Duties
Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:
- Provides front-line customer service by greeting visitors, answering calls and inquiries, clarifying routine questions, gathering necessary information, and referring complex or technical issues to senior staff for resolution.
- Reviews and processes minerals casework, examining forms, applications, claims, correspondence, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, proper execution, and compliance with regulations.
- Researches and applies regulatory requirements by locating and interpreting federal regulations, Bureau policies, land records, and standard operating procedures to determine applicable requirements for routine case actions.
- Drafts procedural correspondence and case documentation, including clear emails, form letters, requests for additional information, and routine notices or determinations for supervisory review.
- Maintains case and customer information in automated systems, entering, retrieving, updating, and ensuring the accuracy and integrity of data in accordance with Bureau standards.
Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
Requirements
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.
- Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
- 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 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 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 or trial 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 - 07/29/2026 - unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.
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.
To qualify for the GS-07:
You must posses at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following:
(1) Collecting and reviewing basic data for routine lands, minerals, oil and gas, mining, or mineral materials cases to ensure completeness, accuracy, and compliance with applicable regulations.
(2) Examining and verifying the accuracy and proper execution of applications or claims, including assessing applicant eligibility and adjudicating routine transactions involving clearly defined facts and established legal or regulatory requirements.
(3) Drafting routine adjudication documents, such as decisions, notices, and correspondence, that address straightforward land or mineral cases with readily identifiable land status and clearly defined rights or interests.
(4) Using automated systems and databases to input, update, and maintain case data, ensuring data integrity and adherence to established data quality standards, as well as preparing written materials and communicating findings effectively.
-OR-
Education: Graduate level education (including law school) that included or was supplement 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.
-OR-
Superior Academic Achievement: 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. Applicants who qualify for GS-7 on the basis of the superior academic achievement provision must have had at least 12 semester hours of course work related to the administration of land laws. (See OPM's General Policies, Application of Qualification Standards Section 4.f.).
-OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
To qualify for the GS-09:
You must possess at least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the following:
(1) Reviewing and independently processing a full range of lands and minerals cases (e.g., mineral leases and mining claims), ensuring accuracy, completeness, compliance with regulations, and proper documentation.
(2) Evaluating and adjudicating complex lands, minerals, and energy-related applications; determining applicant qualifications and assessing bonding requirements while ensuring legal and technical accuracy.
(3) Developing and analyzing facts, evidence, and land status information by researching internal and external land records; verifying acreage, ownership, encumbrances, withdrawals, and restrictions; reviewing private title documents; preparing decisions, notices, and publications; and ensuring environmental documentation is completed and incorporated into the case file.
(4) Preparing documents to communicate with applicants to obtain required information; issuing adjudication decisions; and ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
(5) Using automated systems and databases to maintain, update, and validate case data, ensuring accuracy, data integrity, and adherence to quality control standards while preparing clear written correspondence and documentation.
-OR-
Education: Completed at least two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college or university in a field directly related to the work of the position (including law school) that included or was 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.
-OR-
Combination of Education and Experience: You may meet qualifications requirement for this position with an equivalent combination of specialized experience and appropriate graduate education. Graduate level education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position.
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 the BLM Oregon State Office, 1220 SW 3rd Avenue, Portland, OR 97204..See the Required Documents section for information on how to verify current residence.
This announcement is being advertised concurrently under number OR-MP-12999158-ZAW for status candidates and special hiring authority eligible. You must apply to each announcement separately if you wish to be considered under both recruitment methods.
Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/lnteragency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP): These programs apply to employees who have been involuntarily separated from a Federal service position within the competitive service or Federal service employees whose positions have been deemed surplus or no longer needed. To receive selection priority, you must: 1) meet CTAP or ICTAP eligibility criteria; 2) be rated qualified for the position; and 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility. For more information: CTAP or ICTAP
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.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.