This position(s) serves as a Bureau of Land Management Legal Admin Specialist (Water Rights) and is organizationally situated in Prineville District Office, Division of Resources Management, Oregon/Washington State Office.

Duties

This is a Full Performance Legal Administrative Specialist (Water Rights) position assigned to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Oregon/Washington State Office. The Incumbent will serve as the expert for the District, providing essential technical assistance on water rights to ensure the effective management and utilization of water resources within the jurisdiction. The role encompasses a broad range of responsibilities including the acquisition, modification, and maintenance of BLM water rights in Oregon and Washington. The Incumbent is the principal staff specialist and expert advisor to the Oregon/Washington State Management Teams on all matters related to water rights. With extensive training and experience in water rights management and policy, the Incumbent will navigate the complexities of water law to support land management decisions that align with BLM's mission and regulatory requirements. The Incumbent will: Provide technical and legal guidance on water rights issues to inform land management planning and decision-making processes. Process and facilitate the acquisition, modification, and maintenance of water rights, ensuring compliance with state and federal laws. Conduct comprehensive assessments of water rights portfolios to identify opportunities for enhancing water resource management within BLM lands. Develop and implement strategies for the protection and sustainable use of water resources, in collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies, tribal governments, and other stakeholders. Coordinate with legal and policy teams to navigate water rights adjudication processes, water rights transfers, and other legal proceedings affecting BLM water resources. Monitor and report on legislative and regulatory developments related to water rights and resource management. Prepare technical reports, briefing materials, and recommendations on water rights management for senior BLM officials and external stakeholders. Represent the BLM in negotiations, public meetings, and forums related to water rights and resource management. The Incumbent will manage all aspects of water rights projects from initiation and maintenance to completion, interpreting directives from BLM Headquarters and applying standards to ensure that all actions are compliant with the Federal Land Policy and Management Act (FLPMA), state water laws, and other relevant authorities. This role requires a high level of coordination and collaboration with multiple stakeholders to achieve balanced and sustainable water resource management outcomes.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• May be required to complete background investigation.
• Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
• Must provide resume and supporting documents (See required documents) prior to the closing date of this announcement.
• You cannot hold an active real estate license, nor can you have an interest or hold stocks in firms with interest in Federal Lands.
• If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
• Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
• Status applicants must meet time-in-grade requirements.
• You may be required to occasionally travel overnight away from home. You must be eligible to obtain a government charge card for travel purposes.
• Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.

Qualifications

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience and/or education requirements described below. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience. If qualifying based on education, a copy of your unofficial transcripts must be provided with your application. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience and/or education for the respective grade level in which you are applying. A. Specialized Experience: Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service (obtained either in the private or public sectors) performing the 3 of the following: (1) providing technical guidance on water use inventories and water rights applications, adjudications, and hearings; (2) advising and mentoring others in the acquisition, protection, and management of water rights; (3) developing plans for water rights projects including estimates of personnel, equipment, materials, and schedules necessary to carry out plans; (4) maintaining the water use inventory and responding to requests for special reports and data exchanges regarding water rights management; and (5) tracking, coordinating, and responding to information requests from the State water regulatory agency. Status merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year at the GS-11 is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level. (Must submit your SF-50 that shows Time-in-Grade eligibility and reflects your title, series, and grade. No award SF-50 will be accepted). Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s). 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. You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week. Part-time hours are prorated. You will not receive any credit for experience that does not indicate exact hours per week or is listed as "varies". A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. 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 the additional assessments required for this position.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the grade level(s) of this announcement.

Contacts

• Address BLM Oregon State Office BLM Oregon State Office, OR-953 1220 SW Third Portland, OR 97204 US
• Name: San Antonio Services Branch
• Phone: 816-541-8101
• Email: [email protected]