Summary The Pathways Internship Program allows recent graduates to join VA in career positions that emphasize long-term training and development. The incumbent serves as a trainee who has been appointed to the Pathways Internship Program with on-the -job training and guidance to further technical development. The incumbent will be responsible for providing support in tasks involving clerical and administrative duties in a large multi-faceted service. *You must be willing to relocate. Responsibilities Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion. Major duties include but are not limited to: Analyzes and evaluates current general accounting methods and procedures in terms of adequacy and effectiveness; recommends changes, modifications and improvements in operating procedures. Assignments involve verifying reports with source documents and records, reconciling accounts, investigating to determine if transactions are in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations. Plans, coordinates and performs one-time/recurring comprehensive reviews, special studies and selective internal examinations of finance and accounting functions. Develop training materials, incorporate full range of instructional strategies with full range of instructional training for services. Employs accounting policies/standards in the resolution of unprecedented problems/situations. Applies professional accounting principles, theories, concepts, and practices to unique situations Ensures the timely preparation of all reports as requested for various departments and local management Prepares operating changes when revisions are required. Reviews the work of Accounting Technicians to assure accuracy and conformity to policy and procedures, instructing them when necessary on proper methods and assigns projects to be accomplished. Provides reports to services, program officials and manager to improve operations of programs, services, etc. Process a variety of Accounting transactions and reports and reconciliations in FMS, IPPS, VSSC, IFAMS, and VISTA Works closely with systems personnel on the design of automated systems to facilitate the processing of accounting data to assure the results attained meet all accounting requirements. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Available on an ad hoc basis at the supervisor's discretion Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Accountant - TCF Internship/PD12882-O and PD12883-O Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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 required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: 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. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/24/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-5. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirements Basic Requirements 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.") OR 2. 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. The applicant's 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; 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) 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. You may qualify based on education and/or experience as described below: GS-5 Applicants who meet the basic requirements described in the individual occupational requirements are fully qualified for the specified entry grade (GS-5). GS-7 Specialized Experience: In addition to the above Individual Occupational Requirement, to qualify for the GS-07 level you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to; performing a variety of routine, technical, and occasionally more complex accounting assignments; examining a variety of financial statements for completeness, internal accuracy, and conformance with uniform accounting classification and other specific accounting requirements; reconciling reports and financial data with financial reports on file, and pointing out inconsistencies or errors; assembling information and making comparative analyses; drafting interpretations of accounting requirements in response to requests; reviewing accounting documents such as travel orders, requisitions, and contracts to determine whether accounts are in conformance with uniform accounting classifications; and developing annual and monthly budgetary schedules for specific cost categories and accounts for the organization. OR, Education: 1 year of graduate-level education or superior academic achievement OR, Combination: an equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience, as described above, which meets the total qualification requirement for the GS-07 grade level. Note: If you select this option, a copy of your transcripts is required. Education cannot be credited without documentation. Your resume must indicate clearly the nature of your duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Accountability Accounting Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning Attention to Detail Computer Skills Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Principles of Accounting Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Preferred Experience: Familiar with all Microsoft Office products. Intermediate skills in Excel. (e.g., VLOOKUP, advanced filters and pivot tables.) 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; religions; 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. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. 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/. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of items such as papers and books. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application in order to be considered for the position. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.
