GOT-IT

Senr Title Searcher

Grade 16

New York State has approximately 1 positions* in this title statewide. You may view a breakdown of positions by county. This position exists in Law, Department of. View links to all New York State agencies including agencies that have this title. For more information, New York State employees can contact the Career Mobility Office at (518) 485-6199 or (800) 553-1322. If you are not a current New York State employee, you can use the Department of Civil Service Web site to explore possible employment opportunities.

*The number of positions is approximate and represents the number of positions established (both filled and vacant); it is not an indication or reference to position type or duration, or intent to be filled. If you are viewing a trainee title, please note this number reflects the number of positions established at the journey level. Agencies may fill at the trainee level(s) or at the journey level based on employee qualifications. GOT-IT does not provide information on any job postings or job availability. For information on current job postings, please visit State Jobs NY. You may also visit specific New York State Agency websites for information about an agency and its job opportunities.

Career Ladder

A listing of titles that are most commonly used as steps for upward mobility for this title series. The salary schedule for this career ladder is also available.

  1. Title Searcher

    Grade 14

  2. Senr Title Searcher

    Grade 16

Summary of Job Description

As a Title Searcher, your primary responsibilities would include preparing title searches (Abstracts of Title, Certificates of Twenty Year Search, and Last Owner Searches) and continuations thereof by searching land records in County Clerks' Offices, determining which instruments affect title and abstracting the material portions of those instruments. You would conduct the title search against the premises assigned as shown on the Abstract Request Map (ARM) or appropriation map, or as described in the deed provided. You would examine and abstract records in Surrogates' Courts for descent of title to a decedents' property and to determine the disposition of both State and federal estate taxes. You would review the records in County, City, or Village Treasurers' Offices to ascertain the status of taxes, tax liens, tax sales or tax foreclosure concerning the subject parcels. You would search court records and abstract any actions and proceedings affecting the title to a subject parcel. You would file appropriation maps in the County Clerks' Offices and record deeds to the State of New York. You may be required to engage in field work outside of the County Clerks' Offices to obtain facts which are not of record, but which may affect the title to a subject parcel. You would communicate with Bureau attorneys and personnel of various New York State agencies to resolve technical problems, assess priorities, and/or obtain information concerning the premises under examination. You would also assist in the instruction of new Bureau attorneys, Title Searchers, and interns in the preparation of independent title searches. Included in the process of full/complete abstracting, you will be required to write a detailed narrative(s) of the searches conducted.

There is no classification standard available at this time for this title. For additional information regarding other titles this will bring you to the NYS Title and Salary Plan. If there is a classification standard available there will be a link under the column labeled STD NO. If no link is available there is no classification standard available at this time for that title.

Summary of Minimum Qualifications

Please note: qualifications for this position may be subject to change. If substitutions for education and/or experience are allowed, this information would be available on the announcement.

You must take and pass a Civil Service examination in order to be considered for this position.

On or before the date of the examination, the candidate must have either:

1. a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma issued by a high school or educational institution recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices and four years of experience where your primary responsibility was the searching of title(s) to real property in New York State;**

OR

2. an associate's degree or 60 semester credit hours of college-level study issued by a regionally accredited college or university or one recognized by the New York State Education Department as following acceptable educational practices and two years of experience where your primary responsibility was searching of title(s) to real property in New York State.**

**To qualify as acceptable experience, at least 50% of your time must have been spent searching titles to real property in New York State, producing complete/full abstracts. If such title searching was combined with other activities, your application MUST show the approximate percentage of time spent title searching.

Definition: For the purposes of this examination a complete/full abstract is the written report on a title search which shows the history of every change of ownership on a real estate property and any claims against the property, such as easements on the property, loans against it, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, judgments, real property taxes, all sub-divisions and any court orders, etc.

For informational purposes only, click on the examination number(s) listed below to see the current or previous examination(s) that are used to fill this title.

26-339

How to Apply

When this examination is scheduled to be held, the announcement can be found on the Department of Civil Service, Examination Announcements web page. If you do not see an examination currently scheduled please check back on a monthly basis or sign up for announcement notification by email so that you will automatically be notified when new examinations are being offered.

Career Mobility

Career mobility is not just limited to the titles in the Career Ladder, above. Additional movement may be achieved through other examinations, additional education and/or work experience or transfer opportunities. For additional information or clarification of transfer determinations, current State employees should contact the Career Mobility Office. Visit ELMS Online to view established open-competitive, promotion, and transition eligible lists. If you are not a current New York State employee, see Employment Opportunities with New York State and find out how to become a New York State employee.

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