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Loan Specialist (Commercial)

Department of Agriculture
Agriculture, Rural Development
STATE OFFICES, OFFICE OF CONNECTICUT, MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND STATE DIRECTOR/STAFF

Summary

The Loan Specialist (Commercial) is responsible for providing statewide leadership, guidance and review in Community and/or Business Programs. Making and Servicing loans and grants for the community facilities, public utilities, and/or businesses.

Applications will only be accepted from current, permanent Rural Development employees.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 08/07/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on August 7, 2026
Location
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$69,905 - $97,087 per year

Salary listed above is based on the Rest of United States pay scale. Salary will be adjusted upon final determination of duty location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 9 - 11
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
IMP-CT-MA-RI-13016733-2026
Control number
878725000

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted only from current permanent USDA Rural Development employees with competitive status; and CTAP/RPL eligible candidates.

Duties

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  • Duties are at the full performance level. Technical expert that uses delegated responsibility for the development, management, coordination and administration of an assigned loan and grant program portfolio(s).
  • Conducts evaluation reviews of state-wide performance to determine the effectiveness of the Community and/or Business Programs services provided, adhering to program objectives.
  • Provides guidance to Area Offices on application of new and/or revised Rural Development loan practices and procedures. Prepares standard operating procedures and provides technical oversight of Area Offices.
  • Provide assistance to employees in the analysis of loan and grant applications. Analyzes loan and grant applications for eligibility conformance with Rural Development statutory regulations, policies, procedures and practices.
  • Loan Approval and Closing- Prepares written loan approval determinations or recommendations for loan approval and submit to approving official as appropriate.
  • Loan and Grant Servicing-Provides a wide variety of servicing actions for assigned portfolio(s) as appropriate. Conducts field site visits to determine a project's conformance with loan requirements; evaluates and prepares environmental data.
  • Marketing and Outreach-Develops, implements, and coordinates a broad and aggressive marketing and outreach program to support all assigned programs within the servicing area.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.
  • 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 depending on your appointment type, unless previous federal service is creditable. During this time your employment will be evaluated, and we may consider: your performance and conduct, the needs and interests of the agency, whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government, and whether your continued employment would advance the 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

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below

Time in Grade: Current federal employees applying for a promotion opportunity must meet the time in grade requirement of 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the position being filled.

For the GS-09 level: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07; or its non-federal equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as assisting higher-graded loan specialists with loan making, servicing, and underwriting duties; regularly examining loan applications, supporting documents and credit reports to make determinations to applications; processing loans up to the point of final review and approval by a specialist with loan approval authority; maintaining servicing activities of semi-complex loans and/or grants; performing assigned portions of financial credit analysis before a loan/grant is approved.
OR
Masters or equivalent graduate degree in a related field, or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LLB or J.D., if related (see qualifying fields of study below).
OR
a combination of education as described and specialized experience.

For GS-11 level: Applicants must have 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09; or its non-federal equivalent. Specialized experience is defined as demonstrating an understanding of complex mortgage or commercial loan making/servicing; analyzing credit principles and practices in order to assess the fundamental soundness of business loans and loans to corporate and/or municipal entities; examining applications and corporate financial documents to maintain servicing activities on a variety of mortgage and commercial loans.
OR
Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree
OR
3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related
OR
a combination of education as described and specialized experience.

Individual Occupational Requirement: Experience that demonstrates 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.

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

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all, or part of your qualifications on education.

Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Major study -- in 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.

Additional information

  • The salary range is based on the "Rest of the US" scale and will be adjusted to reflect locality pay for the location in which selection is made OPM Salaries and Wages.
  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP/RPL eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP 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 applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
  • If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report.
  • 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.
  • This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
  • Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.

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.

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13016733

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

Corrina Ortiz
Email
corrina.ortiz@usda.gov
Address
Rural Development
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US

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