Accounting Technician

Summary

Employee will serve as an Accounting Technician within Finance & Accounting Service Section located at the Veterans Affairs Maryland Healthcare System in Perry Point, MD.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***
Duties will include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Examines, verifies, and maintains financial accounts and accounting data and classifies accounting transactions.
• Determines the general ledger accounts, journals, and subsidiary accounts affected, and the debit and credit entries to be made as per generally accepted accounting practices. Summarizes transactions and prepares control documents or other posting documents.
• Performs the maintenance, auditing, and reconciliation of general and subsidiary ledger accounts for the preparation of accurate and timely reports, and for the control of funds.
• Determines the nature of errors and makes adjustments in the correct appropriation to a variety of interrelated accounts. Researches, interprets, and verifies which appropriation and general ledge accounts a document and subsequent accounting transactions will affect.
• Prepares reconciliation of the general ledger to subsidiary accounts, accruals, adjusting journal entries, accounting reports and special reports. Maintains control of receipts and disbursements, of funds obligated and funds expended.
• Documents financial transactions to assure a proper audit trail. Reviews pending items and ensures follow-up action is taken.
• Serves as liaison between vendors and Fiscal Service to resolve and answer questions concerning obligations, payables, and payment inquiries on all types of purchase orders.
• Assists leadership and Accountants in preparing various reports and audits by making various calculations, gathering costs from various sources, and insuring mathematical accuracy of the reports.
• Perform other duties as necessary.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job..
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The work is primarily sedentary with some carrying of computer reports, boxes, and ledgers.
• Subject to background/security investigation
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-6) in the Federal service. Specialized experience includes: reconciling general ledgers to subsidiary accounts, accruals, adjusting journal entries, maintaining control of receipts and disbursements, and of funds obligated and funds expended, summarizing and preparing financial/accounting reports; utilizing complex computer systems affecting appropriations, funds, general ledger and cost to analyze errors and reconciliation listings pertaining to input and output and to trace documents through their audit trail. (Resume(s) must clearly detail specialized experience to receive credit for this GS-7 level position. We will not make assumptions regarding experience.)
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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Therefore, it is not necessary to submit transcripts.

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 a 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 received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

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.