Accountant (Recent Graduate)

Summary
The selectee of this position serves as a Accountant (Recent Graduate) responsible for performing professional accounting work that includes such functions as: operating accounting systems, interpreting accounting data, and assisting management on financial matters.
This position is located in the Financial Services Division / Arlington, Virginia.
This job is open to
Recent graduates
Individuals who have graduated from an accredited educational institute or certificate program within the last 2 years or 6 years for Veterans.
Clarification from the agency
To be eligible, Recent Graduate applicants must apply within two years of degree or certificate completion. Except for veterans precluded from doing so due to their military service obligation; these individuals have a two-year period of eligibility upon their release or discharge from active duty. Eligibility cannot extend beyond six years from the date on which the degree was completed.
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Duties
As a Accountant (Recent Graduate) at the GS-0510-9 grade level, some of your typical work assignments may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Participating in planning and conducting financial and accounting management studies and the analysis of interrelated administrative processes; e.g., budgetary, financial, procurement, and property management functions.
Recommending adaptation of established procedures to eliminate problems or to improve the operations under study.
Participating in the review and evaluation of financial systems for effectiveness of internal controls and integrity of the organizations financial information analyzing processing flows, reviewing data in reports and financial statements, and identifying abnormal trends and control weaknesses.
Preparing clear, concise reports and statements that contain timely, accurate, and essential financial management information.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce
As the federal agency whose mission is to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans, the Department of Justice is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. To build and retain a workforce that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of the American people, we welcome applicants from the many communities, identities, races, ethnicities, backgrounds, abilities, religions, and cultures of the United States who share our commitment to public service.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
Must pass a pre-employment drug screening and background investigation.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a favorable determination of suitability for a Public Trust position.
This is a Testing Designated Positions (TDP) and is subject to random drug testing.
May be required to successfully complete a trial/probationary period.
This is a bargaining unit position. (BUS Code: 1266)
Applicants must meet all qualifications requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
Qualifications
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you meet the basic requirements for the position series and have the education and/or experience required for the grade level to which you apply.
To meet the Basic Requirements for the Accounting Series, 0510, you must have one of the following:
Degree: Bachelor's or higher degree in accounting; or 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.
OR
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. Your background must also include one of the following:
Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law; or
A certificate as 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 fully satisfy the 24-semester-hour requirement of paragraph A, provided that (a) you have 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 you have 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, your education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.
In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements described above, you must have the Specialized Experience and/or Graduate Education described below.
To qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level, you must have one of the following:
Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. You must have at least one year (12 months) of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service performing the following duties:
Reviewing data in reports or other documents to identify abnormal trends or balances;
Preparing internal and external financial reports;
Identifying and resolving financial or budgetary findings or exceptions; and
Using various software applications to prepare a variety of financial and/or budgetary reports.
OR
Graduate Education: Two years (36 hours) of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or equivalent graduate degree in accounting; or in a related field such as business administration, finance, or public administration.
OR
Combination of Graduate Education and Specialized Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. You must have a combination of the specialized experience and graduate level education described above that totals 100% when combined. Only graduate level education in excess of one year (18 semester hours) may be combined with experience.
When citing your education and/or experience, be clear and specific. We cannot make assumptions about your education and/or experience. If your transcripts and/or resume do not support your application questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
Education
It is your responsibility to provide documentation that you meet the education qualification(s) you claim. If you do not submit transcripts we will not use your education when determining if you are qualified for the position.
Transcripts: You may submit official or unofficial transcripts as part of the application process. If you are selected, you will be required to provide official transcripts to receive a final offer of employment. A transcript is a copy of your permanent academic record and includes:
Your full name.
The name of the college, university, or other educational institution.
Your major and degree.
The date your degree was awarded/conferred.
Your cumulative grade point average (GPA).
Any honors you received.
The dates you attended the school.
A list of the courses you took, to include the total number of credits completed.
Academic degrees must be granted from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. To determine if a school or program is accredited, refer to the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
Foreign Education: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For more information, click here.
Additional information
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you receive the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here.
The Recent Graduates Program affords developmental experiences in the Federal Government intended to promote possible careers in the civil service to individuals who have recently graduated from qualifying educational institutions or programs. To be eligible, applicants must apply within two years of degree or certificate completion (except for veterans precluded from doing so due to their military service obligation, who will have up to six years after degree completion to apply). Successful applicants are placed in a dynamic, developmental program with the potential to lead to a civil service career in the Federal Government. The program lasts for 1 year (unless the training requirements of the position warrant a longer and more structured training program). For more information about the Recent Graduates Program, click here.
Conversion Eligibility:Recent Graduates are eligible for non-competitive conversion to term or permanent positions in the competitive service, provided that they have met all Program requirements. A Recent Graduate must be converted within her or his employing agency. But, conversion is not mandatory or guaranteed for participants. To be eligible for conversion, a Recent Graduate must:
Be a United States citizen;
Complete at least one year of continuous service, in addition to all Program requirements;
Demonstrate successful job performance consistent with the applicable performance appraisal program established under her or his agency's approved performance appraisal system that results in a rating of record (or summary rating) of at least "Fully Successful" or equivalent;
Meet the OPM Qualification Standards for the competitive service position to which she or he will be converted;
Meet any other agency-specific requirements outlined in her or his Participant Agreement; AND
Receive a recommendation for conversion from her or his first-level supervisor.
Note: Multiple selections may be made from this announcement. Recruitment incentive may be authorized. Relocation incentive may be authorized.
Benefits
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your application package will be evaluated and rated under DOJ's Category Rating and Selection Procedures. Your application will then be placed in one of three categories: Best Qualified, Highly Qualified, or Qualified.
Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
Highly Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job;
Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.
Although veterans' preference points are not assigned under category rating procedures, veterans' preference eligibles are listed ahead of non-veterans within each category for which they are qualified. In addition, qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more are placed at the top of the highest quality category. (i.e. Best Qualified.)
Names of all candidates in the Best Qualified category will be sent to the hiring official for employment consideration (unless a sufficient number of qualified veterans are found - in which only those names will be initially certified). Candidates within the Best Qualified category who are eligible for veterans' preference will receive selection priority over non-veteran preference eligibles.
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):
Accountability
Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning
Attention to Detail
Auditing
Customer Service
Decision Making
Economics and Accounting
Flexibility
Integrity/Honesty
Interpersonal Skills
Learning
Reasoning
Self-Management
Stress Tolerance
Teamwork
Technology Application
The USA Hire 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.
Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing any of the scheduled appointments, the hiring agency may rescind their tentative offer of employment.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes:
Your Resume showing complete information for each job entry: company or agency name, beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year), total hours worked per week, position title, duties performed, and, if the position is/was Federal, pay plan-series-grade level; Cover Letter optional.
Transcripts showing degree completion within the previous two years (or 6 years for Veterans) of a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution. If you do not submit transcripts, as outlined in the Education section, we will not use your education when determining if you are qualified for the position.
Other Supporting Documents, if applicable:
Veterans' Documentation, if you are claiming preference and/or special hiring authority for veterans eligibility,you must submit official documentation of service and separation from active duty under honorable conditions. The member 4 copy of your DD214 is preferred. If claiming preference and/or eligibility as a disabled veteran, you must also submit official documentation of service-connected disability; and the Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, Standard Form 15.
Active Duty Service Members expecting to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions within 120 days may be granted tentative preference and/or special hiring authority for veterans eligibility by submitting a "certification" document in lieu of a DD214. This "certification" is any written document from the armed forces that certifies you are expected to be discharged or released from active duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date of the submission of the certification. For more information on veterans' preference and special hiring authorities for veterans click here.
Any other Supporting Documentation required for verification as described in the announcement.
For more information on writing your Federal resume, visit the Partnership for Public Service Go Government website.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
Click the Apply Online button.
Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.
For more general information, system requirements, reasonable accommodation information, and to request assistance regarding the USA Hire Assessments, review the resources here.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement is closed.
To view the job status or your application status: Return to your USAJOBS account, from the application dashboard find your application record. The job status is displayed. You can check your application status by clicking Track this application. You can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.
For more information on applying to a Federal job, visit the Partnership for Public Service Go Government website.
Agency contact information
Midwest Services Branch
Phone
816-426-5706
Email
KansasCity@opm.gov
Address
US MARSHALS SERVICE
FINANCIAL SERVICES DIVISION
ARLINGTON, VA 22202
US
Next steps
We will notify you of the outcome after each step of the recruitment process is complete. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation. We expect to make a final job offer within 120 days after the closing date of the announcement.