Closing Date: 13th November, 2026
Description:
Summary:You will serve as a Attorney Advisor within the Office of the Solicitor, Rocky Mountain Region.
Term -This is a term excepted appointment not-to-exceed 2 years and may be extended for additional periods of time without further competition.
You may be required to travel overnight occasionally. You must obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
Duties:
As an Attorney-Advisor with the Department of the Interior, Office of the Solicitor, Rocky Mountain Region, Billings Field Office, your specific duties will include:
- The position involves legal research, analysis, advice and representation to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other officials of the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) regarding the multiple use missions of the BLM and its associated district and field offices. The BLM manages public lands and minerals for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. BLM also provides assistance to the Bureau of Indian Affairs and regulates some mineral operations on mineral estates held in trust or restricted status.
- The position will include representing BLM in administrative hearings or appeals. It will also include assisting the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in defending BLM's regulations and other decisions.
- Requires cooperative and productive interactions with officials and staff of the BLM; officials and staff of other bureaus of DOI; other attorneys within the Solicitor's Office, attorneys in DOJ, including attorneys in the offices of the U.S. Attorneys; officials and attorneys in other Federal agencies; and State, local, or tribal officials. There will also be interactions with attorneys and others representing non-governmental interests.
- The position will require possession or development of detailed familiarity with such laws as: the Administrative Procedure Act; the National Environmental Policy Act; the Federal Land Policy and Management Act; the various minerals statutes, including the Mineral Leasing Act, the Mining Law of 1872; the Materials Act; the National Historic Preservation Act; the Taylor Grazing Act; Wild Horse and Burro Act; and the Endangered Species Act.
- Providing written and oral opinions on Federal Administrative Law topics, including Fiscal/Appropriations Law, Administrative Procedure Act, agency delegations and authority, partnerships with non-public entities, and similar topics.
- Advising BLM on very complex legal matters; advising and counseling BLM's leadership and program managers with respect to recommended course(s) of action.
- Conducting legal research and analysis and developing recommendations; responding to questions, counseling client agencies, opposing counsel and administrative appeal bodies regarding interpretation of statues, laws and regulations.
- The position will also include assisting the Solicitor's office and BLM with compliance with other statutes, such as the Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act.
Salary Range Information (Per Annum): *First time hires to the federal government typically start at the beginning salary in the range for their respective grade level.
Denver:
Billings:
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Are There Any Special Requirements For This Position?
Qualifications:
Basic Qualification Requirements
Denver:
- GS-12: $99,800.00 - $129,742.00
- GS-13: $118,675.00 - $154,280.00
- GS-14: $140,239.00 - $182,316.00
Billings:
- GS-12: $89,508.00 - $116,362.00
- GS-13: $106,437.00 - $138,370.00
- GS-14: $125,776.00 - $163,514.00
Requirements:
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/.
- Requirement. Active bar membership is required for all attorneys engaged in the practice of law in Federal government.
- A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
- Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore, it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change, please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.
- If selected for this position, you may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification of compliance upon reporting and annually, some of which may be subject to public disclosure.
- Because this position requires travel for official business, the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
Qualifications:
Basic Qualification Requirements
Applicants must be law school graduates with LL.B. or J.D. degrees AND must be an active member in good standing of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico bar.
For any of the grades indicated above you can substitute one year of experience with any of the following:
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.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website :https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education:
Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.
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 is in the excepted service and not subject to competitive service procedures.
Merit promotion procedures do not apply.
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.
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.
- To qualify for a GS-12 applicants must possess at least 2-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
- To qualify for a GS-13 applicants must possess at least 3-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
- To qualify for a GS-14 applicants must possess at least 4.5-years of professional legal experience following law school graduation;
- -Have a second professional law degree;
- Or
- -Meet any of the criteria indicated below:
- academic standing in top one-third of law school graduating class;
- graduation with academic honors;
- significant participation on the law school's law review;
- significant participation in the law school's moot court competition;
- significant participation in a clinical legal aid program;6. significant summer law office clerk experience; or7. other equivalent evidence of clearly superior achievement.
Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualification Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions and is available at OPM's website :https://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/indexes/num-ndx.asp
All qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
Education:
Education: If this position requires specific educational course work to qualify, or you are qualifying based in whole or part on education, you are required to provide transcripts as proof of meeting the requirements.
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 is in the excepted service and not subject to competitive service procedures.
Merit promotion procedures do not apply.
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.
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.
