Accountant (Systems)

Summary

This job announcement uses the USA Hire Assessment to evaluate applicants. For more information, visit USA Hire Assessment.

Duties

• Provides professional accounting assistance to customers and to other financial managers and accountants regarding the enterprise systems accounting functions and the application of accounting principles, policies, and procedures.
• Provides advice to functional managers regarding system capabilities, systems internal controls, and available data for recurring and nonrecurring reports.
• Maintains systems security programs including establishing, validating and maintaining system access authorization.
• Conducts tests to identify systems internal control deficiencies and initiates actions to resolve problems.
• Identifies, documents, and reports deficiencies in existing accounting systems, recommends appropriate changes, and prepares system change requests for modification to improve outputs or operations.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S Citizen
• This national security position, which may require access to classified information, requires a favorable suitability review and security clearance as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain security eligibility may result in termination.
• Registered for Selective Service (males born after 12-31-1959)
• Suitable for Federal employment
• Time after Competitive Appointment: Candidates must have served 3 months after latest competitive appointment in the Federal service.
• Time in Grade Requirement - see the Qualifications field below for more details.
• Obtain/Maintain Financial Management Certification
• New employees to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e-verify.gov.
• Retired Civil Service Employee: Employment of retired Federal employees receiving an annuity is subject to the requirements of the Department of Defense (DoD) policy guidance. (See DoD Instruction 1400.25, Volume 300 here)
• All applicants are encouraged to apply electronically. If you are unable to apply on-line, you may contact 317-212-0454 for assistance.
• Pay for first time hires to the Federal Government will typically be set at step 1 salary range for their respective grade level.
• For positions where relocation is paid (see Location block of vacancy announcement), you can learn more about relocation allowances and entitlements.

Qualifications

This position has a positive education requirement. To qualify for this position you must meet one of the basic requirements described below:
(1) Completion of all requirements for a bachelor's degree in accounting from an accredited college or university; 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.
OR
(2) Candidates may also qualify through a combination of education and experience: at least 4 years of accounting experience or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge AND 24 semester hours in accounting/auditing courses, which may include up to 6 hours of business law, OR a certificate as a Certified Public Accountant or Certified Internal Auditor.
You may need to send proof of education or of certification to be considered for this position. Click here for more information on who must submit documentation at the time of application and what documentation is acceptable: Transcripts and Certifications.
In addition to meeting the basic requirement, qualified applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-9) in the Federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position.
GS-11 Specialized Experience is defined as: Interpreted and applied professional accounting principles and policies to enhance the validity, accuracy, and overall integrity of financial processes. Designed, implemented, and assessed internal control frameworks for accounting systems and subsystems, while conducting execution studies of financial management activities to optimize operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
You may qualify for consideration if meeting specialized experience, education requirement, 90 days after competitive appointment requirement, and all other qualification requirements within 30 calendar days after the closing date of the announcement, unless otherwise indicated on the announcement.

Education

GS-11 Substitution of Education for Experience: Three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree may be substituted to meet the specialized experience requirement. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed higher-level graduate level education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements.
If you are using education to substitute for the specialized experience, you must submit transcripts at the time you apply.
To be creditable, education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/ index.html).

Additional information

• Moving expenses will not be paid.
• The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 makes certain reimbursements/payments taxable. For information on these changes and the Relocation Income Tax Allowance (RITA), for which some appointees are eligible, click here.
• Telework availability is limited and will only be provided on a rare case-by-case basis during situations where Agency Leadership has determined that telework serves a compelling DoD need.
• We may use this announcement to make a temporary promotion. For some positions, the temporary promotion may be made permanent without further competition.
• Selections are subject to restrictions resulting from the DoD Program for Stability of Civilian Employment.
• We may use this announcement to fill additional vacancies within 120 days of the closing date.
• This position is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• Travel requirement is seldom.
• This position is not covered by a bargaining unit.
• The Security Designation will vary and dependent upon position and may require a secret clearance or higher. Employment in this position requires a background investigation which may delay starting date. If you are selected and cannot obtain a favorable security determination within a reasonable period of time due to disclosed/undisclosed background issues, the employment offer may be withdrawn. Individuals selected are required to obtain/maintain a favorable security determination to occupy a sensitive position within the agency as a condition of employment. Failure to maintain eligibility to occupy a sensitive position may result in termination. For more information see the security section of Understanding Vacancy Announcements.
• Criminal History Inquiries- For some positions, criminal history inquiries may not take place before you receive a conditional job offer. Please see Fair Chance to Compete for Jobs Act of 2019 (dfas.mil) for more information on The Fair Chance to Compete Act, exceptions, and DFAS contact information.
• This position requires you to obtain and maintain a Level 2 Certification under the DoD Financial Management (FM) Certification Program as a condition of employment. If you are selected, you will have to obtain this certification within two (2) years of your entry on duty in the position unless you are already in a position that requires a Level 2 Certification in which case you must complete the certification within the original 2-year period. Failure to become certified within the required time-frame may be grounds for removal from the position and/or from Federal service. Information about the DoD FM Certification Program is available at: https://www.dfas.mil/onboarding2/certifications/?

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.