Mortgage Lending Underwriter – Residential Loans (Non-QM & Jumbo)

NW Recruiting Partners; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial services recruitment agency is seeking a Mortgage Lending Underwriter to leverage their experience in residential and construction mortgages. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in underwriting and a strong grasp of credit risk and lending guidelines. You will review complex mortgage applications, ensure compliance with policy, and communicate decisions effectively. This role demands keen analytical abilities and attention to detail, with a focus on delivering clear outcomes to internal teams.

Qualifications

• At least 8 years of experience in mortgage underwriting.
• Experience with conventional, non-QM, and construction loans.
• Strong knowledge of underwriting principles and industry regulations.

Responsibilities

• Review complex mortgage applications to make sound underwriting decisions.
• Scrub mortgage packages for completeness and quality.
• Deliver outcomes and rationale to origination and ops.

Skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Credit risk assessment

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance or related field

Tools

Encompass

Job description

Mortgage Lending Underwriter – Residential Loans (Non-QM & Jumbo)

Bring your residential underwriting experience to a lender focused on residential and construction mortgages.

As a Mortgage Lending Underwriter, you will review complex mortgage applications submitted through internal and external channels. This role requires strong analytical expertise, attention to detail, and a solid understanding of credit risk and lending guidelines to make sound underwriting decisions.

• File Triage: Scrub mortgage packages for completeness and quality, pulling insights from income docs, statements, and credit data.
• Credit Judgment: Weigh borrower strength, deal context, and capacity to repay to form a clear go/no-go view.
• Policy Alignment: Keep decisions inside house credit guardrails, investor expectations, and applicable regs.
• Decision Messaging: Deliver outcomes and rationale to origination and ops so everyone knows the “why” and next steps.
• Valuation & Collateral Check: Validate property reports and supporting materials against program criteria and valuation logic.
• Disposition Calls: Greenlight, rework, or decline based on quantified risk and compensating factors.
• Market & Rule Tracking: Monitor shifts in underwriting norms, product overlays, and regulatory updates; adjust practices accordingly.
• Exit Financing Matchmaking: Pair eligible files with the right permanent/agency programs to ensure a viable take-out.
• Workflow Partnering: Coordinate with internal counterparts to keep files moving and cut cycle time.

Mortgage Lending Underwriter Qualifications:

• At least 8 years of experience in mortgage underwriting (including conventional, non-QM, and construction loans)
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in finance or related field
• Strong knowledge of underwriting principles, risk assessment, and industry regulations
• Experience with Encompass and must have manual underwriting experience
• Excellent analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Detail-oriented with the ability to meet deadlines under pressure