Department of the Interior

Legal Administrative Specialist (Probate)

Belcourt, North Dakota, Fort Totten, North Dakota, Fort Yates, North Dakota, New Town, North Dakota, Full time

Legal Administrative Specialist (Probate)

Department: Department of the Interior

Location(s): Belcourt, North Dakota, Fort Totten, North Dakota, Fort Yates, North Dakota, New Town, North Dakota, Winnebago, Nebraska, Aberdeen, South Dakota, Eagle Butte, South Dakota, Fort Thompson, South Dakota, Lower Brule, South Dakota, Mission, South Dakota, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, Sisseton, South Dakota, Wagner, South Dakota

Salary Range: $40736 - $97087 Per Year

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

Major Duties:

  • This position is located with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Great Plains Region in Aberdeen, South Dakota; Belcourt, North Dakota; Eagle Butte, South Dakota; Fort Thompson, South Dakota; Fort Totten, North Dakota; Fort Yates, North Dakota; Lower Brule, South Dakota; Mission, South Dakota; New Town, North Dakota; Pine Ridge, South Dakota; Sisseton, South Dakota; Wagner, South Dakota; Winnebago, Nebraska. 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.

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 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-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). 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). 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.

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.

Application Deadline: 2026-05-15