The incumbent serves as a Realty Specialist and provides support and expertise relating to real estate laws, principles, and concepts associated with easement program acquisition, administration and enforcement. The incumbent works with Programs or Easement staff supervised by the Assistant State Conservationist for Programs or Assistant State Conservationist for Easements.

Duties

Serve as technical advisor to State Conservationist on real estate laws, concepts and principles relating to easements, administration and enforcement of easements. Assist with real property activities such as negotiating/reviewing easement deeds; developing/reviewing modifications to easement deeds; developing subordination agreements; reviewing title commitments; and conducting easement closings. Complete staff work, report work-related issues and provide expertise and counsel to State representatives and agency colleagues. Influence and motivate all related parties to abide by terms of complex authorizing documents using determination, accuracy and persistence. Provide training on applicable rules, regulations, policies and guidance to field staff and State managers. Communicate clearly and tactfully to assist in the preparation of documents as well as for problem resolution.

Requirements

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check. If selected you will be sent instructions on obtaining fingerprints. Please note we are not able to reimburse any fees incurred for fingerprints.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• 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 E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/.
• Must possess and maintain a valid state motor vehicle operator's license for the type of vehicle(s) operated to perform the duties of this position; requires operating a motor vehicle on public/private roads during the day and sometimes after dark.

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. .Applicants must meet the following Minimum Qualifications Requirement in order to be considered: Specialized Experience for 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: Assists 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 reviews 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 for GS-12: To qualify for the GS-12 level, you must possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 level or higher in Federal service, or comparable experience not gained through Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Performing duties regarding the acquisition, management or enforcement of easements; Procuring, reviewing and summarizing due diligence, including title, for the acquisition of easements and recommending the appropriate 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 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

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
You must submit a copy of your transcripts to include course number, title, completion and grade. 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. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 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.

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.

Failure to provide all of the required documents/information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Contacts

• Address Natural Resources Conservation Service 1400 Independence Ave SW Washington, DC 20250 US
• Name: Diane Desipio
• Phone: (484) 786-7305
• Email: [email protected]