Realty Specialist - Natural Resources Conservation Service

Summary This position is located in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The primary purpose of this position is to provide support and guidance in real estate laws, concepts, and principles relating to the acquisition, administration and enforcement of conservation easements. Responsibilities Serves as technical analyst and advisor to the Assistant State Conservationist, providing support and guidance in real estate laws, concepts, and principles relating to the acquisition, administration, and enforcement of conservation easements. Evaluates easement offers, prepares acquisition documents, and administers easements in accordance with the terms and conditions of the easement deeds and program regulations. Reviews real property title documents, appraisals and Easement Warranty Deeds and attachments, subordinates, affidavits, organizational documents, and other required documents to determine their correctness, adequacy, and completeness. Prepares documents and transmittals to title insurance companies, and working with State Program Manager, orders title commitments and final title policies. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade to be considered for the next higher grade (e.g. one year at the GS-09 grade level for consideration for the GS-11 grade level). Specialized Experience at the GS-11: To qualify for the GS-11 grade level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as assisting with acquisition, management or enforcement of conservation easements; assists with procuring, reviewing, and summarizing due diligence, including title, for the acquisition of conservation easements; assists with obtaining and reviewing documents for legal entities to determine program eligibility and performing review of legal surveys to ensure accuracy of descriptions and consistency. OR Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree -OR- Three full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree -OR- LL.M. if related. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. OR Possess a combination of graduate-level education and experience, as described above, which may be used to qualify for this position. This combination must have equipped you with the necessary knowledge and/or experience to successfully perform the duties of this position. Combinations of experience and education must total at least 100% as outlined in OPM Qualifications policy. Specialized Experience at the GS-12: To qualify for the GS-12 grade level, you must possess at least one year specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience includes but not limited to: acquisition, management or enforcement of conservation easements; procuring, reviewing, and summarizing due diligence, including title, for the acquisition of conservation easements and recommending the appropriate agency action on the basis of this review. This may be demonstrated by successfully acquiring defensible conservation easements or similar real property interests; obtaining and reviewing documents for legal entities to determine program eligibility and performing review of legal surveys to ensure accuracy of descriptions and consistency. Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-12 level. For more information on the qualifications for this position, click here: General Schedule Qualification Standards (opm.gov) 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 You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement. You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted. This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can verify accreditation via this link. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: 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. Click on this link for more information. Additional Information Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. 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. Physical Demands: The work is primarily office work and conferences, workshops and meetings, although some physical activity is required when conducting reviews, service trips, and project inspections. The work is primarily performed while sitting, but may require bending, walking, and standing while inspecting residences, office or storage space, or carrying light objects such as easement folders and contracts. Work Environment: The work environment involves normal, everyday risks generally associated with office andmeeting rooms. During field visits, there are risks associated with air travel, automobile travel,dust, and irritant insects. Where such conditions do exist, incumbent is expected to carry outapproved safety precautions. The work frequently requires the ability to function under pressure and with tight time restraints. PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following: If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted. If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline. Promotion Potential: 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 is 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. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.