Accountant

Description:

This position is located in the Department of Health and Human Services, Program Support Center, headquartered in Rockville, Maryland.

This announcement has an applicant limit of 150 and will close on the day that 150 applications have been received, at 11:59 PM.

Please read the "How You'll be Evaluated" section for specific details regarding the evaluation process for this job.

Requirements:

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

Basic Requirement
You must possess one of the items listed below (A or B):

A. A degree in Accounting or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration that included or was supplemented by 24 semester hours in accounting (which may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law).

OR

B. A combination of education and experience with at least 4 years of experience in accounting, or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge.My background also includes one of the following:(1) 24 semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality--including up to 6 hours of business law;(2) a certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination;

OR
(3) completion of the requirements for a degree that included substantial course work in accounting or auditing, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement, provided that (a) I have successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that I have a good knowledge of accounting and of related and underlying fields that equals in breadth, depth, currency, and level of advancement that which is normally associated with successful completion of the 4-year course of study described in answer A; and (c) except for literal non-conformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, my education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

AND
GS-09 Specialized Experience
You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following:

• Reviewing and processing financial transactions to ensure accuracy and compliance with accounting standards.
• Reconciling accounts by identifying errors or variances and assisting with corrective action.
• Preparing detailed schedules and documentation to support financial closeout and reporting cycles.
• Maintaining thorough records to support internal reviews, audits, and financial oversight.
• Using automated systems and reporting tools to monitor expenses and ensure data integrity.

OR

have at least two (2) years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that number cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered an academic year of graduate study.

OR

Have a combination of experience as described in "A" above and graduate education as described in "B" above.

GS-11 Specialized Experience:
You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following:

• Used accounting principles and automated financial systems to enter, review, and track transactions, ensuring accuracy in both routine and complex account activity.
• Monitored account balances by comparing entries across ledgers, investigated errors or irregularities, and prepared corrections to keep records reliable.
• Organized supporting records for audits and reviews, including gathering source data, maintaining files, and helping respond to auditor questions.
• Recommended practical ways to improve workflows and processes, such as reducing repetitive tasks and improving record-keeping efficiency.
• Supported senior accountants by reviewing cost data, validating system outputs, and contributing to analyses of spending patterns and account activity.

-OR-
Education: Successful completion of at least three (3) years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. You must include transcripts.
- OR-
Combination: Successful completion of a combination of graduate-level education (beyond the first two years) and specialized experience, as described above, to meet the total requirements. The education portion must include graduate courses that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do to the work of this position. You must include transcripts.

GS-12 Specialized Experience:
You must have one year specialized experience to perform successfully the duties of the position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service performing ALL of the following:

• Applying accounting principles to process, review, and reconcile complex financial transactions.
• Using financial management systems or enterprise accounting platforms to record, verify, and adjust entries.
• Preparing and reviewing trial balances, account schedules, and financial reports to confirm accuracy and reliability.
• Researching and correcting discrepancies in accounts and ledger balances.
• Ensuring financial data complies with established accounting standards and organizational requirements.
• Making improvements to accounting procedures to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and oversight.

Documenting experience: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide the exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume.

In accordance with Office of Personnel Management policy, federal employees are assumed to have gained experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate for their official series and grade level as described in their position description. Experience that would not normally be part of the employee's position is creditable, however, when documented by satisfactory evidence, such as a signed memorandum from the employee's supervisor or an SF-50 or SF-52 documenting an official detail or other official assignment. The documentation must indicate whether the duties were performed full time or, if part time, the "percentage of times" the other duties were performed. It is expected that this documentation is included in the employee's official personnel record. In order to receive credit for experience in your resume that is not within the official series and grade level of your official position, you must provide a copy of the appropriate documentation of such experience as indicated above.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through national Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to gain employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. If such experience is on a part-time basis, you must provide the average number of hours worked per week as well as the beginning and ending dates of the experience so it can be fully credited.

OPM Qualification General Policies Website