Right of Way Agent I

Salary : $63,663.80 - $111,411.89 Annually
Location : 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, MD 20646, MD
Job Type: Full-time
Job Number:
Department: COUNTY ATTORNEY
Opening Date: 10/29/2026
Closing Date: 11/12/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

Summary
The hiring salary for this position is $63,663.80 annually.

Telework eligibility is determined by county policy and the approval of the hiring department.

The Right of Way Agent position is a non-supervisory position that provides support for easement acquisitions to support infrastructure projects as part of the Property Acquisition and Right of Way Division. This position reports to the Right of Way Program Manager/Right of Way Agent II and is tasked with valuation and acquisition of fee simple and easement land rights. This position primarily supports Capital Services, Public Works/ Utilities, and Infrastructure Management county-funded projects.
Performs technical real estate work in support of the County's Right of Way program. Researches property records; obtains appraisals; negotiates acquisitions with property owners and their attorneys or representatives; and prepares, reviews, and processes easement and right-of-way documentation submissions. Ensures compliance with applicable codes, standards, regulations, and contracts for all projects.

Essential Job Functions

• Research land records and assessment records regarding ownership of property, transfer of property, easements, liens, and other encumbrances. Uses mapping software when needed to determine property boundaries.
• Assists with determining the nature of property or infrastructure and analyzing project, right-of- way, or easement needs through consultations with appropriate parties such as engineers, project or program managers, and developers. Discusses options, provides comments, and offers recommendations for project needs or to resolve issues.
• Reviews construction plans and right-of-way acquisition plats for compliance with County requirements and provides comments to Right of Way Program Manager. Supports supervisory personnel with inspections of properties by collecting or analyzing information such as market value, location, and building or replacement costs to determine or verify appraisal value and identify real estate trends.
• Computes or reviews final estimation of property values, taking into consideration such factors as depreciation, replacement costs, value comparisons of similar properties, and income potential.
• Generates or reviews written appraisal reports that estimate property values, outline estimation methods, and conform with appraisal standards. Obtains and reviews title abstracts.
• Assists with preparing requests for approval of appraised values from appropriate authorities. Explains assessed values to property owners and negotiates acquisitions with property owners and their attorneys or representatives as directed by supervisory personnel.
• Supports supervisory personnel with preparing presentations of acquisitions for public hearings.
• As directed, initiates actions to acquire property; proofreads documents such as option contracts, offer letters, and Right of Entry Agreements; and ensures documents are properly prepared, executed, and recorded. Coordinates with attorneys and engineers as needed to obtain additional information or revise documents.
• Assists with preparing Condemnation Resolutions when required. As directed, provides documentation for filing the condemnations cases, schedules and notifies appropriate parties of pretrial condemnation meetings, and attends court mandated sessions with counsel on behalf of the County.
• Verifies submittals and invoices for payment of title abstracts, appraisals, and services.
• Prepares and maintains data on each parcel assessed, including maps of boundaries, inventories of land and structures, property characteristics, and any appliable exemptions.
• Updates appropriate records and acquisition logs.
• Researches or verifies information about County property as requested by other County departments, agencies, and offices; engineers; and the public.
• Interacts and communicates with contractors, regulatory or oversight agencies, citizens, and other agencies or parties in response to requests for information, to explain work requirements, or to provide technical assistance.
• Leads or participates in meetings with citizens, contractors, and coworkers or on committees as needed or requested.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Education and Experience:

Associate degree in Business Administration, Real Estate, or related field. Three (3) years of progressively responsible real estate, paralegal, or title experience; or an equivalent combination of education, experience, and training

Licenses or Certifications:

Must possess a valid driver's license.

Notary Public issued by the Maryland Office of the Secretary of the State is required.

Special Requirements/Qualifications:

Maintain confidential information.

Subject to work beyond the normal scheduled hours of work.

Work is subject to frequent interruptions and inflexible deadlines.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of basic real estate laws, regulations, principles, and practices and legal procedures, requirements, and documentation applicable to leasing, sale, purchase, reuse, disposition and condemnation of real estate and rights-of-way.
• Knowledge of the principles of land economics, appraisal methods, and analysis used to value different types of commercial, residential, or farm property.
• Knowledge of County and State laws governing eminent domain and contract real estate law for the acquisition of rights-of-way by purchase, lease, or condemnation.
• Knowledge of zoning, planning, land subdivision, and land development processes and the existence of and implications of various zoning classes.
• Knowledge of engineering concepts and techniques relative to the acquisition of rights-of-way and easements.
• Knowledge of financial analysis techniques and software used for the review and analysis of information related to real estate acquisitions and dispositions.
• Ability to negotiate standard purchase, sale, and lease agreements on behalf of the County in its role as landlord, tenant, purchaser, or seller.
• Ability to apply the principles and techniques of real estate appraisal.
• Ability to read and understand deeds and other instruments of real estate conveyance.
• Ability to interpret abstract titles and property and engineering maps, plats, and plans.
• Ability to set, prioritize, and achieve goals.
• Ability to successfully communicate, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to actively listen to property owners, attorneys, engineers, coworkers, and supervisor.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Skill to evaluate costs and benefits of potential actions to determine the most appropriate solution.
• Skill to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions.
• Skill to prepare accurate records and reports.

Additional Information
PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The work is mostly sedentary with periods of light physical activity. Typical positions require employees to walk or stand for long periods; lift and carry up to 20 pounds; climb stairs; bend, reach, hold grasp, and turn objects; and use fingers to operate computer or typewriter keyboards. The work requires the ability to speak normally and to use normal or aided vision and hearing.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Principal duties of this job are performed in a general office environment.
Department: County Attorney's Office/Property Acquisition and Right of Way

Pay Grade: 113

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Telework Eligible: Yes

Reports to: Right of Way Program Manager

Supervises :None

BENEFITS SUMMARY
Health Insurance
Charles County Government PAYS 70% of cost: Blue Choice Advantage and HMO Open Access plans, including prescription and vision coverage. CareFirst and Delta for dental coverage.

Flexible Spending Account
Provides medical and dependent care options.

Supplemental Income Products
Accident Policy, Critical Illness Policy, and Hospital Indemnity Policy.

Long Term Disability Insurance
No charge to employee. The benefit pays 60% of salary at date of disability, up to $5,000/month.

Life Insurance
No charge to employees (valued at 1.5x the annual salary, not to exceed $250,000). Supplemental insurance and dependent life insurance are available for an additional cost. Term and whole life policies available.

Pension Plan (Defined Benefit Retirement Plan) 401(a) Plan - Must work minimum 37.5 hrs/week. Participation is mandatory.

Deferred Compensation Plan
457(b) Governmental Plan - Available to all employees, regardless of hours worked.

Employee Leave
• Charles County Government full-time employees earn annual, sick, and paid time off (PTO).
• The County currently recognizes 20 paid holidays throughout the calendar year.
• Away from work programs like paid parental leave and FMLA are available to employees.

Transfer of Sick Leave
New hires may be eligible to receive credit for up to 400 hours of sick leave from their previous employer when they begin employment.

Work Schedules
• Most work weeks are 37.5 hrs, and some positions may offer the opportunity for flexible work schedules or allow telework.

Additional Fringe Benefits
• Tuition Reimbursement for full-time employees upon completion of probation period
• Discounted, Onsite Childcare at a County Government facility.
• House Keys 4 Employee Program offers assistance to full-time employees who are first-time homebuyers.
• Free, Employee Wellness Programs
• Legal Resources (prepaid benefit)
• Pet Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (free, short-term counseling)

Benefits eligibility is for employees who work 30 hours or more per week unless otherwise noted. Effective: March 1, 2026
01

How many years of full-time equivalent professional experience in real property negotiation, disposition and/or evaluation do you possess? Please describe.
02

How many employees have you supervised in the past?
03

How many years of experience do you have reviewing and/or evaluating engineering plans and plats?
04

How many years of experience do you have reviewing and/or evaluating real property title reports and/or real property appraisal reports? Please describe.
05

How many years of experience do you have in valuing land rights and creating project cost estimations? Please describe.
06

How many years of progressively responsible experience do you have in the acquisition of land rights for complex capital projects? Experience includes field review of public properties, drafting easements and agreements, working with Architect/ Engineer consultants, reviewing vertical and horizontal plan sets, and communication with commercial, quasi-governmental and governmental entities. Please describe.
07

Do you have experience with the following systems? List all that apply. Cartegraph, Energov, ArcGIS, CSS Self Service, BlueBeam, OneDrive.
08

Do you have any certifications or designations through IRWA or another property acquisition group? If so, please list them.
09

The hiring salary for this position is $63,663.80 annually. Internal candidates selected for this position will receive a salary according to the county's promotional pay increase policy. Please confirm that you are acknowledging this is the salary for this position.

• I acknowledge this is the salary for this position.

10

The position you are applying for requires an acceptable driving record. The Charles County Government employee driving policy states that employees will be considered to have an acceptable driving record if ALL of the following statements are true: - I do not exceed a maximum of four (4) points on my driving record. - I do not have a suspended or revoked license. - I do not have a single motor vehicle violation, conviction, or plea of Nolo Contendere, or the acceptance of Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) involving the use of alcohol, illegal drugs, refusal to take an alcohol or drug test, or the misuse of legal over-the-counter medication for any of these violations. - I have not demonstrated a pattern of unsafe vehicle operation as evidenced by moving violations or single infraction of such severity (e.g., eluding a police officer; evading responsibility; failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk, reckless driving, etc.).According to these guidelines, do you have an acceptable driving record?

• Yes
• No

11

For the top candidate selected for this position, the next steps in the hiring process will include verification of employment history and reference checking. We will contact your current employer and two additional professional references following a conditional offer. We will also conduct a background check, driver record check and physical exam, if applicable, and pre-employment drug and alcohol screening before a final offer is extended. Please confirm that you are acknowledging that if you are the top candidate selected for this position, the steps described above will be taken during the hiring process.

• I confirm that I am acknowledging that if I am the top candidate selected for this position, the steps described above will be taken during the hiring process.

12

Are you a federal employee recently affected by a layoff/reduction in force?

• Yes
• No

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