be filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Eligibility is limited to applicants who reside within the defined local commuting area at the time of application. For this announcement, the local commuting area is the area from which individuals can reasonably commute to the duty station under normal conditions. The defined vicinity for this position is: 50 miles from Denver Federal Center Building 40 Lakewood, CO 80225. You must provide proof of residency within the defined vicinity (e.g. mortgage or property deed, lease/rental agreement, utility bill, insurance policy, etc.). See the Required Documents section for information on how to verify current residence.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR ยง575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.

Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level.

The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This position is being filled under the Field Unit Local Hiring Authority. Under this authority, competitive rating, ranking, and veterans' preference procedures do not apply. The Servicing Human Resources Office will determine whether applicants meet the qualification and eligibility requirements described in this announcement. Applicants who meet these requirements may be referred to the selecting official on a certificate of eligibles for consideration.

You must certify that you will maintain a permanent and exclusive residence within the defined vicinity of the field unit(s) listed in this announcement.

Upon receipt of a completed application package, the Servicing Human Resources Office will review your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement.

Resumes must not exceed two single-sided pages. Resumes longer than two pages will not be reviewed. Applicants may submit only one resume. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine qualifications and eligibility. If more than one resume is submitted, only the most recent submission will be reviewed.

If your resume is incomplete or does not demonstrate that you meet the qualification requirements or specialized experience described in this announcement, you may be determined ineligible or not qualified for further consideration.

Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Bureau of Land Management

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated Island Communities. Click here to learn more about The Department of the Interior and its bureaus.

The mission of the Bureau of Land Management is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Click here to learn more about The Bureau of Land Management.

Agency contact information

Mary Hearne
Email
mary_hearne@ios.doi.gov
Address
BLM Colorado State Office
Denver Federal Center
Building 40
Lakewood, CO 80225
US

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