Clarification from the agency

Current permanent federal employees with competitive status, Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP and VEOA eligibles, Farm Service Agency permanent county employees, Military Spouses, 30 percent or More Disabled Veterans, Foreign Service Employees, People with Disabilities, Peace Corps and VISTA, and Reinstatement eligible candidates.

• Prepares and verifies financial statements and reports, including the Balance Sheet, Statements of Changes in Net Position, Budgetary Resources, and Net Cost.
• Researches and resolves complex transaction issues and identifies discrepancies requiring technical analysis.
• Provides subject matter expert advice and guidance on accounting processes, methods, and the resolution of significant issues related to the recording and control of accounting data.
• Performs quality assurance reviews of accounting processes to ensure financial integrity and conformance to Federal laws and USDA Office of Inspector General regulations.
• Supports the preparation of briefings for the agency by providing technical accounting insights related to ongoing financial activities.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one year probationary period, unless previously served. Refer to Next Steps section for more information.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit https://www.e-verify.gov/.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including time-in-grade restrictions, specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

Basic Requirement for Staff Accountant GS-0510-13:
Education cannot be substituted for experience for this position and grade level.
1. Degree: 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. The 24 hours may include up to 6 hours of credit in business law. (The term "accounting" means "accounting and/or auditing" in this standard. Similarly, "accountant" should be interpreted, generally, as "accountant and/or auditor.")
or
2. Combination of education and experience: 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. The applicant's background must also include one of the following:

1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include 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, e.g., 15 semester hours, but that does not fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that (a) the applicant has successfully worked at the full-performance level in accounting, auditing, or a related field, e.g., valuation engineering or financial institution examining; (b) a panel of at least two higher level professional accountants or auditors has determined that the applicant has demonstrated 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 paragraph A; and (c) except for literal nonconformance to the requirement of 24 semester hours in accounting, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

For the GS-13: You must have one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience that is at least equivalent in difficulty and complexity to work performed at the GS-12 grade level in the federal government. You must include evidence of this specialized experience in your resume, including dates of experience (month/year) and hours worked/work schedule, to be considered qualified for this position. Specialized experience for this position must have included ALL of the following:

• Experience serving as a subject matter expert on financial accounting systems and financial reporting requirements;
• Experience resolving abnormal balances and discrepancies;
• Experience and knowledge of accounting procedures, theories, practices, and concepts;
• Experience analyzing financial data including aging balances, cash forecasts, accounts receivable/accounts payable.

Merit promotion applicants must meet the time-in-grade requirement as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F. One year at the GS-12 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS13 level.

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.

NOTE: To be considered for this position, you must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the GS-0510 series set forth in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards by the closing date of the announcement. A copy is available at: Accounting Series 0510

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; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

You will be evaluated based on the following:

Your responses to questionnaire items focused on the basic education requirement and minimum qualifications (specialized experience).

Application Assessment: Applicants must complete a questionnaire as part of the application process. The assessment questionnaire includes a cut score based on the minimum level of proficiency required for this position. Your score must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered and to move on to the next steps. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Transcripts Review: We will review the transcripts you submit to determine if you meet the basic requirement for this position based on the required education. Applicants identified as meeting the basic education requirement will move on to the next phase of the assessment process.

Resume Review: Your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements listed in the qualifications section.If it is determined that you meet or exceed the assessment cut score and meet the basic education and minimum qualification (specialized experience) requirements, you will be referred to the selecting officials.

USA Jobs restricts resume uploads to a maximum of 2 pages. Resumes attached in other sections (such as "Documents" or "Other") will not be considered if longer than two pages. Do not submit multiple resumes. Failure to follow these formatting guidelines may result in disqualification from further consideration.

If you are referred for consideration, you may be subject to additional assessments by the selecting official.

To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process, including the application, questionnaire, and resume and transcripts submission. Overstating your education or experience in your application materials may result in your removal from consideration

Clicking the link below will present a preview of the application form; i.e. the online questionnaire. The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply" button to the right.

To view the application form, visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12882474

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.

Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; Work Experiencerelated to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment (month/year); title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed 2 pages.

This position has a basic education requirement, you MUST submit a copy of your transcripts for further consideration. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application if it includes your name and the necessary course information; however, if you are selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college or university. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards. There are private organizations that specialize in this evaluation and a fee is normally associated with this service. For a list of private organizations that evaluate education, visit the NACES website. All transcripts must be in English or include an English translation.

Current and former Federal employees:

• Most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF50) showing you are/were in the competitive service, highest grade held (or promotion potential) on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND
• Most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) showing the official rating of record, signed by a supervisor, or statement why the performance appraisal is unavailable. A performance plan is not an acceptable substitute.

Current permanent FSA County employees must submit your most recent non-award Notification of Personnel Action (SF50) showing your highest grade (or promotion potential) held on a permanent basis, position title, series and grade AND most recent performance appraisal (dated within 18 months) per above.

Veteran Hiring Authorities: You must submit your last DD214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) form, specifically the Member #4 or #2 Copy, indicating dates and character of service and discharge type. If currently on active duty you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days. If you are a Veteran with a service-connected disability rating, you will need to additionally submit the SF15 (Application for 10-point Veterans Preference) and a copy of your VA Letter stating your disability rating.

Land Management Workforce Flexibility Act: Copies of Notification of Personnel Action(s) (SF50) showing the employee served in eligible appointment(s) for a period(s) of more than 24 mos w/o a break between appointments of two+ years. Include initial hire actions, extensions, conversions and separation Sf50s for each period. Submit performance rating(s) showing acceptable performance for each period counted towards eligibility signed by supervisor(s). If documentation does not exist for one or more periods, submit a statement from supervisor(s) indicating acceptable performance. Applicants who do not have performance documentation for any period shall provide a reason why the documentation is not available and statement that performance for all periods was at an acceptable level.

Schedule A, Persons with Disabilities Appointment Eligibles: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state, or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102(u).

Certain Military Spouses Eligible under E.O. 13832: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage). Learn more at: Military spouses

Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF50 documenting separation (as applicable), current performance appraisal with rating of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent, and your most recent SF50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

Other non-competitive or special appointing authorities: provide documentation which supports your eligibility.

Next steps