Accountant

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Time in Grade: Current Federal employees must have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade in the Federal service. Time in grade requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement.
• Probationary Period: This is a full-time permanent position (Career/Career-Conditional appointment). Upon appointment to this position, you may be required to serve a one-year probationary period.
  
  

Qualifications

Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

You qualify for the GS-09 grade level if you possess one of the following:

Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-07 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as:

• Reviewing automated and/or manual accounting and financial management systems to find, review or change accounting data in transaction files, ledgers, accounts, summary reports and financial statements.
• Interpreting financial and accounting data to provide appropriate analysis for management's use in decision making.
• Reviewing guidance, memoranda, procedures, and instructions that cover the full spectrum of accounting and financial management issues.
  
  

OR

Education: Successful completion of two (2) years of progressively higher-level graduate education and specialized experience as described above, when combined equals 100% of the total requirement. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. Only graduate education in excess of the first full year can be credited for the combination.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience as described above, when combined equals 100% of the total requirement. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position. Only graduate education in excess of the first full year can be credited for the combination.

Duties

You qualify for the GS-11 grade level if you possess one (1) year of specialized experience at the GS-09 grade level or equivalent performing duties such as:

• Providing accounting services that support department and organizational programs and components.
• Assisting senior level accountants in maintaining business processes that contribute to effective management control over program operations.
• Communicating with senior level analysis in an effort to gather, analyze and compile data to provide support services.
• Ensuring accurate, concise and timely information is available to management and officials upon request.
  
  

OR

Education: 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of successfully completed post high school education beyond the second year. 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. This will be calculated using your resume and unofficial transcripts or a list of courses/course hours submitted with your application.

Qualification requirements must be met by the closing date of this announcement. Qualification claims will be subject to verification.

National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): 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.

Current or Former Political Appointees: The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps, VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.

Education

BASIC EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENT: You must meet the basic educational requirement for this position. the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM), Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) for the Accounting, 0510 series are as follows:

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" should be interpreted, generally, as "accountant and/or auditor.")

Additional information

Promotion Potential: When promotion potential is shown, the agency is not making a commitment and is not obligated to provide future promotions to you if you are selected. Future promotions will be dependent on your ability to perform the duties at a higher level, the continuing need for an employee assigned to the higher level, and administrative approval.

E-Verify: DHS uses E-Verify, an Internet-based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.

Suitability: If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.

Background Investigation: To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet these standards, all selected applicants must undergo and successfully obtain and maintain a background investigation as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check, a review of financial issues such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs.

Local Commuting Restriction: This announcement is subject to Local Commuting Restrictions as defined in 5 CFR

• 330.101. For this announcement, the Local Commuting area is 50 miles from your home of record. The home of record listed on your resume will be used to determine if you reside within the Local Commuting area. Certain eligibilities are exempt from the Local Commuting restriction while others are not. Local Commuting restrictions are determined by the eligibility in which you select and will be assessed once the announcement has closed.
  
  

Benefits: DHS offers competitive salaries and an attractive benefits package, including: health, dental, vision, life, and long-term care insurance; retirement plan; Thrift Savings Plan [similar to a 401(k)]; Flexible Spending Account; Employee Assistance Program; personal leave days; and paid federal holidays. Other benefits may include: flexible work schedules; telework; tuition reimbursement; transportation subsidies; uniform allowance; health and wellness programs; and fitness centers. DHS is committed to employee development and offers a variety of employee training and developmental opportunities. For more information, go to the DHS Careers website and select "Benefits." Disabled veteran leave will be available to any Federal employee hired on or after November 5, 2016, who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30 percent or more.

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• Help Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.