Administrative Judge Interior Board of Land Appeals

Summary
The minimum pay for this position is $141,022. Pay is set based on consideration of the selectee's current salary and other factors. Regular telework may be approved at the discretion of the supervisor.
This job is open to

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

Clarification from the agency
This is an Excepted-Service position and this appointment will not confer Competitive-Service status (i.e., career or career-conditional).
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Duties
NOTE: Special requirements for current and former political appointees. See How to Apply section for more information.
The incumbent of this position serves as an Administrative Judge on the Interior Board of Land Appeals (IBLA or the Board). The IBLA is a unit of the Department's Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) authorized by the Secretary of the Interior to decide appeals from decisions of the Department's bureaus and offices. The IBLA's mission is to provide an impartial forum within the Department for the fair resolution of disputes involving public lands and natural resources under the Department's jurisdiction. The IBLA is separate and independent from the bureaus and offices whose decisions it reviews.
The IBLA decides appeals of decisions made by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, and Office of Natural Resources Revenue, and decisions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs regarding royalty management on Indian lands. The IBLA also decides appeals of certain decisions by administrative law judges in OHA's Departmental Cases Hearings Division. The IBLA's appeals involve royalty determinations, on- and offshore mineral and energy management decisions, and a variety of other land-use decisions, including decisions related to the management of timber, vegetation, wildfire, grazing, wild horses and burros, travel, and recreation.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to qualify for this position.
• Participation in direct deposit is required.
• A J.D. or LL.B. degree is required.
• Bar Membership: Active and in good standing is required.
• Applicants must separately address the Mandatory Qualifications.
• This is a high risk position and requires a BI level investigation.

Qualifications
All appointments to this Board require final approval by the Secretary of the Interior.
Additionally, applicants must have at least seven years of progressively responsible professional legal experience. Qualifying experience must be of a type and level sufficient to demonstrate the applicant's ability to render final decisions in appeals covering a wide range of complex, highly contested issues in an efficient and timely manner.
As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior leadership of senior level capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQs) below. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at or above GS14/15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or nongovernmental organizations. Failure to meet basic qualifications requirements and all mandatory technical qualifications listed automatically disqualifies an applicant.
MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS

1. Broad legal knowledge and experience, including as (a) a judge or attorney for a court or quasi-judicial entity, (b) an attorney representing the government or private parties in litigation, and/or (c) an attorney advising government or private parties in legal disputes. Demonstrated ability to quickly develop a specialized knowledge of unfamiliar substantive areas.
2. Understanding of (a) administrative law and (b) natural resources law, public lands law, and/or environmental law, including relevant statutes, regulations and case law.
3. Skills in analyzing and synthesizing voluminous and technically complex evidentiary materias, and in researching,considering, and correctly applying the law to decide cases.
4. Skills in communications, negotiation, and consensus building that have been used in high level consultative or collaborative situations, and the ability to write clearly, concisely, and persuasively.
5. Ability to produce a high volume of quality work in a timely manner to meet individual and organizational goals.

Applicants who meet all the Mandatory Technical Qualifications may be evaluated by a panel of experts to determine the degree to which they possess each of the listed qualifications. This evaluation will determine which applicants are best qualified. Total background, including experience, education, awards, self-development, and training will be reviewed. This information will be obtained from the application package, including the required narrative statement for the Mandatory Technical Qualifications described above.
Note regarding application of Veterans' Preference: There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the Department of the Interior considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor in attorney hiring. Applicants claiming veteran's preference must submit supporting documentation (e.g., DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, and any other supporting documentation) which verifies their eligibility for preference. It is also recommended that you include this information in your cover letter or resume. Additional information on veterans' preference is available in the Vet Guide (http://www.fedshirevets.gov/hire/hrp/vetguide/index.aspx)
Education
Applicants must have a J.D. or LL.B. degree and be current members in good standing of a bar of a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or commonwealth of the United States.You must provide a copy of your unofficial transcript that proves that you have successfully graduated from an accredited law school.
YOU MUST PROVIDE PROOF THAT YOU MEET THIS REQUIREMENT.
Additional information
The applicant selected for this position will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report, SF-278, and the supplemental form, Confidential Statement of Employment and Financial Interest, DI-278. All forms must be filed within 30 days after the selection for this position.
The sensitivity level of the position requires completion of a successful background investigation of the selectee. Prior to appointment, all applicants tentatively selected for this position may be required to submit to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use.
The United States Government does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, martial status, disability, age, membership in an employee organization, or other non-merit factor.
Federal agencies must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should contact the hiring authority directly. Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Privacy Act - Privacy Act Notice (P.L. 93-579): The information requested here is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5 U.S.C. 3302 and 3361.
Selective Service - If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959 you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System, or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law.

• Benefits
  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.
Each applicant is required to submit a comprehensive narrative statement addressing each mandatory technical qualification individually. The narrative must demonstrate the necessary level of skills, characteristics, qualities, specialized knowledge, and technical competence that would indicate successful performance in this Senior Level position. This evidence must include clear and concise examples that emphasize the applicant's level of responsibilities, scope, and complexity of assignments, program accomplishments, policy initiatives, and level of contacts. Applicants who fail to provide this narrative statement in the format requested will not be considered. EACH MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATION MUST BE ADDRESSED SEPARATELY and must not exceed two pages each. IF YOU EXCEED THIS LIMIT, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.

• Benefits
  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.
• Required Documents
  As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.
  To apply for this position, you must provide a complete application package which includes:
  1. REQUIRED Your resume - it must contain information sufficient to make a valid determination that you fully meet the specialized experience requirements as stated in this vacancy announcement. Insufficient information will result in a not qualified rating. It is recommended that you include the following information:
  - Full name, mailing address, and day and evening telephone numbers
  - Educational information, including the name, city and state of colleges or universities you attended, as well as the type and year of any degrees received
  - Information about your paid and nonpaid work experience related to this position including:
  **Job title (include series and grade if Federal job)
  **Duties and accomplishments**Employer's name and address
  **Supervisor's name and phone number
  **Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year)
  **Salary**Indicate if we may contact your current supervisor**Information about honors, awards, and special accomplishments
  2. REQUIRED A narrative statement addressing each of the Mandatory Qualifications - experience (paid and unpaid), education, training, awards, and/or self-development activities as related to each. Each Mandatory Qualification must be addressed separately. Narrative statements must not exceed 2 pages for each individual Mandatory Qualification. IF YOU EXCEED THESE LIMITS, YOU WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
  3. REQUIRED Proof of J.D. or LL.B. degree and current Bar membership that is in good standing. You must provide proof of certification from the state and or territory that you have received your bar certification and or a physical copy of your Bar certification or membership card that provides proof of your standing and displays that your standing is good and current.
  4. REQUIRED If you are a current Federal employee, a copy of a recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, that indicates Federal status, grade, tenure, and type of service. Please redact your social security number and date of birth.
  5. REQUIRED IF APPLICABLE If you wish to have your status as a veteran considered, you must submit the appropriate documentation, such as a DD-214, SF-15 with appropriate supporting documentation and/or your last official statement from the Department of Veteran's Affairs, if you have a service connected disability.
  6. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED A copy of your most recent annual performance appraisal (from either the Federal or private sector). Please remove your social security number.
  7. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Candidates are requested to complete the DI-1935, Applicant Background Survey, on a voluntary basis. Information will be used solely to review compliance with Federal law. Failure to complete this form will not affect consideration. The form can be found online at http://www.doi.gov/diversity/di1935.htm(http://www.doi.gov/diversity/di1935.htm)
  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
  Your complete application, including required documents, must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement.
  Note for certain applicants:
  Effective January 1, 2010, OPM must authorize any employment offers we make to current or former (within the last 5 years) political S...