Loan Assistant (Realty)

Clarification from the agency

All U.S. Citizens

This position will be assisting loan specialists in loan administration activities such as investigations, risk analysis, credit risk, application examination, interviewing and the application of Federal laws and VA guidelines. The incumbent will develop the skills and abilities necessary to perform the duties outlined in the Loan Specialist GS-1165-09/11 position descriptions.

• Possesses superior knowledge of the principles, practices, concepts and theories of law (Federal and State), regulations, and policies as they relate to the servicing and liquidation of VA guaranteed loans.
• Reviews and evaluates the borrower's ability (or lack thereof) to reinstate a delinquent loan as well as the borrower's potential to repay the loan.
• Conducts audits of loan servicers' adherence to VA regulations and guidelines as they relate to the following work processes: Servicer completed workout and loss mitigation options and Servicer completed loan modifications
• Reviews servicer completed "Net Value" determinations to ensure compliance with VA established calculation requirements and credit to Veterans' accounts.
• Reviews claims under guaranty (initial, appealed, and supplemental) and the transfer of custody and recommends approval of payments. For claims under loan guaranty and the holder's final accounting submitted on terminated VA guaranteed loans, reviews the electronic loan docket and supporting documents so that the loan and claim are in compliance with VA regulations and guidelines.
• Analyzes post audits to determine if payments were appropriate. In the event a holder fails to comply with the regulations governing liquidation of a guaranteed loan through negligence or mistake, the Loan Technician determines if the guaranty is adversely affected or if the security has suffered a decline in value. Depending upon the extent of the violation makes recommendations as to the proper course of action.
• Follows-up on title documents concerning loans being acquired by VA under 38 CFR 36.4318. Reviews title documents for accuracy and completeness and forwards completed package with recommendation to VA's legal counsel final approval.
• Utilizes considerable judgment in researching and evaluating such factors as income, reliability of income, current and estimated expenses, credit rating, self-employment earnings, property values, condition of property, real estate trends, and real estate law related to titles, mortgages, liens, etc.
• Supplements the servicer's/holder's efforts in servicing VA guaranteed loans through phone contacts, correspondence, and face to face interviews in an effort to resolve the problem or to cure the default and minimize liquidations and VA losses.
• Instructs services/holders on VA requirements for servicing delinquent VA accounts and procedures to be followed in establishing repayment and forbearance plans, initiating foreclosures, termination by voluntary deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure, processing compromise "short" sales, completing modification agreements, VA Purchases under 38 CFR 36.4318, and the filing of claims.
• Communicates clearly and competently with Veterans, real estate attorneys, mortgage banking industry professionals, and services/holders in discussing VA regulations and procedures, and their effects on home retention options, purchase agreements, compromise "short" sales, voluntary deeds, mortgages, loan modifications, mortgage foreclosures, property values, bankruptcy, loan assumptions, releases of security and liability, entitlement, and VA Purchases under 38 CFR 36.4318.
• Performs other duties as assigned commensurate with the level of responsibilities contained in the position description, which may include special projects, attending meetings and/or training seminars, or speaking before groups.

Promotion Potential: The full performance level of this position is grade GS-11.

Work Schedule: Full time, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
Compressed/Flexible: Available
Telework: This position is eligible for situational (ad hoc) telework only. The selectee is required to report to the official duty station each scheduled workday. Telework may be approved only on a case-by-case basis with supervisory approval. Routine or recurring telework is not authorized for this position.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description Title/PD#: Loan Assistant (Realty)/PD42001A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required
Bargaining Unit: Yes

Conditions of employment

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may 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. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, 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. Additional Conditions of Employment are as follows:

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• You may be required to serve a probationary or trial period
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements I-9 Acceptable Documents.
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this job opportunity announcement, 08/07/2026.

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

Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR):

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.

OR

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.

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

Specialized Experience:
To qualify at the GS-07 grade level: Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade (GS-05) in the federal, state, local, public, or private sector. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Performing technical assignments that involved serving as a trainee studying and examining loan programs, the provisions and applications of regulations, decisions, procedures, legislation and other guidelines governing the various loan program functions in specific phases of loan program activities. Experience may have been gained in such work as collecting and verifying applications for agriculture, commercial, bank or mortgage loans; servicing a 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

Applicants may substitute education for experience: Undergraduate Degree with Superior Academic Achievement. If you have been awarded a bachelor's degree in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate operations, statistics, or another field related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology, from an accredited college or university AND that degree demonstrates one of the following Superior Academic Achievement provisions, you may qualify in full for this position without any experience:
a. Ranked in the upper 1/3 of your college class or major subdivision; or
b. Earned election to a national scholastic honor society that meets the requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies other than freshman honor societies; or
c. Earned a grade point average (GPA) of 2.95 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on all completed undergraduate courses, or all undergraduate classes completed during the final two years; or earned a GPA of 3.45 or higher on a 4.0 scale based on all completed undergraduate courses in your major, or all undergraduate courses in your major, completed during the final two years.

Regarding the Superior Academic Achievement provisions, if more than 10% of your undergraduate course work (credit hours) was taken on a pass/fail or similar basis, you can qualify only on the basis of your class standing or membership in an honor society. If you qualify based on your education, you must include a copy of your college transcript along with your application. If you are selected for the position, an official college transcript will be required when you begin work.

OR

Applicants may substitute graduate education for experience: Applicants must have at least one full academic year of graduate level course work from an accredited college or university with major study in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, insurance, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate operations, statistics, or another field related to the position, such as agriculture, agricultural economics, farm, livestock or ranch management, or rural sociology. One year of full-time graduate education is normally determined by the school you attended. If that number cannot be determined, then 18 semester hours (or 27 quarter hours) should be considered equivalent to one academic year of graduate study. Part-time graduate education is creditable on a pro-rata basis. If you qualify based on your education, you must include your college transcript along with your application to support your claim. If you are selected for the position, an official college transcript will be required when you begin work.

OR

Applicants may combine education and experience: Applicants may combine graduate level education and specialized experience to qualify for the position. If you have some, but not all, of the graduate education (as per the IOR requirements identified in this section of the announcement, as noted above) AND some specialized experience as described above, you may still qualify by combining the amount of creditable education and experience that you do have. To do so, first calculate the percentage of qualifying education you have as a percentage of the education required. Next, calculate the percentage of specialized experience you have as a percentage of the experience required. Then, add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100% for you to qualify for the position at the grade GS-7 level. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate education (i.e., 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of acceptable specialized experience (i.e., 50% of the experience required) would satisfy the qualification requirements for the position. If you qualify based on a combination of graduate education and specialized experience, you must submit a copy of your official or unofficial college transcript with your application.

Volunteer Experience: 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, including volunteer experience.

Full vs. Part-Time Employment: Full-time employment is considered to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience will be credited on a pro-rated basis; when including part-time employment in your resume you must specify the average hours worked per week.

Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary, although some slight physical effort may be required.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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 (knowledge, skills and abilities) based on your application for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Flexibility
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Stress Tolerance

You will also be rated on the following agency-specific competencies (KSAs):

• Customer Service
• Problem Solving
• Self-Management
• Technical Competence

You may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities identified in the 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 résumé 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.

Required Documents:
Resume (limited to 2 pages):

• You must provide a resume detailing your specialized experience and competencies relevant to the position.
• For qualifications determinations your resume must reflect hours worked per week, the inclusive dates of employment, and the level of your experience. If your resume does not reflect this information, you will not receive credit for the experience.
• If you submit more than one copy of your resume, the most recent version will be reviewed. The latest timestamp will be used to determine which version of your resume is "most recent." It is your responsibility to check the status and timestamp of all documents you submit as part of your application. We would recommend that you do not submit more than one version of your resume.
• If your resume includes a photograph or other inappropriate material or content, we will not use it to make eligibility and qualification determinations, and you may not be considered further for the vacancy.

Accepted Documents:

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• CTAP/ICTAP Documents
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Proof of Marriage Status
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Transcripts

• If you are basing all or some of your qualifications on education or if a degree is required for the position, a transcript must be included as part of your application package.
• An unofficial transcript may be submitted, however, it must reflect the course names, levels, credits earned, grades received, and degree conferred if applicable.
• If you are claiming Superior Academic Achievement ensure you submit transcript(s) to demonstrate it. The requirements for superior academic achievement can be viewed: Here
• Your transcript (official of unofficial) must reflect the degree conferred date if you are substituting a degree for experience.
• A photocopy of your degree is not acceptable in lieu of a transcript.
• An official transcript will be required at a later date if you are selected for the position.
• Whenever possible it is preferable that you submit copies of official transcripts. Unofficial transcripts may lack essential information necessary for a full evaluation of your qualifications.

Applicants claiming Veterans' preference must also submit:

• A legible copy of your DD Form 214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," showing all dates of service, as well as character of service (Honorable, General, etc.) is required. The member copy 2 or 4 of your DD Form 214 is preferable, as they show the characterization of service. Copies of DD-214s can be requested from the National Archives.
• Current active duty members must submit a signed statement of service from their commander dated within the last 120 days that reflects their expected discharge date, their release from active duty under honorable conditions, any medals awarded, and the timeframe of their service so that eligibility can be determined.
• Veterans or others (spouse, parent, widow, widower) claiming 10 point preference must also submit an SF-15 and all documents indicated on the form as proof of type of preference. This includes a VA letter supporting your disability claim with the overall percentage listed.
• If you are unsure as to whether you qualify for Veterans' preference, please consult the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Preference Advisor.

Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP eligibility must also submit:

• Certification of expected separation or reduction-in-force separation notice,your most recent performance evaluation, and an SF-50 demonstrating your separation or the position you will be separated from; or
• Worker's compensation separation (agency certification of inability to place employee and notification of separation or a separation SF-50; or
• Disability annuity termination (notification from OPM of disability annuity termination and separation SF-50 of the last position held); or
• Military reserve or National Guard technician special disability retirement annuity under 5 U.S.C. 8337(h) or 8456 (certification of special disability retirement annuity from a military department or National Guard bureau and separation SF-50 of the last position held).

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure that all required documents have been submitted by the closing date of the job opportunity announcement. You will not be contacted for additional information.

Next steps

Additional locations