Right-of-Way Agent

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play and learn. For more information about Placer County, please visit www.visitplacer.com.

This recruitment is open until filled. In order to be considered during the first round of screening please submit your application by 5pm on Tuesday October 13th. Following this date, applications will be screened on a bi-weekly basis.

Placer County’s Department of Public Works has a current vacancy for a full-time Right-of-Way Agent in the Public Works Engineering Division located in Auburn, CA. The candidate will be responsible for working with our engineering staff in Tahoe and Auburn to identify right of way and easement needs, property rights, utility rights, and all manners of public and private easements as they pertain to our capital improvement and maintenance projects.  In addition, the candidate would be responsible for assisting with the Caltrans right of way process and ensure that all acquisitions and easements conform to federal, state, and Placer County requirements.

The candidate will also work with members of the public in negotiating and acquiring various property rights and will also be involved with the abandonment of right of way or easements upon requests from property owners when it is appropriate.  While the position is located within the Department of Public Works, coordination with the Community Development Resources Agency is frequent as developments are often required to dedicate easements, rights of way, or may request abandonments as part of their development plans.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view General benefits

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer, please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To acquire the right-of-way for public works road and utility projects, to coordinate with other divisions or departments involving real property acquisitions and/or appraisals, negotiations with property owners, coordinating purchases through escrow, title work, property management and disposition and other related right of way activities; and to provide highly responsible technical support and assistance to division and department management personnel.

This is an advanced journey specialized class.  Employees assigned to this class perform the full range of duties.  Employees in this class exercise a high degree of independent judgment in the performance of the more difficult, complex, politically sensitive and specialized work related to property appraisal and land acquisition for transportation and non transportation related projects.

Receives administrative direction from the Public Works Manager, Deputy Director, Assistant Director and Director of Public Works.  Exercises direct supervision over professional, technical and clerical staff involved with right-of-way acquisition, property management and property disposition activities.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Prepares and reviews right-of-way acquisition schedules and monitors right-of-way expenditures and performs right-of-way contract administration functions and related activities.
• Examines engineering plans and property maps to determine extent of property requirements for property/land acquisitions.
• Prepares, directs and reviews real property appraisals provided under contract.
• Negotiates complex and/or difficult contract terms regarding real property transactions with property owners, businesses, private parties, or other government agencies, recommending settlement terms and course of action to County officials.
• Appraises real property for total or partial acquisition or for cost estimates coordinating title and escrow activities associated with property and land acquisitions.
• Attends Board of Supervisor meetings and presents related information as required.
• Maintains or directs the maintenance of accurate real property records and files.
• Assists in policy and procedure development and implementation of right-of-way section program activities.
• Plans, assigns, and provides direction and reviews the work of technical staff performing duties in the area of property appraisal and acquisition.
• Assists in the preparation of the right-of-way component of the Engineering Division budget.
• Provides consultant contract management to the Engineering Division and/or assistance to engineering staff as related to right-of-way activities.
• Participates in pretrial and trial proceedings with legal representative and concludes negotiations on settlements made during such proceedings for property/land acquisitions associated with right-of-way issues.
• Assembles and analyzes data for and prepares land economic and feasibility study reports.
• Prepares special reports and performs special assignments for DPW and non-DPW administrators.
• Serves as primary real property liaison with other county departments, other counties, municipalities, federal, state and private agencies.
• Prepares technical reports and correspondence relating to right-of-way matters.
• Prepares, administers and supervises consultant lists when required.
• Assists other county departments in their real property needs.
• Processes requests for real property easement abandonments, and sales.
• Responds to public inquiries regarding easements and real property.
• Builds and maintains positive working relationships with co-workers, other county employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training: Any combination of experience and education that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Four years of responsible journey level experience in real estate appraisal and acquisition.

Training: Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in economics, business administration, real estate or a related field supplemented by specialized training in real estate law, real estate practices, and real property appraisal or a related field.

License or Certificate:

• Possession of, or ability to obtain prior to the completion of the probationary period, a Senior Right-of-Way Agent Designation from the International Right-of-Way Association.
• Ability to obtain Notary Public Commission.
• May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• Laws, regulations, and procedures pertaining to the acquisition, and disposal of public lands, and the acquisition and termination of easements and access rights.
• Principles and practices of real property appraisal, negotiation, acquisition, and disposition.
• Principles and practices of management, including program planning, implementation and administration.
• Condemnation and real property law.
• Appraisal and engineering practices and terminology related to land surveying and property acquisition.
• Principles and practices of real estate law, transactions and finance.
• Land title and escrow processes.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job; intermittently analyze work papers, reports and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe and problem solve operational and technical policy and procedures. 
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk for long periods of time; intermittently twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use telephone and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means; regularly lift heavy weight.
• Appraise or cost estimate difficult and complex property for acquisition.
• Prepare accurate appraisals of all types of real property interests including the application of severance damages.
• Prepare Board resolutions, legal documents and notices related to property acquisition and condemnation.
• Plan and direct relocations in compliance with the Uniform Relocation Act.
• Prepare right-of-way certifications in accordance with State of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) directives.
• Interpret maps, engineering plans and legal documents pertaining to real property.
• Interpret, explain, apply and enforce applicable laws, rules and regulations.
• Access, input and analyze data using a computer and related software.
• Perform real estate related calculations.
• Negotiate price and other terms of real property acquisition or use.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.