Job Description

Posting number: DCE-OSTR-2026-223641-IGA

Department: DCE-Conservation and Energy

Division: Office of State Resources

Job classification: AUDITOR 1

Posting type: Open & Promotional

Categories: Natural Resources

The Office of State Resources (OSTR) is responsible for the stewardship, administration and strategic management of Louisiana’s publicly owned land, mineral, water and subsurface assets for energy-related development. At the direction of the State Mineral and Energy Board (SMEB), the Office supports the full lifecycle of public resource management — beginning with the initial bid and contract evaluation, negotiation and title verification. Once agreements are in place, OSTR oversees operational compliance, ensuring that developers and operators meet performance standards, fulfill contractual obligations, and remit appropriate royalty payments to the State. This integrated model allows OSTR to uphold its fiduciary obligations, enforce accountability, and manage Louisiana’s resource portfolio with foresight and precision. OSTR’s role expands beyond land and minerals to ground and surface water management, creating a foundation for conservation, monitoring, and strategic planning statewide.

OSTR manages Louisiana’s proprietary interests in minerals, water, and alternative energy on state lands and water bottoms. It oversees leasing through the State Mineral & Energy Board, ensures accurate royalty collection and audits, and expands into renewable leasing and groundwater management. By uniting mineral, land, and water stewardship, OSTR provides fiduciary oversight of public assets while developing a comprehensive water plan and integrating groundwater district functions. Its role ensures the state captures fair value from resources while safeguarding long-term sustainability.

This Auditor position is located in the Income Division within the Office of State Resources in Baton Rouge, LA. The incumbent of this position will perform highly responsible professional audit work in the technical and specialized area of mineral income auditing. Work involves the organization, assignment, review, and/or performance of tasks and accomplishments relative to auditing revenue receivable from the state’s proprietary interest in minerals.

Examples of duties

Qualifications

Supplemental information

Job Duties:

• Performs independent audits of royalty payments record contained within the property, lease ownership, lease sale and tract history, and lease data files necessary to ensure that royalty payments are allocated to the proper state lease and parish.

• Reviews and analyzes unitization agreements, property plats, division orders, joint lessees’ operating agreements, terms and conditions of mineral lease contracts, and court documents for settlements for title disputes to determine the correct property decimal.
• Confers with the staff geologists, petroleum engineers, and attorneys regarding complex problems with contract terms and provisions, operating and unit agreements, and title settlements between the state and private landowners in order to determine timeliness and accuracy of mineral revenue payments.
• Contacts oil company personnel to resolve lease, proprietary interest and reporting problems, requests documentation and/or supporting working papers, explains audit findings and facilitates collection of all monies due.
• Develop and recommend changes to SONRIS in the area of lease and property management.
• Performs monthly audits, under supervision, of royalty for payor company accounts.
• Ensure that royalties submitted on new producing entities are properly paid from first production or the effective date of unitization and that the correct state of royalty interest was used in payment calculation.
• Verify that credit adjustments on itemized royalty reports are properly authorized according to limits and policy set by the state Mineral and Energy Board.
• Quantifies and documents discrepancies and audit exceptions.
• Prepares invoices and/or audit billings for additional royalty, legal interest and penalty, or administrative fees.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Position-Specific Details:

Appointment Type: Probational. This vacancy is being announced as a classified position and is open to all qualified applicants. This position requires the selected applicant to serve a minimum probationary period of twelve (12) months. A current, permanent status state employee may be required to accept a probational appointment in lieu of promotion. Additional Vacancies may be filled from this announcement within 90 days of the closing date.

Career Progression: This position may be filled from this recruitment as a Auditor 1, 2, or 3 depending on the level of experience of the selected applicant.

Work Schedule: Work hours are flexible.

Compensation: The salary offered will be determined based on qualifications and experience.

**Note regarding the advertised pay range: The maximum amounts listed are the maximum salary amounts a person can make at each level over their career and not the amount we are allowed to pay a new hire

How To Apply:

No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.

To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.

* Information to support your eligibility for the position must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.

For further information about this vacancy contact:

Human Resources

Department of Conservation and Energy

PO Box 94396

Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9396

Email: DNR-Recruiting@la.gov