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Area Technician

Department of Agriculture
Agriculture, Rural Development
This job announcement has closed

Summary

USDA is a great place to start or continue your career. USDA is ranked as one of the top 10 "Best Places to Work in the Federal Government" by the Partnership for Public Service. Rankings are based on employee feedback regarding satisfaction with their work experience.

There are 3 vacancies to be filled via this announcement. One position located in Prescott Valley, Arizona, and the other two will be one each for any two of the following: Yuma, Show Low, Willcox or Phoenix Area Office.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/25/2018 to 10/01/2018
Salary
$37,223 - $53,733 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 06 - 07
Locations
3 vacancies in the following locations:
Phoenix, AZ
Prescott Valley, AZ
Show Low, AZ
Willcox, AZ
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - 1 - 5 Days
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-Time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
07
Supervisory status
No
Drug test
No
Announcement number
DEU-AZ-2018-0601
Control number
511990400

Duties

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Incumbent provides technical information, assistance and guidance to applicants, borrowers, lenders and others concerning eligibility and other requirements for loans, grants, and/or loan guarantee programs administered by USDA Rural Development. 

  • Reviews and analyzes various loan/grant-making and related documents for completeness and accuracy.  
  • Explains programs to customers and responds to technical inquiries from internal or external customers.
  • Responsible for assigned loan/grant servicing functions, which may include researching payment information, monitoring delinquency and/or foreclosure reports or processing fee payments.
  • Makes underwriting recommendations to the Loan Specialist when required.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • US Citizenship is required

•  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.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including the following specialized experience and/or education, as identified by grade level. 
 
For GS-06 Grade Level: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: the use of specialized clerical assistance to perform a full range of standard and non-standard assignments resolving a variety of non-recurring mortgage loan/grant problems and including a variety of assignments having different unrelated steps, processes, or methods such as processing mortgage loan/grant transactions for credit programs, commercial, real estate, or other loan/grant programs having similar characteristic but requiring the use of different steps, procedures or methods to complete the process. Experience may have been gained in work comparable to examining mortgage loan/grant program applications for completeness, discrepancies, meeting eligibility requirements, and other special requisites and working with legal instruments and documents, such as mortgages, deeds, titles, liens, promissory notes, and contractual obligations; processing loan payments, debt collection, or other similar work. There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-06 Level. 

For GS-07 Grade Level: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06; or its non-Federal equivalent that demonstrates: evaluative judgment within well defined, commonly occurring aspects of more than one type of functional specialization such as processing transactions for various and unrelated credit programs, commercial, real estate or other mortgage loan programs. Assignments operate using different sets of rules, regulations, and procedures and knowledge of such procedures is usually attained through extensive, increasingly difficult, and practical experience with the programs worked. Other types of qualifying experience may include review of financial documents ensuring compliance with loan agreements and legal descriptions, or other types of complex mortgage loan making or servicing experience. There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-07 Level.

Note: For more information on the qualification for GS-1101 series, click here: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PIP

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.

Additional information

•  BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION AND FINGERPRINT CHECK:  Selection and retention in this position is contingent on a successfully adjudicated FBI National Criminal History Check (fingerprint check) and a background investigation.
•  Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): For information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL or ICTAP eligibility see http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
•  Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of your choosing.
•  E-Verify: Federal law requires agencies to use the E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. If you are selected as a newly hired employee, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS E-VERIFY system. Under the system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.
•  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.
•  If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.
•  This position is eligible for telework and other flexible work arrangements.
•  A 1-year probationary period is required.
•  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).
•  Locality pay will be set based on duty location of selectee.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Managements (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of two or three categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies

  • Knowledge of Loan and/or Grant Making Servicing Policies and Procedures
  • Skill in Planning, Scheduling, and Organizing Work
  • Knowledge of Computer Applications
  • Oral Communication
  • Written Communication
  • Office Skills
Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Those determined to be in the best qualified category will be referred to the selecting official for consideration.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your rating may be lowered to more accurately reflect the submitted documentation. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply Online" button to the right.


To view the application form, visit: https://rhs.usda.ntis.gov/cp/?event=jobs.previewApplication&jobid=030444F2-2F8F-4727-9B6A-A95B00A9E056

Agriculture, Rural Development

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Agency serves rural communities throughout the country by investing in their communities through housing and utility infrastructure, by increasing economic opportunity, and by improving the quality of life for all rural Americans.  Rural Development provides over 40 loan and grant programs in the Rural Housing and Community Facilities Services, Rural Business and Cooperative Services, and Rural Utilities Service. Rural Development supports a positive work environment and promotes diversity and inclusion for nearly 5,000 employees.

Rural Development is a dynamic organization recruiting for employees who possess the energy, compassion, and commitment to serve those in rural communities and will enjoy working in a fast paced and results driven organization.  Our commitment is to expand economic opportunity and quality of life in all of rural America by providing financial programs to support essential public facilities and services such as water and sewer systems, housing, health clinics, emergency service facilities and electric and telephone service.  Rural Development offers a friendly and professional working environment and such excellent benefits as: a generous salary, alternative work schedules, paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, retirement and supplemental savings plan, a wide array of health, dental, vision, and life insurance plans, flexible spending accounts, and long-term care insurance.

Agency contact information

Freeman Ryland
Phone
314-457-5559
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
freeman.ryland@stl.usda.gov
Address
USDA Rural Development
Please read entire announcement
Please apply online, 63120
USA

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