Loan Assistant/Speclst (Agrl)

Farm Service Agency • Hopkinsville, KY

18d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is with the Farm Service Agency, Deputy Administrator for Field Operations, Kentucky State Office, with a duty station in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The selectee assists the Farm Loan Manager in administering farm loan programs in a USDA Service Center serving one or more counties. The position is developmental and includes on-the-job and classroom training in farm loan program administration. After completing the training program, Farm Loan Officers may be reassigned to a different duty station if workload activity changes or vacancies occur.

The role involves interviewing loan applicants, reviewing applications, and making preliminary inquiries to gather facts and assess applicant eligibility. It also provides technical advice, guidance, and credit counseling to applicants and borrowers. The employee applies knowledge of farm financing and credit, financial management, farm operations, land use and value, crop and livestock production, and prices and markets in the farming areas served.

Employment is subject to federal requirements, including background investigation and continuous vetting, a one-year probationary period, direct deposit, and successful completion of E-Verify. The position is eligible for telework as determined by agency policy. Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized. The position is non-bargaining-unit. The announcement describes qualifications at GS-5, GS-7, and GS-9, with qualifying education and/or experience requirements that vary by grade.

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.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation and/or fingerprint check, and continuous automated vetting of criminal, financial, and public-record databases.
• Must serve a one-year probationary period and receive written certification of continued employment to remain employed after that period.
• Must use direct deposit for federal payments.
• Must successfully pass E-Verify employment verification.
• Applicants must meet the applicable eligibility and qualification requirements by the announcement closing date and clearly document experience in the application and resume.
• GS-5 qualification may be met through three years of general experience, including one year equivalent to GS-4; a qualifying bachelor's degree; or a combination of qualifying education and experience. The described general experience involves gathering and analyzing facts and figures and presenting conclusions clearly, or knowledge of financial analysis or insurance principles and laws.
• GS-7 qualification may be met through one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-5; one full year of qualifying graduate education; superior academic achievement with a qualifying bachelor's degree; or a combination of qualifying education and experience. Specialized experience involves basic knowledge of agricultural loan examination or servicing and farm operations, land, production, prices, and markets.
• GS-9 qualification may be met through one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-7; a master's or equivalent graduate degree or two full years of qualifying graduate education; or a combination of qualifying education and experience. Specialized experience involves agricultural loans, credit analysis and servicing, and knowledge of farm operations, land, production, prices, and markets.
• Current federal GS employees seeking 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 accepted equivalency documentation and English-language transcripts or translation.
• If selected, official transcripts must be provided before entering on duty when education is used to qualify.

Responsibilities

• Conduct interviews with loan applicants, review loan applications, and make preliminary inquiries to gather facts and assess applicant eligibility.
• Provide technical advice, guidance, and credit counseling to loan applicants and borrowers.
• Apply knowledge of farm financing and credit, financial management, farm operations, land use and value, crop and livestock production, and prices and markets in serviced farming areas.
• Assist the Farm Loan Manager in administering farm loan programs in a USDA Service Center serving one or more counties.
• Complete on-the-job and classroom training in farm loan program administration.

Benefits

• Comprehensive federal employee benefits package, with benefits eligibility dependent on position type.
• Recruitment and/or relocation incentives may be authorized.

What This Job Offers

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