Summary This position is located in a State or Area Office in USDA/Rural Development (RD). This is a developmental position with duties designed to provide training and development to prepare the incumbent for advancement to a higher level Loan Specialist position. This position may be eligible for hiring incentives. Initial cutoff date for referral consideration will be 5/30/2024. This position is not remote or virtual. The employee will be expected to report in person to the assigned duty location. Responsibilities Assists in analyzing financial and credit data documents to make eligibility, feasibility, and credit-worthiness determinations on program applications. Assists reviewing file for completeness and compliance with all prescribed regulations and practices before loan closing. Meet with other lenders and potential borrowers to explain Rural Development programs and requirements. Prepare conditional commitments, funding commitments and notifications of loan closing, and certificates of eligibility. Requirements Conditions of Employment Qualifications Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the cut-off dates of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. GS-5 level: Applicants must possess three (3) years of general experience, one of which was equivalent to at least the GS-4 grade level in the Federal service performing work in support of loan making and/or servicing duties such as providing information to applicants, inputting information into automated systems, and preparing files and reports - or - work experience that demonstrated and/or developed a knowledge of the principles of financial analysis, or insurance laws such as contract, property, life, casualty or marine insurance. OR Bachelor's degree in a related field such as finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance, engineering, mathematics, etc. OR 4 full years of progressively higher-level education leading to such a degree. Equivalent combination of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. GS-7 level: Applicants must possess one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: Basic knowledge of loan examining and/or servicing principles, procedures and techniques as they apply to investigation, analysis, and evaluation of financial factors and credit risks in relation to the granting and servicing of mortgage loans. Experience may have been gained in work equivalent to furnishing general information concerning loan programs, eligibility requirements, financial and credit requirements; reviewing loan applications for eligibility and financial soundness; and analyzing information provided by loan applicant and making recommendations to a higher-level loan specialist about loan eligibility. OR Completion of one full year of graduate level education OR Bachelor's degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA). Equivalent combination of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. Superior Academic Achievement is based on (1) class standing, (2) grade-point average, or (3) honor society membership. 1. Class standing - Applicants must be in the upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, based on completed courses. 2. Grade-point average - Applicants must have a grade-point average of: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on their official transcript, or as computed bases on 4 years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final two 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 or the required courses in the major field completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum. 3. Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate operations, statistics, or other fields related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology. NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-1165 series set forth in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement. A copy is available at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards 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 and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Education Additional Information To be eligible for appointment to this position, the new hire must be cleared to come on board once the results of the fingerprint check, review of the OF-306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and the candidate's Electronic Questionnaires for Investigations Processing (eQIP) entries have been reviewed and determined to be satisfactory. This position requires a favorable credit check as part of the background investigation. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc) should contact: USDA's TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD). If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed. One of the following incentives may be offered: - Student Loan Repayment incentive. - Relocation incentive. - Recruitment incentive. - Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual incentive. - Superior Qualifications Appointment. This is an open continuous vacancy announcement that is actively being used to fill current and future vacancies. To receive consideration for vacancies, applicants must submit a complete application prior to the established cut-off date(s). The initial cut-off date will take place on May 30, 2024 to begin the initial applicant consideration. Applications received after this date will be considered only if needed for future vacancies. The cut-off dates are May 30, 2024; June 10, 2024; June 24, 2024; July 8, 2024; July 22, 2024; August 05, 2024; and August 17, 2024. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible. This announcement will remain open until the closing date indicated; If you make corrections and resubmit your application, the date the application is last submitted will be used to determine those who are considered to have met the cut-off date. NOTE: The period of eligibility for applications is throughout the announcement until the closing date or until 500 applications are received for each location. Applicants will be referred periodically throughout the announcement period at any time a vacancy becomes available, and selections may be made at any point during the announcement open period. The agency will issue a list of eligible applicants to hiring officials within the period of eligibility. Applicants may make changes to applications to ensure experience is current. This position may be eligible to telework up to four days per week, based upon the duties of the position. This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements. The State Office of New York is a bargaining unit state. Selectees hired in the State Office of New York will be hired in a bargaining unit position under AFGE Local 2381 Bargaining Unit 1990 and is therefore eligible for labor organization representation.
