Job Summary

The purpose of this position is to perform professional accounting work requiring the application of sound accounting principles, theories, concepts and practices.

Job Description

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: 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.")Transcripts required. 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. This background includes one of the following: Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses, which can include up to 6 hours of business law; A certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or 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 meet the full 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 the Basic Education Requirement, applicants must also meet one of the following to qualify at the GS-7 level: Specialized Experience: Must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-5 level in the federal service. Specialized experience is experience utilizing knowledge of accounting practices, methods, and techniques required to perform assignments using procedures and practices that are conventional and apply to most situations encountered; reviewing and processing accounting documents; assisting in maintaining, analyzing, and reconciling general ledgers and subsidiary legers; and assisting in preparing reports. NOTE: Resume(s) must clearly demonstrate the required experience. We will not make assumptions regarding experience. OR Substitution of Graduate Education for Specialized Experience: One (1) full year of graduate education in accounting; or a degree in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration. 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. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (Unofficial Transcripts Required) OR Combination of Graduate Education and Specialized Experience: An equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education as described above to meet the qualification requirements for this position. (Unofficial Transcripts Required) OR Superior Academic Achievement at the GS-7 level: (SAA) at the baccalaureate level in the coursework detailed above is fully qualifying. Applicants who wish to apply under this provision must submit proof from their educational institution that they meet one of the criteria listed below. To qualify for SAA, applicants must have completed all the requirements for a bachelor's degree in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled and meet one of the following: Rank in the upper one-third of your class in the college, university or major subdivision. A grade-point average of "B" (a GPA of 2.95 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all completed undergraduate courses, or those completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. A grade point average of "B+" (a GPA of 3.45 or higher out of a possible 4.0) for all courses in your major field of study, or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of undergraduate study. Membership in a national honor society (other than freshman honor societies) recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. For a list of recognized honor societies please visit http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION AT THE GS-9 LEVEL YOU MUST MEET THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Have at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-7) in Federal service that has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of an Accountant GS-9. Specialized experience includes performing general ledger accounting functions; performing reconciliations; creating and analyzing cost reports; and maintains cost ceiling control records. NOTE: Resume(s) must clearly demonstrate the required experience. We will not make assumptions regarding experience. -OR- EDUCATION: Have successfully completed a master's degree or two (2) full years of graduate education (18 semester hours is usually equivalent to one full year of study) at an accredited college or university in courses related to the field of accounting. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. -OR- COMBINATION: Have equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate-level education (beyond 18 semester hours) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of this position. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.