Department of Defense

ACCOUNTANT

Limestone, Maine, Whitehall, Ohio Full time

ACCOUNTANT

Department: Department of Defense

Location(s): Limestone, Maine, Whitehall, Ohio

Salary Range: $74678 - $121422 Per Year

Job Summary: This job announcement uses the USA Hire Assessment to evaluate applicants. For more information, visit USA Hire Assessment. This position will report to Columbus, but the selectee can be located in Columbus or Limestone, and pay will be set in accordance with the duty station. Columbus salary range: $77,926 - $121,422 Limestone salary range: $74,678 - $116,362 Pay for first time hires to the Federal Government will typically be set at step 1 salary range for their respective grade level.

Major Duties:

  • Proposes new procedures and methods or modifies existing procedures and methods to resolve current problems and enhance the validity, accuracy, and integrity of accounting processes.
  • Establishes and monitors internal control systems and examines internal controls systems and analyzes/evaluates effectiveness, adequacy, and interrelationships within/among segments of the system and other segments within the organization.
  • Reviews, analyzes, and evaluates the status of performance measurement and financial management information indicators for assessing the health and effectiveness of accounting operations.
  • Assists customers with accounting data interpretation, applies financial data to management problems, and develops extracts of accounting systems data for use in financial program execution analysis.
  • Provides professional accounting advice and assistance to supported organizations and lower graded accountants and/or accounting technicians in the resolution of diverse, complex, or controversial accounting problems.
  • Duties described above reflect the full performance level GS-12. Duties assigned to an entry grade of GS-11 will be developmental in nature.

Qualifications: Human Resources will determine your qualifications for each entry grade level based on your interest and the additional following criteria. Resumes for federal government positions need more detailed work descriptions and accomplishments than a typical private sector resume. Please be sure to clearly describe this in your resume. Combinations of education and experience may also be sufficient. 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 MUST 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-09) in the Federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience at the GS-11 level is defined as: Providing professional accounting services, advice, assistance, or information to an assigned area by applying accounting concepts, principles, or methods to the day-to-day accounting operations. In addition to meeting the basic requirement, qualified applicants must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11) in the Federal service, which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience at the GS-12 level is defined as: Providing professional accounting services such as, ensuring operational effectiveness or Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) compliance, independently analyzing or interpreting financial data, statements, or reports using analytical methods, or delivering technical accounting expertise to design, implement, or assess accounting systems, procedures, and internal control processes. 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 to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You may qualify for consideration if meeting time-in grade, 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. 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/?

How to Apply: The following link will help you determine if you meet the eligibility to apply for this position: http://www.dfas.mil/careers/howtoapply/vacancyannouncement/appointment-eligibility.html PLEASE NOTE: You will be considered only for those appointment eligibilities for which you select, attach supporting documentation and are found eligible. 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 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. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us 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 has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

Application Deadline: 2026-04-27