Customer Service Specialist (Lowell, AR)

Position Summary:

Central Research, Inc. (CRI) is hiring a Customer Service Specialist. The Customer Service Specialist provides advanced borrower and school support for the Federal Perkins Loan Servicing Program by resolving account inquiries, ensuring regulatory compliance, and delivering high-quality customer service. This position requires the employee to work in an office in Lowell, AR five days a week . This role supports borrowers and schools through issue resolution, account guidance, and escalated case management while maintaining accurate documentation, adhering to federal servicing requirements, and contributing to continuous service and process improvements.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Scan Perkins loan documents submitted by higher education institutions.

• Apply federal record retention schedule requirements to ensure the proper maintenance and storage of records throughout their lifecycle.
• Answer incoming telephone calls, emails, and online inquiries promptly and professionally.
• Document all customer interactions accurately in the Perkins Servicing System.
• Support end-to-end loan assignments, ensuring proper documentation and compliance.
• Coordinate with educational institutions for timely data submissions.
• Process loan assignments received from schools.
• Perform quality checks to maintain data accuracy.
• Process customer requests, account updates, applications, payments and service changes.
• Resolve borrowers and institutions concerns by researching issues, identifying solutions and following through to completion.
• Escalate complex borrower or school issues to the appropriate area as necessary.
• Meet established performance standards, including quality, productivity, attendance and customer satisfaction metrics.

Minimum Requirements (Education & Experience):

• High school diploma or GED required
• Must be a US Citizen
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Federal Public Trust (5C) security clearance (financial /credit history and background will be reviewed):
  • Not in default on federal student loans.
  • Demonstrated financial responsibility.
  • No felony convictions with the past 7 years.
  • Misdemeanor convictions within the past 7 years may impact eligibility.
  • No non-medical collections totaling $7,500 or more.
• Minimum of one year of customer service or call center experience
• Experience working with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
• Experience using customer account management systems is a plus.

Preferred Requirements (Education & Experience):

• Bachelor's degree in business administration or related fields; or the equivalent through a combination of education and/or experience.
• 1 year of experience working in an office setting.
• Proficient level of knowledge in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Experience using contact center systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Minimum Requirements (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong active listening and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to handle difficult customer situations with patience and professionalism.
• Excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Computer and keyboarding proficiency.

EEO Statement:

Equal Opportunity Employer, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. The Know Your Rights Poster can be found at

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job. It is intended to describe the general nature and work responsibilities of the position. This job description and the duties of this position are subject to change, modification, and addition as deemed necessary.

Please note: We are currently unable to consider applicants residing in California, Hawaii, New York, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, and the city of Philadelphia. Thank you for your understanding