Right of Way Agent

The role:

We are looking for a right of way agent to join our team in Bend. We need someone who has an eye for property and is interested in traveling throughout Region 4 – Central Oregon. In this role, you will prepare all types of appraisals and real estate valuations to establish the fair market value of properties needed for right of way, mitigation sites, district, park facilities and other public uses. You will play an important part in highway improvement projects from the beginning proposal through construction. You will also follow up with property owners and those relocated after project completion. Apply today!

We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our positions and hope you will join us on our path to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are an agency that embraces social equity through our values, strategic planning, and actions. Leaning into our equity priorities means we continually examine what we do, the impact we have, and our progress toward weaving social equity into who we are. To learn more about our social equity commitments, visit our Social Equity website.

If you are a current State of Oregon employee, you must apply through your employee Workday profile.

A day in the life:

• Negotiate to acquire real estate for ODOT and other governmental agency construction projects.
• Prepare for meetings with owners by reviewing files, construction plans and researching issues.
• Hold conferences with owners, attorneys or owners’ representatives.
• Discuss areas of disagreement, devise solutions, make decisions, write agreements and notarize documents.
• Conduct property inspections and prepare appraisals of real estate to be acquired for ODOT and other governmental agency construction projects.
• Perform valuation of large and difficult industrial and commercial properties and perform valuation of partial interests where the impact of the acquisition is difficult to measure.
• Contract with independent fee appraisers and other right of way professionals and provide guidance to contractors.
• Assist local government officials and the general public.
• Prepare written reports on appraisal, acquisition and relocation activities.
• Appear as an expert witness in eminent domain cases and administrative relocation appeal hearings.
• Work in an office environment with hybrid remote work options available. Work requires frequent in state travel, walking long distances, walking on rough terrain and working a flexible schedule.
• To request a copy of the position description, which includes all duties and working conditions, please email ODOTRecruitment@odot.oregon.gov.

What’s in it for you:

• Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, flexible work schedules, remote work opportunities, competitive benefits packages and so much more. Click here to learn about working at the Oregon Department of Transportation.
• Live, work and play in Bend, Oregon!

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What we need:

Three years of experience in any of the following areas: appraising property for market value; acquiring real estate and managing property transfer transactions; relocating displaced individuals and businesses; managing property for a large or complex organization; or managing transportation projects that involved the purchase, sale or appraisal of property.

OR

A bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, forestry, agriculture, civil engineering, geology, geography, real estate, communications or related degree.

Driving is an essential function of this position. You must have a valid driver license and an acceptable driving record. We will conduct pre-employment driving records checks on our final candidate(s). Your license does not have to be issued in Oregon to be considered.

What we’d like to see:

If you have these qualities, let us know! It’s how we will choose whom to move forward!

Note: You do not need to have all of these qualities to be eligible for this position. 

• Establish and maintain professional and collaborative working relationships with coworkers and contacts.
• Contribute to a positive, respectful and productive work environment.
• Experience establishing relationships with property owners to reach common goals.
• A current notarial commission.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills that includes courtesy and tact.

How to apply:

• Before applying, click here to visit our applicant information website to learn more about our process.
• Complete the following required steps:
  • Fill out the application or attach a resume. Please contact the recruiter under the ‘Need help?’ section if you have any questions about how to fill out the experience fields or to attach a document. Your submitted experience fields or attached resume must include dates (MM/YYYY) for each employer.
  • Attach a cover letter. Your cover letter should clearly demonstrate how your experience and training relates to the qualities that you have under the “what we’d like to see” section above.
    • Your cover letter must be limited to no more than two (2) pages.
    • Please address your cover letter to Jenny Adkins, Right of Way & Survey Manager.
    • Generic cover letters and/or cover letters that do not address the qualities that you have under the “what we’d like to see” section may receive lower scores than those that addressed the desired qualities.
    • If you are an internal applicant, you must upload your cover letter in the ‘Resume/Cover Letter’ section of the application.
    • If you are an external applicant, you must upload your cover letter in the ‘Resume/CV’ section of the application.
  • Complete questionnaire. Answer the checkbox-style questions before submitting your application.
• After you submit your application, please respond to the public records request authorization and gender identity questionnaire. This screen will come after you submit and will complete the process. If you are an employee, the tasks will come to your Workday inbox.
• If you are a veteran, you may receive preference. Click here for more information about veterans’ preference. The task to claim preference will come before the public records request and gender identity questionnaire tasks. Click here for a guide on how to upload your documents. For privacy reasons, please do not attach your DD214/DD215/civil service preference letter to your application or combine it with any other required document attachments.

Need help?

• For questions, call 503-910-6372 or email ODOTRecruitmentCC@odot.oregon.gov.

Additional information:

• We may also use other factors to help us decide who will move forward, such as transferable skills, experience, education, and alignment with ODOT values.
• We do not offer visa sponsorship. If you are hired, you will be required to fill out the US Department of Homeland Security’s I-9 form confirming you are able to work in the US. We are not an E-Verify participating employer.
• Don’t attach extra documents. We will only look at documents that we ask for.
• We may use this recruitment to fill multiple or future vacancies.
• We will conduct name-based criminal background checks on final candidates, including current ODOT employees. All applicants may be subject to additional pre-employment check(s) such as driver license, LEDS (Law Enforcement Data System), and/or education verification as required for the position.
• You will be represented by the Association of Engineering Employees of Oregon (AEE).

Human Resources/Recruitment, MS12
355 Capitol St NE
Salem OR 97301-3871
Fax 503-986-3895

ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or any other class protected by state or federal laws in admission or access to our programs, services, activities, hiring, and employment practices. Applicants with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. For questions, concerns, or complaints regarding EEO/AA/ADA, contact 1-877-336-6368 (1-877-EEO-ODOT). This information can be made available in an alternative format by contacting ODOT Recruitment at 503-986-3700. Oregon Relay Service can be reached by calling 7-1-1.