Loan Assistant/Specialist (Agricultural)

Farm Service Agency • Waite Park, MN

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is with the Farm Service Agency (FSA), Minnesota State Office, in Waite Park, Stearns County, Minnesota. The role is developmental and includes on-the-job and classroom training in the administration of farm loan programs. The employee assists the Farm Loan Manager in administering farm loan programs at an FSA Service Center serving one or more counties. Farm Loan Officers must successfully complete the Farm Loan Training Program and may be reassigned to another training office during training. After completing the program, they may be reassigned to a different duty station if workload changes or vacancies occur. The position is eligible for telework as determined by agency policy.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• Males born after December 31, 1959, must be registered with Selective Service or exempt.
• Must pass the required background investigation and/or fingerprint check and continuous vetting.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period.
• Must use direct deposit for federal payments.
• Must pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Applicants must meet the applicable basic and grade-level qualification requirements for the GS-5, GS-7, or GS-9 level through qualifying education, experience, or an allowed combination.
• Qualifying education may include study in finance, business administration, economics, accounting, engineering, mathematics, banking and credit, law, real estate operations, statistics, agriculture, agricultural economics, farm or ranch management, livestock management, or related fields.
• GS-5 general experience, when used, requires three years of general experience, including one year equivalent to at least GS-4, involving gathering and analyzing information and presenting conclusions clearly, or knowledge of financial analysis or insurance laws.
• GS-7 specialized experience, when used, requires one year equivalent to GS-5 involving basic knowledge of loan examination or servicing, financial factors and credit risks for agricultural loans, and farm operations, land use and value, crop and livestock production, and local prices and markets.
• GS-9 specialized experience, when used, requires one year equivalent to GS-7 demonstrating competence in agricultural loans, independent examination of loan applications and supporting materials, credit assessment, loan servicing, and knowledge of farm operations, land use and value, production, prices, and markets.
• Current federal GS employees applying for promotion must meet the 52-week time-in-grade requirement by the announcement closing date.
• Applicants qualifying based on education must provide transcripts; foreign education requires acceptable equivalency documentation and English-language transcripts or translation.

Responsibilities

• Interview loan applicants, review loan applications, and make preliminary inquiries to develop factual information used to assess applicant eligibility.
• Provide technical advice, guidance, and credit counseling to loan applicants and borrowers.
• Apply knowledge of agency farm loan programs and eligibility requirements.
• Apply knowledge of farm financing and credit, financial management, farm operations, land use and value, crop and livestock production, and prices and markets in the serviced farming areas.
• Assist the Farm Loan Manager in administering farm loan programs at an FSA Service Center serving one or more counties.
• Complete the Farm Loan Training Program, including on-the-job and classroom training.

Benefits

• Federal employees receive a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on position type.
• Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level