Field Title Landman

Field Title Landman (Contract Position)
Paramount Field Services | Huntington, West Virginia

This is a contract position. Selected candidates will be engaged as independent contractors on a day-rate basis for the duration of the project. This is not a full-time or W-2 employee position and does not include employee benefits.

Position Details

- Position: Field Title Landman (Independent Contractor)

- Location: Huntington, WV (Cabell County), with regular travel to surrounding county courthouses

- Reports To: Title Project Manager

- Engagement Type: Contract, Independent Contractor (1099)

- Schedule: Monday through Friday, during courthouse hours

Position Summary

Paramount Field Services is seeking an experienced contract Field Title Landman to support an active oil and gas title project based in Huntington, West Virginia. The Field Title Landman will perform courthouse records research in Cabell County and surrounding counties to build accurate mineral and leasehold ownership chains for client acquisition, leasing, and drilling programs. This role reports directly to the Title Project Manager and is expected to produce clean, well-documented runsheets and ownership reports that meet project standards and deadlines.

Key Responsibilities

- Conduct mineral, surface, and leasehold title research in county clerk offices, including deed books, trust deed books, lease books, will books, fiduciary records, plat books, and miscellaneous records.

- Prepare current owner reports, two-party reports, and full mineral runsheets from sovereignty or from a client-specified starting point, as assigned.

- Trace severed mineral and royalty interests, including reservations, exceptions, undivided interest conveyances, and oil and gas lease assignments.

- Research West Virginia land books, assessor records, and tax status for mineral and surface tracts, and identify potential delinquent tax or redemption issues for review.

- Review estate and heirship records (wills, appraisements, fiduciary filings, affidavits of heirship) and document open or incomplete estates for curative follow-up.

- Identify liens, trust deeds, releases, judgments, lis pendens, and other encumbrances affecting the subject lands.

- Pull, scan, and index all supporting instruments with accurate book, page, and instrument references, following project naming and filing conventions.

- Enter research results into the project's designated title platform or tracker daily.

- Flag title defects, chain gaps, ambiguous legal descriptions, and potential curative items to the Project Manager. Legal conclusions and title opinions are reserved for the client's attorney.

- Submit daily production reports, time sheets, and expense reports as required.

- Maintain strict confidentiality of all client, landowner, and project information.

Area of Operation

Primary work will be performed at the Cabell County Courthouse in Huntington. Depending on project needs, assignments may also include courthouses in Wayne, Lincoln, Putnam, Mason, Logan, Boone, and Kanawha Counties, WV. Occasional work in Lawrence County, OH, or Boyd County, KY, may be required for ownership chains that cross state lines.

Required Qualifications

- Minimum of 3 years of oil and gas courthouse title research experience, with at least 1 year in the Appalachian Basin (WV, PA, OH, or KY).

- Demonstrated ability to run full mineral title and prepare accurate runsheets and ownership reports.

- Working knowledge of West Virginia recording practices, metes and bounds descriptions, and severed surface and mineral estates.

- Ability to calculate and track fractional mineral, royalty, and leasehold interests accurately.

- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and Adobe PDF tools, and ability to learn project-specific title software.

- Valid driver's license, reliable vehicle, and current auto insurance.

- Ability to pass a background check.

Preferred Qualifications

- RL or RPL designation through the American Association of Professional Landmen (AAPL), or active progress toward one.

- Membership in AAPL and a regional landmen's association.

- Prior Marcellus or Utica shale title project experience.

- Curative experience, including preparing affidavits and tracking open curative items.

- Familiarity with basic GIS or mapping tools for tract identification and plat review.

- Prior experience in Cabell, Wayne, or Lincoln County courthouses.

Working Conditions

Work is performed primarily in county courthouse record rooms and may involve extended standing, handling heavy record books (up to approximately 25 lbs), and working in older facilities with limited climate control. Daily regional travel is expected, and occasional overnight travel may be required.

Paramount Field Services is an equal opportunity employer. This is a contract position.