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Loan Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Benefits Administration
Loan Guaranty Services (Loan Production)

Summary

This Loan Specialist position serves as a Loan Production technical expert in the administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loan Program. The purpose of the position is to perform a wide variety of administrative and technical duties in support of Loan Production. The incumbent is responsible for developmental and routine assignments in the administration of the VA Home Loan program.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/26/2026 to 03/04/2026
Salary
$52,727 to - $111,966 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Locations
11 vacancies in the following locations:
Phoenix, AZ
Denver, CO
Saint Petersburg, FL
Atlanta, GA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
11
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CASK-12878265-26-JMF
Control number
859113500

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens.

Duties

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  • Review submitted documentation including VA forms, resolving data discrepancies, to make eligibility determinations and issue Certificates of Eligibility (COE).
  • Review the underwriting of loan applications submitted to VA for guaranty in order to ensure lender compliance with VA underwriting guidelines and regulations such as fees and charges.
  • Answer incoming calls and personally handle inquiries, through personal or written contacts, to guide, counsel, and instruct program participants on aspects of the VA Home Loan program, while ensuring prompt and courteous service.
  • Recommend approval or disapproval of restoration of entitlement, release of liability, and substitution of entitlement applications; and audit releases processed and approved by lenders, requesting additional documentation as necessary.
  • Maintain records and controls in compliance with established procedures; prepare reports and quality control reviews; and perform all functions relative to the maintenance of lender files to include lender monitoring and underwriter approvals.
  • Underwrite complex loan applications by analyzing the financial capacity of joint mortgagors, marginal loan applicants, Veterans who receive pensions, income based on operations of business firms, multi-family housing rentals, or unstable incomes.
  • Collect, research, analyze, interpret, retrieve, and input data for/from a variety of computer systems including Microsoft Word, Excel, SharePoint, and Salesforce applications.
  • Conduct training and outreach with individual lenders throughout assigned areas to survey operations; and meet with underwriters, processors, loan originators, and loan closers/shippers to ensure compliance with all VA Home Loan program directives.
  • Complete post guaranty loan reviews and based on findings from the review, notify mortgage lenders of technical errors, any actions necessary for correction, and make recommendations of specific training needs.
  • Provide preliminary recommendation for Funding Fee refunds by researching computer systems and the Funding Fee Payment System (FFPS).
  • Maintain section registers, logs, feeder information, and other systems of records needed for quality control and reports. Establish and maintain a diary system to ensure all required actions are completed in a timely manner.
  • Resolve problems, which occur with coding of loans into Loan Production computer systems while protecting data from unauthorized release, loss, alteration, or deletion.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
  • Selectees are subject to a background/suitability investigation.
  • Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • A complete application package must be submitted: resume, transcripts, etc.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  • As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
  • We may consider your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; and whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government and efficiency of the Federal service.
  • Upon completion of your probationary or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 03/04/2026.

Note: All applicants must meet both the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) and the Specialized Experience as defined below:

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR):

Experience
Experience that demonstrated competence in agricultural, commercial, realty, or other types of loans. Experience may have been gained in such work as reviewing and passing upon applications for agricultural, commercial, bank or mortgage loans; servicing a loan portfolio of a bank or other loan association; performing financial analysis of commercial concerns for investment purposes; appraising real estate to determine property valuation; or similar work.

OR

Education
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.

In addition to the IOR, applicants must possess specialized experience or education as described below:

Specialized Experience:

To qualify at the GS-09 grade level: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-07). Specialized experience is work experience that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience underwriting loan applications and making eligibility determinations for mortgage loans.

OR

Applicants may substitute education for experience to qualify at the GS-09 grade level:Applicants must have a master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related. This graduate degree or education must demonstrate the KSAs to do the work of this position. If you are claiming to qualify based on your education, your application must include an official or unofficial copy of graduate level transcripts that demonstrate this information.

OR

Applicants may combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-09 grade level: Applicants may combine specialized experience and education beyond one full year of graduate level education. If you have some, but not all, of the graduate education described above AND less than one full year of the specialized experience described above, you may qualify by combining the amount of creditable education and experience that you do have. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-09. To calculate, first identify the education you have earned beyond your first year of study as a percentage of a total of two years of study. Then identify the number of months of specialized experience you have as a percentage of 12 months. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent in order to be qualifying. For example, an applicant who has 27 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required beyond the first 18 credit hours earned) and who has 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e., 50% of the one year of specialized experience required) would meet 100% and thus be qualified for the position. If you are claiming to qualify based on your education, your application must include an official or unofficial copy of graduate level transcripts that demonstrate this information.

To qualify at the GS-11 grade level: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-09). Specialized experience is work experience that equipped the applicant with the KSAs to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience auditing and performing quality review of mortgage loans, analyzing data from various programs to underwrite a variety of mortgage loans, and making eligibility determinations on a variety of loan types or grants.

OR

Applicants may substitute education for experience to qualify at the GS-11 grade level:Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three full years (54 semester hours or 81 quarter hours) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M, if related. This graduate degree or education must demonstrate the KSAs to do the work of this position. If you are claiming to qualify based on your education, your application must include an official or unofficial copy of graduate level transcripts that demonstrate this information.

OR

Applicants may combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-11 grade level: Applicants may combine specialized experience and education beyond two full years of graduate level education. If you have some, but not all, of the graduate education described above AND less than one full year of the specialized experience described above, you may qualify by combining the amount of creditable education and experience that you do have. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grade GS-11. To calculate, first identify the education you have earned beyond your first two years of study as a percentage of a total of three years of study. Then identify the number of months of specialized experience you have as a percentage of 12 months. Add the two percentages. The total must equal at least 100 percent in order to be qualifying. For example, an applicant who has 45 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required beyond the first two years) and who has 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e., 50% of the one year of specialized experience required) would meet 100% and thus be qualified for the position. If you are claiming to qualify based on your education, your application must include an official or unofficial copy of graduate level transcripts that demonstrate this information.

Note: 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; religions; 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 you document, to include volunteer experience.

Education

An unofficial or official copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

Additional information

Applicants can only apply to one location.

This is not a virtual or remote position. Relocation expenses are not approved for this vacancy. Applicants who apply and are selected for locations outside of their local commuting area are responsible for all costs associated with a move to the new official worksite.

Work Schedule: Regular office hours, Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM. Alternate work schedules may be available.

Physical Requirements: The work is usually sedentary but does involve standing, walking, bending or carrying of objects up to 50 pounds, and the operation of a motor vehicle. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. The full performance level of this position is grade GS-11.

VA supports the use of telework as a way to help attract and retain talented individuals in public service, increase worker productivity, and better prepare the agency to operate during emergencies. This position may be authorized for teleworking. Telework eligibility may be discussed during the interview process. Telework is subject to approval by individual supervisors and managers, is considered a privilege not a right, is subject to approval based on performance and other varying factors, and is not guaranteed.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

Placement Policy: The posting of this job opportunity announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

Under the "Fair Chance to Compete Act", the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants who do not fully address in their resumes the specialized experience needed for the position (as described in the job announcement), or who do not possess the education to substitute for it, will not be referred for further consideration.

If you are referred for consideration you will be rated on the following competencies (KSAs) based on your application for this position:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Problem Solving
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Real Estate
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
You may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include responses to the KSAs identified in the job opportunity announcement; and/or completion of a work sample; and/or an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or your further consideration for employment.

After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. During our review, if your resume and application package does not support your questionnaire answers, we will adjust your rating accordingly.

Your application will be evaluated using the category rating method based on your responses to the assessment questions and the documents you submit. If you meet the basic requirements for the position, your application will be evaluated and placed into one of three categories:
  1. Best Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrate a high level of the KSAs necessary to perform the duties of the position.
  2. Well Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the minimum qualification requirements and demonstrate a satisfactory level of the KSAs necessary to perform the duties of the position.
  3. Qualified Category - Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications requirements.
Note: Candidates eligible for Veterans' preference will be placed ahead of other candidates in the appropriate category for which they have been rated. Additionally, preference eligible candidates who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent and who meet the minimum qualification requirements will automatically be placed in the best qualified category.

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