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Realty Specialist

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation
California-Great Basin Region, Division of Resource Management

Summary

You will serve as a Realty Specialist Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, California-Great Basin Region, Division of Resource Management.

GS-07: $55,934-$72,7716 per annum

GS-09 $68,419 - $88,949 per annum

GS-11: $82,780-$107,620 per annum

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

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
2 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
$55,934 - $107,620 per year

Pay varies based off of grade levels

Pay scale & grade
GS 7 - 11
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
Yes
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBVH-26-DE-13057375-JP
Control number
884448000

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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:

  • Reviews land use, land exchange, contract renewals, terminations, cancellations, and assignments in accordance with established or approved policies, and other Bureau of Reclamation technical requirements.
  • Negotiates, prepares, and processes appropriate instruments to allow use of land by other Federal, State, local government agencies, public and private corporations, Native Americans or individuals on, within, or across Reclamation withdrawn or acquired lands.
  • Negotiates terms of acquisition and agreements and prepares land exchange and sales contracts, warranty and quitclaim deeds, etc., for the acquisition or disposal of land. Reviews and interprets various survey data and land description deeds, title reports, take-off sheet information (transfers of data to project plans), drawing, and tabulation records.
  • Conducts required investigations, negotiates, and processes land and water right acquisitions and disposals.
  • Negotiates terms of disposal of property, prepares contracts of sales, and issues sales notices for excess Federal/agency land.
  • Draws up bidders list and explains the realty procedures to qualified bidders, as to legal description, gross and irrigable acreage, rights-of-way acreage, sales prices, exceptions, restrictions, covenants, terms, conditions, and bid receipt closing dates.
  • Opens and renders bid offers. Explains legal costs, terminology, and conditions to buyers.
  • Conducts investigations and searches of local courthouse records and consults with State, county, and city officials, Bureau of Indian Affairs representatives, water districts, and landowners to negotiate realty contracts.
Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • 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 www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
  • Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
  • Travel is required occasionally to perform job duties.
  • You are required to complete training, obtain and maintain a government credit card with travel and purchase authority.
Probationary period. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary 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 period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-09/29/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

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:

  • Specialized Experience Requirement: 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 may include: researching and applying real estate policies and/or guidance to process property transaction documents; reviewing legal descriptions; preparing or assisting in preparing deeds and/or lease instruments; creating or collecting geographic representations and/or analyses; verifying the accuracy of maps and/or data; researching real property such as government facilities and land; preparing and administering government contract documents, editing technical documents to meet established criteria for content. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
  • Education: Successfully completion of 1 full year of progressively higher-level graduate education in a field that is directly related to the duties of this position. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. You must include transcripts. -OR-
  • Superior Academic Achievement: Successfully completed a bachelor's 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) Grad-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. -OR-
  • Combination of education and experience: You must have equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify. You must include hours per week worked and transcripts.


To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level:

  • Specialized Experience Requirement: 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 may include: experience evaluating, preparing and processing several types of routine property transactions (such as permits, leases, easements, licenses, transfers, exchanges, acquisition contracts, disposal documents); identifying and reporting instances of unauthorized use of government land or property; negotiating routine or standard property and land-use agreements with landowners, land users, project proponents, or government officials; researching records to obtain vague real estate and property information; analyzing and evaluating the merits of land-use requests; working with community planners and developers to develop land and facility use documents. You must include hours per week worked. -OR-
  • Education: Successful completion of Master's Degree or equivalent or at least two full academic years of graduate education related to the occupation, or a master's or equivalent graduate degree or LL.B. or J.D. Directly related graduate study may include, but is not limited to business administration, accounting, governmental budgeting, and/or public administration. (Two years of graduate education is defined as 36 semester hours). You must include transcripts. -OR-
  • Combination of education and experience: You must have equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (in excess of the first year or 18 semester hours) and specialized experience to meet total experience requirements. You must include hours per week worked and transcripts.
To qualify for this position at the GS-11 grade level:
  • Specialized Experience Requirement: 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 may include: performing rights of use or acquisition and disposal activities; or reviewing realty actions to ensure compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Federal Land Policy and Management Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), or Use of Land, Facilities, and Waterbodies. 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 an LL.M., if related. Directly related graduate study may include, but is not limited to business administration, accounting, governmental budgeting, and/or public administration. (Three years of graduate education is 54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours). You must include transcripts. -OR-
  • Combination of education and experience: A combination of qualifying specialized experience and directly related graduate level education (both as described above) that, when computed as percentages of their respective requirements, equals at least 100% when combined. Only education beyond the second graduate year (36 semesters) is creditable to meet this standard. You must include hours per week worked 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

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g. resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the result of any additional assessment(s) required for this position.

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.

Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level or higher. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position

  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job

  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.

You will be assessed in the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of the USA Hire Assessment, if required.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.

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 Reclamation

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 Reclamation (BOR) is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Click here to learn more about the Bureau of Reclamation.

Agency contact information

Jessica Parker
Email
jessica_parker@ios.doi.gov
Address
Div of Resources Management
Bureau of Reclamation
2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento, CA 95825
US

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