Accountant

Clarification from the agency

This position is being advertised under delegated examining procedures and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Preference for eligible veterans will be applied.

The duties and responsibilities for a GS- 0510-11 generally include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Performs comprehensive analysis, validation, and reconciliation of administrative and specialized fund accounts across multiple federal financial management systems including Unified Financial Management System (UFMS), DOJ's grants management system (JustGrants), Automated Standard Application for Payment (ASAP), Intra-governmental Payment and Collection (IPAC), and various Treasury applications.
• Reviews, processes, and records the full range of accounting transactions including travel, payroll, cost, property, reimbursable, accounts payable, and accounts receivable to ensure accurate financial reporting.
• Administers fund control activities by certifying availability of resources and allotments prior to procurements and analyzing the impact of budgetary events on multi-appropriated fund accounts.
• Evaluates and resolves complex accounting and financial system issues by coordinating with customers and technical staff to diagnose problems and implement solutions.
• Reconciles financial data across internal and external systems to ensure accurate recording in financial systems and resolves variances affecting financial statements.
• Develops and recommends accounting policies, procedures, and system improvements to ensure compliance with federal laws, regulations, and standards.
• Prepares financial reports and presentations for management officials on financial status, general ledger accounts, and fund control activities.
• Conducts special studies and analyses to improve financial data processing, reporting accuracy, and accounting system effectiveness.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• You will be required to complete a pre-employment security investigation and background check which includes a drug screening.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born on, or after, December 31, 1959. Those not registered should have an approved exemption on file.
• You must meet all eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement and continue to meet these requirements throughout the hiring process. Offers can be rescinded if requirements are not met.
• Security Requirements: Non-Sensitive/Moderate Risk
• A USA Hire assessment is required. An email will be sent with additional information after you submit your application. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement to complete the assessment.

Qualifications

To qualify for the position of Accountant, at GS-0510-11, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below.

Basic Entry Requirements:

A. 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-

B. 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.

Specialized Experience:

Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-09 level. Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience include:

• Performing analysis, validation, and reconciliation of fund accounts across multiple financial management systems;
• Processing and recording complex accounting transactions including obligations, disbursements, cost accruals, accounts payable/receivable, and resolving out-of-balance conditions in financial reports;
• Administering fund control activities including certifying fund availability, analyzing appropriated fund accounts, and tracking commitments, obligations, and expenditures;
• Evaluating and troubleshooting financial management information systems to identify and resolve technical accounting issues affecting data integrity and system performance;
• Reconciling financial data from multiple internal and external systems to ensure accuracy and compliance with accounting standards and reporting requirements;
• Preparing financial reports, trial balance reconciliations, and financial transactions supporting annual audited financial statements in compliance with governing requirements.

GS-11: Substitution of Education for Experience: A Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or three (3) full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree, or LL.M. if related.

GS-11: Combination of Education and Experience: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed education and experience may be used to meet the experience requirements.

Online Assessment:
This position requires an online assessment. After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement 09/21/2026 to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Occupational Interaction Assessment:
  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
• Occupational Judgment Assessment
  • Decision Making
• Occupational Math Assessment
  • Arithmetic
  • Mathematical Reasoning
• Occupational Reasoning Assessment
  • Reasoning

You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement, 09/21/2026.

Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating.See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application will be evaluated and rated using Rule of Many procedures under 5 C.F.R. § 332.402 based on a set Number of Candidates method. Preference eligibles will receive 5 or 10 points added to their score based on the adjudicated preference.

All eligibles at or above the pre-determined top 25 candidates including any preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10 percent or more, at any score, will be referred to the selecting official for consideration. All eligibles with a tied rating will be referred even if the results exceed the pre-established number or percentage

The selecting official will receive a sufficient number of names, when available, to consider at least three candidates per vacancy. If fewer than three eligible and available candidates per vacancy result, the referral will be expanded in accordance with DOJ's guidance on supplemental certification. The selecting official will adhere to veterans' preference rules and Rule of Many procedures when making selections.

Your complete application package (resume/supporting documentation, online questionnaire, and USA Hire Competency Based Assessment) will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications listed on this announcement.

The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Your USAHIRE assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments. If you would like to preview the application questionnaire, please see: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13056404

For Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)/Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) applicants: If you have CTAP/ICTAP eligibility and are found well-qualified for this vacancy, you will receive selection priority over other candidates. To be found well qualified, you must meet and exceed all qualification requirements and score 85 or better on established ranking criteria.

Technical Qualifications:

Applicants identified for interview, will be further evaluated on the following technical qualifications:

• Accounting Data Validation, Analysis and Reconciliation
• Accounting Transaction Processing and Fund Control
• Financial Systems Evaluation and Problem Resolution
• Financial Reporting and Communication

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials, application questionnaire, or during an interview may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Resume (Maximum 2 pages):Include for each job:

• Official position title
• Employer name and contact information
• Start and end dates (month and year)
• Full-time or part-time hours per week
• Duties performed and accomplishments

See How do I write a resume for more information

Veterans:

• DD-214 Member #4 Copy showing service dates, character of service, and discharge type; OR Certification letter from armed forces confirming expected honorable discharge/release within 120 days
• VA Letter with disability rating, if applicable
• SF-15 (10-point Veterans Preference form), if applicable

See FedsHireVets or USAJOBS Help Center - Veterans for more information

CTAP/ICTAP (Career Transition Programs):

• Separation notice, agency RIF letter, OR letter of intent to separate
• Most recent performance appraisal
• SF-50 showing current/former position details

See Career Transition Programs for more information

Next steps