Senior Real Estate Appraiser
for section headings (e.g. About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule). Overview is not listed but we can treat as maybe "About the role"? The posting has Overview section describing role. Could use About the role
. Then Responsibilities, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay. Also maybe "Why MSA" could be part of Benefits? But we should only include sections with real content. The posting includes "Why MSA" which is about culture; could be considered Benefits? But we have Benefits section later. We could include a section "Why MSA" as maybe not in list but we can include as Why MSA
if we want. However instruction says use for section headings (e.g. About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule). It doesn't forbid other headings, but suggests those are typical. Safer to stick to those headings. We can map Overview to About the role. Responsibilities as is. Qualifications as is. Skills as is. Benefits and Pay: there is a "Pay & Benefits" section with compensation range and benefits. We need separate Pay and Benefits sections only if posting actually states them. It does state compensation range and benefits list. So we can have Pay
with compensation range, and Benefits
with list of benefits. Also maybe Schedule? Not present, so omit.
We must not repeat job title as heading. No Job ID. Remove boilerplate: EEO etc. Remove duplicated lines. Remove application instructions. Also remove employee testimonial? It's part of Overview? It's a quote; could keep as part of Overview? It's substantive? It's a testimonial; maybe keep as part of Overview? It's not boilerplate; it's a quote from employee. Could keep within Overview paragraph.
We need to preserve all substantive information. So include details: MSA Professional Services overview, employee-owned, history, etc. Responsibilities bullet list. Qualifications bullet list. Skills bullet list. Pay: compensation range. Benefits: list items.
We must use - for any list of duties/requirements/benefits. Use
for prose.
We must not include filler like "commensurate with experience" in Pay section? Actually that is part of compensation range: "Compensation Range: $79,000 - $126,500 (commensurate with experience)". The instruction: never emit a heading followed by filler/placeholder text (e.g. "commensurate with experience", "not specified", "N/A", "varies", "TBD") and never create Pay/Schedule/Benefits sections unless the posting actually states them. It says never emit a heading followed by filler/placeholder text. That means if we have a Pay section, we must not have just filler text; we must have actual content. The phrase "commensurate with experience" is not filler? It's a qualifier but still part of the range. It's okay to include. The instruction says never emit a heading followed by filler/placeholder text (e.g. "commensurate with experience", ...). That suggests that if the only content under Pay is "commensurate with experience" (i.e., no actual numbers), that's not allowed. But we have actual numbers, so it's fine.
We need to output only HTML fragment, no /, no markdown.
Let's craft:
About the role
MSA Professional Services is seeking a Senior Real Estate Professional to lead right of way acquisition activities for transportation and municipal improvement projects. This role is designed for an experienced right of way professional who can independently manage complex acquisitions, work directly with property owners and clients, and provide technical guidance to other members of the team. You’ll oversee the acquisition process from property research and owner negotiations through settlement and transfer of clear title. You’ll also serve as a trusted resource for complex right of way issues and help clients navigate acquisitions efficiently while balancing project needs, property-owner concerns, and regulatory requirements. MSA specializes in the sustainable development of communities and is proud to be 100% employee owned. With roots reaching back to 1919, MSA has grown from a rural land survey company into a multidisciplinary network of nearly 550 engineers, architects, planners, funding experts, surveyors, GIS experts, environmental scientists, and more who are committed to making communities better places to live, work, and play. Come join the ownership team here! Employee Testimonial: "As an employee-owned company (100% ESOP), working at MSA is not just a job. We're genuine co-owners, and this ESOP setup promotes a culture of collaboration and engagement throughout MSA because we all have a direct financial interest as owners." -Project Engineer - Transportation, Cedar Rapids Office
Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee right of way negotiations and acquisitions for transportation and municipal improvement projects
- Research property titles, verify legal descriptions, interpret right of way plats and construction plans, and explain proposed projects and property impacts to owners
- Negotiate just-compensation settlements, identify affected parties, explain eminent domain rights, and develop solutions to complex acquisition issues
- Prepare and secure acquisition documents necessary to transfer clear title and maintain accurate negotiation and project records
- Serve as a primary point of contact for property owners, clients, project managers, appraisers, review agencies, and other stakeholders
- Build rapport with property owners while addressing complex questions and concerns professionally and independently
- Advise project teams and clients on right of way best practices, risks, settlement considerations, and opportunities to improve efficiency
- Communicate negotiation and acquisition status to project teams and clients and identify issues requiring additional attention
- Independently manage multiple acquisition assignments while maintaining project schedules, task lists, quality, and status reporting
- Provide technical leadership and guidance to other real estate professionals
- Mentor less-experienced team members and provide informal oversight as appropriate
- Recognize and address complex issues involving relocation, access, severance damages, cost-to-cure considerations, litigation appeals, and other right of way matters
Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED required
- Must be on a governmental list of approved right of way specialists or certified by a state board to complete real estate acquisition for public improvement projects
- Real Estate Sales or Broker License preferred
- 8+ years of relevant right of way experience
- Demonstrated experience independently managing negotiations and acquisitions for public improvement projects
Skills
- Strong knowledge of the Federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act and applicable state right of way acquisition statutes
- Ability to interpret right of way plats, construction plans, title information, legal descriptions, and acquisition documents
- Strong negotiation, interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
- Ability to navigate complex property-owner issues and develop practical solutions independently
- Strong organization and ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
- Ability to mentor colleagues and collaborate effectively with clients, project teams, and public stakeholders
Pay
Compensation Range: $79,000 - $126,500 (commensurate with experience)
Benefits
- Flex Time: Work 42 hours this week? Have 2 hours added to your Flex Time balance to use as time off in the future
- ESOP: Receive MSA stock shares annually, at no cost to the employee
- Medical, dental & vision insurance for you, spouse, domestic partner, and eligible dependents
- At least 17 days PTO (higher pending experience) + 8 paid holidays
- Paid parental leave regardless of birth parent
- 401(k) plan with company matching
- Short‑term incentive program for annual bonus opportunities
- Company‑paid life & disability insurance
We should also maybe include "Why MSA" content? It's already covered in Overview and Benefits. The "Why MSA" bullet list includes: 100% employee‑owned firm with 100+ years of community impact, Collaborative culture..., Flexible work‑life integration, Ongoing learning..., Commitment to fostering..., Included on the "ENR Top 500 Design Firms" for over 27 straight years. Some of these are already in Overview (employee-owned, history). But we could incorporate them into Overview or Benefits. However we must preserve ALL substantive information. The "Why MSA" bullet list includes items not elsewhere: Collaborative culture with in-house experts for all disciplines across the firm, Flexible work‑life integration, Ongoing learning and professional growth opportunities for all positions, Commitment to fostering a work environment where employees have a strong sense of inclusion and belonging, Included on the "ENR Top 500 Design Firms" for over 27 straight years. Some of these are partially covered: Overview mentions employee-owned, history, multidisciplinary network. But not collaborative culture, flexible work-life integration, ongoing learning, inclusion/belonging, ENR Top 500. We should include them somewhere. Could add a section "Why MSA" as Why MSA
with a . But instruction says use for section headings (e.g. About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule). It doesn't forbid other headings, but suggests those are typical. Safer to incorporate into Benefits or About the role. However Benefits section is for benefits like insurance, PTO, etc. The "Why MSA" items are more about culture and firm reputation, not benefits per se. Could add a separate section "Why MSA" as it's substantive. The instruction didn't say we cannot add other headings; it just gave examples. It said "Use for section headings (e.g. About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule)." That implies we should use those headings for those sections if they exist. It didn't say we cannot use other headings. But to be safe, we could add a Why MSA
as it's a legitimate section. The instruction didn't forbid it. It said "Use for section headings (e.g. About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule)." That could be interpreted as "when you need a heading, use and you can use those examples". So we can use Why MSA
. Let's do that.
We need to ensure we don't repeat content. We'll add Why MSA after Benefits maybe before Pay? Order not important but logical: About the role, Responsibilities, Qualifications, Skills, Why MSA, Pay, Benefits. Or Benefits then Pay. We'll keep Pay then Benefits as they appear.
Let's incorporate Why MSA bullet list:
- 100% employee‑owned firm with 100+ years of community impact
- Collaborative culture with in-house experts for all disciplines across the firm
- Flexible work‑life integration
- Ongoing learning and professional growth opportunities for all positions
- Commitment to fostering a work environment where employees have a strong sense of inclusion and belonging
- Included on the "ENR Top
Pay
with compensation range, andBenefits
with list of benefits. Also maybe Schedule? Not present, so omit. We must not repeat job title as heading. No Job ID. Remove boilerplate: EEO etc. Remove duplicated lines. Remove application instructions. Also remove employee testimonial? It's part of Overview? It's a quote; could keep as part of Overview? It's substantive? It's a testimonial; maybe keep as part of Overview? It's not boilerplate; it's a quote from employee. Could keep within Overview paragraph. We need to preserve all substantive information. So include details: MSA Professional Services overview, employee-owned, history, etc. Responsibilities bullet list. Qualifications bullet list. Skills bullet list. Pay: compensation range. Benefits: list items. We must use- for any list of duties/requirements/benefits. Use
for prose. We must not include filler like "commensurate with experience" in Pay section? Actually that is part of compensation range: "Compensation Range: $79,000 - $126,500 (commensurate with experience)". The instruction: never emit a heading followed by filler/placeholder text (e.g. "commensurate with experience", "not specified", "N/A", "varies", "TBD") and never create Pay/Schedule/Benefits sections unless the posting actually states them. It says never emit a heading followed by filler/placeholder text. That means if we have a Pay section, we must not have just filler text; we must have actual content. The phrase "commensurate with experience" is not filler? It's a qualifier but still part of the range. It's okay to include. The instruction says never emit a heading followed by filler/placeholder text (e.g. "commensurate with experience", ...). That suggests that if the only content under Pay is "commensurate with experience" (i.e., no actual numbers), that's not allowed. But we have actual numbers, so it's fine. We need to output only HTML fragment, no /, no markdown. Let's craft:
About the role
MSA Professional Services is seeking a Senior Real Estate Professional to lead right of way acquisition activities for transportation and municipal improvement projects. This role is designed for an experienced right of way professional who can independently manage complex acquisitions, work directly with property owners and clients, and provide technical guidance to other members of the team. You’ll oversee the acquisition process from property research and owner negotiations through settlement and transfer of clear title. You’ll also serve as a trusted resource for complex right of way issues and help clients navigate acquisitions efficiently while balancing project needs, property-owner concerns, and regulatory requirements. MSA specializes in the sustainable development of communities and is proud to be 100% employee owned. With roots reaching back to 1919, MSA has grown from a rural land survey company into a multidisciplinary network of nearly 550 engineers, architects, planners, funding experts, surveyors, GIS experts, environmental scientists, and more who are committed to making communities better places to live, work, and play. Come join the ownership team here! Employee Testimonial: "As an employee-owned company (100% ESOP), working at MSA is not just a job. We're genuine co-owners, and this ESOP setup promotes a culture of collaboration and engagement throughout MSA because we all have a direct financial interest as owners." -Project Engineer - Transportation, Cedar Rapids Office
Responsibilities
- Lead and oversee right of way negotiations and acquisitions for transportation and municipal improvement projects
- Research property titles, verify legal descriptions, interpret right of way plats and construction plans, and explain proposed projects and property impacts to owners
- Negotiate just-compensation settlements, identify affected parties, explain eminent domain rights, and develop solutions to complex acquisition issues
- Prepare and secure acquisition documents necessary to transfer clear title and maintain accurate negotiation and project records
- Serve as a primary point of contact for property owners, clients, project managers, appraisers, review agencies, and other stakeholders
- Build rapport with property owners while addressing complex questions and concerns professionally and independently
- Advise project teams and clients on right of way best practices, risks, settlement considerations, and opportunities to improve efficiency
- Communicate negotiation and acquisition status to project teams and clients and identify issues requiring additional attention
- Independently manage multiple acquisition assignments while maintaining project schedules, task lists, quality, and status reporting
- Provide technical leadership and guidance to other real estate professionals
- Mentor less-experienced team members and provide informal oversight as appropriate
- Recognize and address complex issues involving relocation, access, severance damages, cost-to-cure considerations, litigation appeals, and other right of way matters
Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED required
- Must be on a governmental list of approved right of way specialists or certified by a state board to complete real estate acquisition for public improvement projects
- Real Estate Sales or Broker License preferred
- 8+ years of relevant right of way experience
- Demonstrated experience independently managing negotiations and acquisitions for public improvement projects
Skills
- Strong knowledge of the Federal Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act and applicable state right of way acquisition statutes
- Ability to interpret right of way plats, construction plans, title information, legal descriptions, and acquisition documents
- Strong negotiation, interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
- Ability to navigate complex property-owner issues and develop practical solutions independently
- Strong organization and ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
- Ability to mentor colleagues and collaborate effectively with clients, project teams, and public stakeholders
Pay
Compensation Range: $79,000 - $126,500 (commensurate with experience)
Benefits
- Flex Time: Work 42 hours this week? Have 2 hours added to your Flex Time balance to use as time off in the future
- ESOP: Receive MSA stock shares annually, at no cost to the employee
- Medical, dental & vision insurance for you, spouse, domestic partner, and eligible dependents
- At least 17 days PTO (higher pending experience) + 8 paid holidays
- Paid parental leave regardless of birth parent
- 401(k) plan with company matching
- Short‑term incentive program for annual bonus opportunities
- Company‑paid life & disability insurance
Why MSA
with a- . But instruction says use
for section headings (e.g. About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule). It doesn't forbid other headings, but suggests those are typical. Safer to incorporate into Benefits or About the role. However Benefits section is for benefits like insurance, PTO, etc. The "Why MSA" items are more about culture and firm reputation, not benefits per se. Could add a separate section "Why MSA" as it's substantive. The instruction didn't say we cannot add other headings; it just gave examples. It said "Use
for section headings (e.g. About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule)." That implies we should use those headings for those sections if they exist. It didn't say we cannot use other headings. But to be safe, we could add a
Why MSA
as it's a legitimate section. The instruction didn't forbid it. It said "Usefor section headings (e.g. About the role, Responsibilities, Requirements, Qualifications, Skills, Benefits, Pay, Schedule)." That could be interpreted as "when you need a heading, use
and you can use those examples". So we can use
Why MSA
. Let's do that. We need to ensure we don't repeat content. We'll add Why MSA after Benefits maybe before Pay? Order not important but logical: About the role, Responsibilities, Qualifications, Skills, Why MSA, Pay, Benefits. Or Benefits then Pay. We'll keep Pay then Benefits as they appear. Let's incorporate Why MSA bullet list: - 100% employee‑owned firm with 100+ years of community impact - Collaborative culture with in-house experts for all disciplines across the firm - Flexible work‑life integration - Ongoing learning and professional growth opportunities for all positions - Commitment to fostering a work environment where employees have a strong sense of inclusion and belonging - Included on the "ENR Top