Loan Assistant (Realty)

Summary

The Loan Assistant (LA) will work as a member of the Loan Administration Value Stream. The incumbent will monitor performance of loan servicers/holders that service VA-guaranteed loans in accordance with Title 38, USC to protect the interests of the U.S. Government.

Duties

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

Requirements

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 and evaluation

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: 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. 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. 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.

Education

An unofficial or official copy of your transcripts must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ 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. For further information, visit: https://www.ed.gov/about/initiatives/international-affairs/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the Application Preview and submit the documentation specified in the required documents section above. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13024958 The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date 08/07/2026 to receive consideration The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about two (2) hours o take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at: https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/hiring-information/merit-hiring-plan-resources/applicant-guidance-on-the-two-page-resume-limit/

Required documents

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.

Additional information

Applicants can only apply to one location. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Inform...) The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.