Job Description

Job Description

The Right of Way Bureau within the Iowa Department of Transportation is looking to hire a Right of Way Agent 2! We are looking for someone to help acquire and negotiate agreements for public and highway projects with owners, tenants, and/or their representatives in compliance with state and federal requirements.

Our ideal candidate is sharp, an excellent communicator who is able to think on one’s feet! You must have the ability to work with individuals of all races and socioeconomic classes. In this role, you will represent the citizens of Iowa and will be the face of the Iowa Department of Transportation.

As a Right of Way Agent 2 , you are considered a journey-level agent with support provided from higher-level agents, the Production Coordinator, and/or the Acquisition/Relocation Supervisor. You will have the ability to set your own schedule for traveling in the state of Iowa.

Other duties will involve, but are not limited to:

• Negotiating non-voluntary (Eminent Domain) real estate transactions for Highway improvement projects.
• Working with individuals who are displaced by improvement projects through the Relocation Assistance program.
• Determine, calculate, and address the eligibility and appropriate level of benefits for displaced persons through interviews, considering present occupancy, family composition, and employment/financial situation.
• Document contacts and discussions through clear and concise reports, and assemble orderly files containing accurate, completed, signed paperwork that is organized in the files when the file or claim forms are submitted for processing.
• Ensure all necessary paperwork is accurate, completed, and present in the file so all claims may be processed.
• Inspecting land and buildings, including all types of topography and multi-story buildings, including non-ADA-compliant properties.

Location : Ames, Iowa

Shift Requirements : 40-hour workweeks, with travel and overnights. A flexible schedule is available.

Additional Requirements:

• Possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license
• Frequent, statewide multi-night travel

As a State of Iowa employee, you will be eligible for the following benefits:

• Competitive pay and benefits package including health, dental, flexible spending, and life insurance
• Insurance benefits start the first month following 30 days of employment, and costs can be reviewed here.
• Opportunities for professional growth and development.
• Paid time off effective immediately - biweekly vacation, separate sick leave, accruals rollover on a yearly basis, and 9 paid holidays per year.
• Iowa Public Employee Retirement System (IPERS) Retirement Package with employer match
• Optional 401A plan with employer contributions.
• Employee Discount Programs from a variety of vendors (vision, cellular, fitness, recreation, season passes, travel, counseling; legal, financial).

We encourage you to learn more about the State of Iowa Employee benefits and costs at the State of Iowa Employee Benefits Website!

You have the freedom to flourish in Iowa – Apply now!

The Iowa Department of Transportation is an equal-opportunity employer. If you require a reasonable accommodation in completing any screening, interviewing, pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the selection process, please direct your request to the Affirmative Action & Equal Employment Opportunity (AA/EEO) Officer at: aa-eeo@iowadot.us.

Reasonable accommodation, such as an interpreter, translator, written materials, modified equipment/devices, ADA access, etc. This does not include scheduling needs.

E-Verify and Right to Work
The State of Iowa participates in E-Verify, a federal program that helps employers confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. Within the required timeframe, new hires will be verified through the E-Verify system to ensure authorization to work in the United States. The State of Iowa also complies with the federal Right to Work l aws, which protect employees’ rights to work without being required to join a labor organization. For more information, please visit

Minimum Qualification Requirements

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's Degree and two years of Right of Way Agent experience in real estate appraisal, property acquisition, real estate sales or management, relocation assistance, right of way engineering, or other real estate or development support activity of comparable level;

OR

an equivalent combination of experience and education substituting of one year of the required full-time experience in real estate appraisal, property acquisition, real estate sales or management, relocation assistance, right of way engineering, or other real estate or development support activity for one year (30 semester hours) of the required education to a maximum substitution of four years;

OR

an equivalent combination of experience and education substituting one year of the required full-time experience in field-commissioned sales work, engineering survey, highway construction inspection, or as the manager of a business for one year (30 semester hours) of the required education to a maximum substitution of four years;

OR

an equivalent combination of experience and education substituting satisfactory completion of any American Institute of Real Estate Appraisers Course, Society of Real Estate Appraisers Course, American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers Course, or American Right of Way Association Course, or its equivalent for one year (30 semester hours) of the required college education with a maximum substitution of four years;

OR

Employees with current continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes eighteen months of full-time work as a Right-of-Way Agent 1.


For additional information, please click on this link to view the job description (Download PDF reader).

Additional Qualification Requirements

All positions in this classification travel extensively throughout the State of Iowa. All applicants for this classification must be able to obtain a valid driver's license.

Job Tags

Full time, Work at office, Immediate start, Relocation, Relocation package, Flexible hours, Shift work, Night shift,

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