FSA Farm Loan Program Technician - AK, ID, MT, ND, NE, OR, SD, WA, WY
Summary
Farm Loan Program Technicians perform a wide range of technical and administrative duties related to loan processing, loan servicing, and office management in support of Farm Service Agency agricultural loan programs at the field office level.
Locations listed are to determine state preferences of applicants. Vacancies may occur at various duty locations throughout each state. Your application may be referred throughout the region, based on your preferences.
Salary range is $36,118 to $58,158 per year.
Applications may be submitted through USAJobs: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/648578900#
This job announcement is open to veterans or military spouses eligible under a non-competitive hiring authority such as Veteran's Recruitment Appointment, 30% or More Disabled Veterans, and Disabled Veterans Enrolled in a VA Training Program. Applicants seeking consideration for employment using FSA's competitive selection process or under other hiring authorities can apply to available job announcements via USAJOBs at: https://www.usajobs.gov/Search/Results?a=AGFA&p=1.
Duties
Assists the Farm Loan Chief, Farm Loan Branch specialists, Farm Loan Team managers, and District Directors on farm loan program procedural matters.Provides training to individuals and groups in the preparation and processing of loan documents and on loan procedural changes.Provides technical assistance to the Branch in processing bankruptcy and farm foreclosure cases.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.Males born after 12/31/59 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.Satisfactory background investigation and/or fingerprint check.Successful completion of probationary or trial period.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/.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.
For the GS-5 level:
- Four years of education above high school in an accredited business, secretarial or technical, junior college, college or university in any field in which high school graduation or the equivalent is a prerequisite; OR
- Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-4 level in the Federal service or private sector equivalent applying office methods and procedures to provide clerical and limited technical support to any program; OR
- A combination of post-high school education (in excess of the first 60 semester hours) and the specialized experience described above.
For the GS-6 level:
- One full academic year of graduate education or master's or higher level graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, statistics, or other fields related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology; OR
- Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-5 level in the Federal service or private sector equivalent applying office methods and procedures to provide clerical and limited technical support to process and service loans or agricultural programs.
For the GS-7 level:
- One full academic year of graduate education or master's or higher level graduate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, statistics, or other fields related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology; OR
- Applicant must have one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the GS-6 level in the Federal service or private sector equivalent applying office methods and procedures to provide clerical and limited technical support to independently perform a full range of farm loan program processes.
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date 05/03/2022 of the announcement.
For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here:
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.
You must also meet the eligibility requirements for veterans preference OR a special hiring authority for veterans to be referred under this announcement:
Veterans Preference:Agencies have broad authority under law to hire from any appropriate source of eligibles including special appointing authorities. Veterans preference gives eligible veterans preference in certain hiring actions, such as when considering VRA candidates. Only veterans discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions (i.e., with an honorable or general discharge) are eligible for veterans preference.
There are three types of preference eligibles:
- Disabled, regardless of the rating;
- Non-Disabled; and
- Sole survivorship preference
Preference eligible candidates are divided into five basic groups:
- CPS - Disability rating of 30% or more (10 points)
- CP - Disability rating of at least 10% but less than 30% (10 points)
- XP - Disability rating less than 10% (10 points)
- TP - Preference eligibles with no disability rating (5 points)
- SSP - Sole Survivorship Preference (0 points)
For more information on the types of veterans preference, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/???????.
Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans:Below is a list of special hiring authorities designed specifically for veterans. For more information, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans/???????.
Veterans Recruitment Act (VRA): VRA allows for the appointment of eligible veterans without competition from non veterans. This hiring authority can be used for positions up to GS-11 or equivalent. Veterans are hired under excepted appointments to positions that are otherwise found in the competitive service. After the individual satisfactorily completes 2 years of service, the veteran must be converted non-competitively to a career or career-conditional appointment. Eligibility under the VRA hiring authority applies to any of the following veterans:
- Disabled veterans; or
- Veterans who served in active duty in the Armed Forces during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized; or
- Veterans who, while serving on active duty in the armed forces, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces Service Medal was awarded; or
- Recently separated veterans (within 3 years).
In addition, veterans must be separated from the Armed Forces under honorable or general discharge.
30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans:The 30 Percent or More Disabled Veterans authority enables the appointment of an eligible candidate to any position for which he or she is qualified without competition. Unlike the VRA, there is no grade-level limitation. Initial appointments are time-limited, lasting more than 60 days; however, individuals can be non-competitively converted to a permanent status at any time during the time-limited appointment. Eligibility applies to the following categories:
- Disabled veterans who were retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more; or
- Disabled veterans rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) as having a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more
- Military Spouse Appointing Authority: You may be eligible for an appointment under the Military Spouse Appointing Authority if you are a spouse of: 1) an active duty member of the armed forces; 2) a service member who is 100% disabled due to a service-connected injury; or 3) a deceased service member of the armed forces. Each of these categories has different eligibility criteria that must be met. Individuals applying for consideration under this authority MUST provide the applicable supporting documentation (e.g., documentation verifying marriage, copy of your spouse's active military orders, DD-214, copy of a statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs or a branch of the military certifying the service member's service-connected disability rating, DD-1300, etc.). You are no longer eligible if you remarry.
Education
College Transcript: If you are qualifying based on education, submit a copy of your college transcript that lists college courses detailing each course by the number and department (i.e., bio 101, math 210, etc.), course title, number of credit hours and grade earned. You must submit with your application package evidence that any education completed in a foreign institution was appropriately accredited by an accredited body recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. Education standards. You may submit an unofficial copy of the transcript at the initial phase of the application process; however, if selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Please refer to the "How to Apply" section for instructions on submitting the transcript.
Additional information
- Duty location will be determined at the time of selection. You may be considered for opportunities throughout the state(s) to which you apply. Multiple vacancies in various locations throughout each state may be filled.
- Locality Pay: The salary for each location may vary depending on locality. Locality tables may be found at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/.
- For more information on applying under special hiring authorities such as the Veteran's Recruitment Act (VRA), 30 percent disabled veterans, certain military spouses, explore the different Hiring Paths on the USAJOBS website.
- 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 be eligible for telework within the local commuting area of the position and other flexible work arrangements. Current USDA policy includes telework for an 8 hour work day, 4 days per week; other flexibilities are possible dependent upon availability and/or the position and its associated duties. Employee participation is at the discretion of the supervisor.