Summary

This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Midwest Region in Ashland, Wisconsin; Bemidji, Minnesota; Bloomington, Minnesota; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.

This is a Bargaining Unit position, for more information see USA Jobs What are bargaining units?

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Native Americans

Native Americans or Alaskan Natives with a tribal affiliation.

Clarification from the agency

Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Preference Act of 1934 (title 25, USC Section 472). Verification form BIA -4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. No other documents will be accepted as proof of Indian Preference.

Duties

As Legal Administrative Specialist (Probate), GS-0901, your typical work assignments may include, but not limited to:

Conducts extensive research on all types of probate cases, including complex estates, through interviews, genealogy review, and examination of agency and tribal records.
Performs agency-level review of probate cases by verifying ownership of trust and restricted property, ensuring accuracy of legal descriptions, and conducting detailed land title research.
Develops complex facts and evidence and assembles comprehensive probate case packages, ensuring technical accuracy and legal sufficiency.
Maintains and updates administrative records tracking probate proceedings from initiation through final case completion.
Reviews and analyzes proposed leases, rights-of-way, and encumbrances affecting trust assets and conducts advanced legal research to support OHA decision makers.
Serves as a federal representative at probate hearings, presenting factual evidence when required.
Interprets and implements OHA decisions, updating ownership records, coordinating payment of trust/restricted funds, and issuing notifications to appropriate federal, tribal, and state stakeholders.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

U.S. Citizenship Required
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
A background security investigation will be required for all new hires. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication.
If you are a male applicant born after 12/31/1959 and are required to register under the Military Selective Service Act, the Defense Authorization Act of 1986 requires that you be registered or you are not eligible for appointment in this agency.
Selectee is required to operate a government motor vehicle, must possess a valid driver's license, and have a safe driving record within the 4 year period immediately preceding submittal of GSA Form 3607.

Qualifications

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS: (OPM Operating Manual, Qualification Standards for Administrative and Management Positions, GS-0901).

GS-05:To qualify at the GS-05 level you must have 3 years of general experience, 1 year of which was equivalent to at least GS-4 grade level in the Federal service that demonstrates the ability to: analyze problems to identify significant factors, gather pertinent data, and recognize solutions; plan and organize work; and communicate effectively orally and in writing.

OR

Successfully completed 4 year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree. (One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours). (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).

OR

Have a combination of education and experience described above, which meets 100% of the qualification requirements.

GS-07:To qualify at the GS-07 level you must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include performing a variety of assignments to assist on probate cases, issues, and problems utilizing basic legal principles, research methods, and data analysis; maintaining administrative records that track probate proceedings, utilizing the basic knowledge of real and personal property legal principles and legal documents, and reviewing the accuracy and completeness of a probate case file.

OR

Have Superior Academic Achievement which included one of the following: 1) Class standing-applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class, based on completed courses; or (2) Grade-Point Average-applicants must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum; or (3) Election to membership in a National Scholastic Honor Society -membership in a freshman honor society cannot be used to meet the requirements of this provision. In order to be creditable under this provision, superior academic achievement must have been gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).

OR

Successfully completed one full year of appropriate graduate level education (18 semester hours, 27 quarter hours or equivalent) in a field of study directly related to the work of this position. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).

OR

Have a combination of education and experience described above, which meets 100% of the qualification requirements (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).

GS-09: To qualify at the GS-09 level you must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-7 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include performing routine work involving conventional probate cases, issues, and problems utilizing general legal principles, research methods, and data analysis; performing research for probate cases by conducting interviews with beneficiaries and interested parties, applying specialized knowledge of probate legal principles to evaluate factual documents and other information to determine the level of legal complexity in probate cases and assembling documentation into a probate case package, and verifying the accuracy and completeness of a probate case file and the decision.

OR

Have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).

OR

GS-11:To qualify at the GS-11 level you must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include performing work independently on wide variety of probate cases, issues, and problems utilizing a high degree of expertise; applying specialized knowledge of probate legal principles to evaluate factual documents to determine the level of legal complexity in probate cases and assembling documentation into a probate case package, performing extensive and thorough research of probate cases by conducting interviews with beneficiaries, interested parties, examining agencies, and records; reviewing probate cases by examining legal documents to verify ownership status, verifying the accuracy and completeness of a probate case file and probate decision, and inputting probate decisions into an automated system of record.

OR

Have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. (Note: Applicants who select this response must provide transcripts as verification of their education).

All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.

Additional selections may be made from this announcement if identical vacancies occur in the same location within 90 days from the closing date.

Education

If you are qualifying based on your education, you MUST provide transcripts or other documentation to support your educational claims. Unless otherwise stated: (1) official or unofficial transcripts are acceptable, or (2) you may submit a list with all of your courses, grades, semester, year, and credit for the course. All materials must be submitted by the closing date of the announcement.

If more than 10 percent of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) were taken on a pass/fail basis, your claim of superior academic achievement must be based upon class standing or membership in an honor society.

One academic year of graduate education is considered to be the number of credits hours your graduate school has determined to represent one academic year of full-time study. Such study may have been performed on a full-time or part-time basis. If you cannot obtain your graduate school's definition of one year of graduate study, 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered as satisfying the requirement for one year of full-time graduate study.

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education which shows the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html

Additional information

All new hires earn the beginning salary of their pay grade (Step 1). See 2026 Salary Tables and select the pay chart for Ashland, Wisconsin; Bemidji, Minnesota; Bloomington, Minnesota; Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. If no specific chart is listed for this geographic location, see the "rest of U.S." chart.

The full performance level of this position is GS-11. Promotion potential in this announcement does not constitute a commitment or an obligation on the part of management to promote the employee selected at some future date. A career ladder promotion is at the discretion of management, and in no way guaranteed.

The 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 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 -OR- trial period] your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

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.

Your application package will be evaluated against the minimum qualification requirements specified above. In order to qualify, your resume must specifically describe your work history and the duties you performed in each position.

Your resume will be evaluated after the closing date of 05/15/2026 to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position.

Please follow all instructions carefully, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires successful completion of additional assessments, which may include a structured resume review, structured interview and/or accomplishment record. These assessments measure the critical competencies required to successfully perform the job.

Decision Making
Information Management
Real Estate
Technical Competence

If you meet the minimum qualifications requirements for this position, your application will be evaluated and rated under Category Rating selection procedures. Once the application process is complete, a review of your qualifications will be conducted to determine if you are qualified for this job. Qualified candidates will be assigned to a quality category. The quality categories are: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within each of these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-preference eligibles.

Best Qualified: Applicants that possess all of the job related competencies identified as important for successful job performance.
Well Qualified: Applicants that possess a majority (i.e., more than half but not all) of the job related competencies needed for successful job performance.
Qualified: Applicants meet the basic eligibility and minimum qualification requirements but do not meet the definition of Best Qualified or Well Qualified as described above.

Preference in filling vacancies is given to qualified Indian candidates in accordance with the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 (Title 25, USC, Section 472). Verification Form BIA-4432 must be submitted with the application if claiming Indian Preference. Indian Preference eligibles not currently employed in Federal service may be appointed under the Excepted Service Appointment Authority Schedule A, 213.3112(a)(7). Consideration will be given to Non-Indian applicants in the absence of qualified Indian Preference eligibles. For more information, please visit: https://www.bia.gov/jobs.
REVIEW BEFORE YOU SUBMIT: You may preview the assessment questions here in the https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12951003.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for this position:

Resume which details work experience including dates worked (mm/yy-mm/yy), position title, Grade (if federal service), and hours worked per week.
On-line Assessment Questionnaire
Transcripts (if using education to qualify) - Unofficial transcripts are acceptable; however, an official transcript may be requested at a later time.
BIA Form 4432 (if claiming Indian preference)
Veteran's documentation -

For 5-point veterans' preference, please provide your DD-214, Copy 4 that MUST show an Honorable Discharge (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty), official statement of service from your command if you are currently on active duty, or other official documentation (e.g., copy of military orders, campaign documents as or expeditionary award citation, etc.) proving your military service was performed under honorable conditions.
For 10-point veterans' preference, you must submit a Standard Form (SF) 15, Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference and the supporting documentation required by that form.
If you are a disabled veteran you must submit a Veterans Affairs (VA) letter on VA letterhead that states your overall combined rating and a DD214 (copy 4) reflecting an honorable discharge.

ALL DOCUMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59 PM Eastern Time ON THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. If your application package is incomplete in any way, you will not be considered for this position, and requests for extensions will not be granted. Please double check your application package before you submit it.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WILL NOT BE SOLICITED OR ACCEPTED BY THIS OFFICE.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:

To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
In writing your resume, please be clear and specific. We will NOT make assumptions regarding your experience and/or employment status.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Notification to Applicants: Applicants who apply under this job opportunity announcement agree to have their application, associated documents and applicable personal information shared with other Bureaus/Offices within the Department of the Interior (DOI) who have vacancies within the same occupational series, grade, full performance level and in the same geographic location(s), including within the same metro/commuting area. Applying to this announcement does not replace the need to apply to other job opportunity announcements for which you wish to receive consideration.

PLEASE NOTE - NO APPLICATION MATERIAL WILL BE ACCEPTED VIA E-MAIL.

Agency contact information

John Chiu

Phone: 909-847-4734
Email: john.chiu@bie.edu

Address: BIA Center for Recruitment Rocky Mountain Regional
2021 4th Ave, North
Billings, MT 59101
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. Your application will be evaluated by the Human Resources Office to determine your eligibility for the position. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive another notification regarding the status of your application.

Legal Administrative Specialist (Probate) Job