Accountant - Recent Graduate

Summary

The Recent Graduates Program is a dynamic, one-year developmental program that promotes careers in the Federal Government to recent graduates. Participants in the Program receive training and professional development, complete an Individual Development Plan (IDP), and are assigned a mentor. Recent Graduates who successfully complete Program requirements may be eligible for non-competitive conversion to a term or permanent position in the civil service.

Duties

This position offers varying full performance levels (e.g., GS-11, GS-12, or GS-13 equivalent) depending on the specific needs of the selecting Program Office. Further details regarding specific grade levels and responsibilities will be discussed during the interview process. As a GS-7 Accountant you will: Reconcile differences among the automated accounting system's General Ledger, and other subsidiary data modules and accounting records, and initiates corrective actions. Create queries and comparison reports that identify the source of information and highlight the variances to expedite the reconciliation processes under direction of the supervisor or senior accountant. Formulate corrective actions and process improvements and institutes as required. Assist in the enhancement, adaptation, installation, conversion, evaluation and/or modification of accounting systems by testing various systems functionality. As a GS-9 Accountant you will: Analyze and reconcile accounting/financial data and information, review and identify errors related to the preparation of financial statements, consolidated financial statements, and any special managerial reporting. Monitor accounting systems elements and internal controls, identifying problem areas in accounting and financial management effectiveness. Perform automated accounting and financial systems assignments that require the solution of accounting problems to support the production of consistent, quality financial information and reports. Participate in special projects to analyze accounting data to ensure that information accurately reflects the financial condition of the assigned organization. Please note there may be many vacancies that may be filled in any of the below locations. This is NOT a remote position. You will have to report to the duty station you are selected for. Please select the top 2 locations you are willing to report to and/or relocate to.

Qualifications and evaluation

After the application period closes, your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials, responses to the application questionnaire, and any required assessments. Misrepresenting qualifications, cheating, or using AI tools to draft, edit, or generate assessment responses may result in removal from consideration. All assessment responses must be completed solely by the applicant. If you are minimally qualified for this job, you will be placed into one of two pre-defined quality categories. These categories are "Highly Qualified" and "Qualified". Your application will be assessed based on your responses to an online assessment (USA Hire) that measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.Applicants with a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act may request a reasonable accommodation (RA) for the USA Hire Assessments through the online application. RA requests and supporting documentation must be submitted before starting the assessments. Requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Eligible applicants will receive assessment instructions after their request is adjudicated. If the assessment link is issued after the announcement closes, all assessments must be completed within 48 hours. For more information, Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport-usastaffing.opm.gov/hc/en-us/sections/45063131363475-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information) Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Accountability Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. CP/CPS veterans are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and higher. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click here https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13106590 Online Assessments Applicants must complete the USA Hire Assessments, which measure key competencies required for the position. The USA Hire Assessments includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Pathways Eligibility/Transcript Review HR Specialists will review transcripts or a certificate of completion to determine eligibility for the Pathways Recent Graduates Program and verify any education used to qualify for the position. Applicants who meet eligibility and qualification requirements will advance to the next phase. Resume Review HR Specialists will review your resume to assess qualifications based on the required specialized experience. Only information included in the resume will be considered and any additional materials such as cover letters or embedded links will not be reviewed. Applicants who pass the resume review will advance to the next phase.

Education

You MUST submit at least one of the following: Copy of your Transcripts or equivalent; or Certificate as Certified Public Accountant (CPA); or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) Basic Education Requirements for the 510 series: Degree: Bachelor in accounting; or a Bachelor 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 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 (not including business law), 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. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Refer to OPM Instructions. What constitutes a valid certificate program: The Pathways Programs regulation (see 5 CFR 362.102) defines certificate program as post-secondary education at either: A qualifying educational institution (trade or vocational school, 2-year or 4-year college or university, or graduate or professional school) equivalent to at least one academic year of full-time study that is part of an accredited college-level, technical, trade, vocational, or business school curriculum.; OR A qualifying career or technical education program of at least one year that awards a recognized postsecondary credential. What types of programs would meet the eligibility criteria for a qualifying career or technical education program? Three types of programs meet these criteria: Federally administered educational programs that provide rigorous academic content, technical skill proficiency, and a recognized postsecondary credential to prepare the individual for further education and/or a career in a current or emerging profession.; Registered Apprenticeship Programs; and Federally administered local, state, national, or international volunteer service programs. What is a Federally administered career or technical education program? A Federally administered career or technical education program is subject to programmatic oversight by a federal agency that includes: The nature and scope of work to be performed by participants, The type(s) and scope of training to be provided to participants, The types of skills participants will acquire or develop during the program (e.g., teaching, environmental, business, scientific, public health/health care, languages), The level and extent of mentoring participants will receive, and The metrics for successful completion of the program. Programmatic oversight may be reflected in partnership or cooperative agreements.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Read all instructions before you begin. Click "Apply Online." Complete the application and attach all required documents. Submit by 11:59 PM ET on the 11/17/2026. 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 about two (2) 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. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the closing date of this announcement. 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. Managing Your Application: Update: 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. Status: Log into USAJOBS to view your application status. Learn more here: 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. Support: USAJOBS Help: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ for login.gov or USAJOBS assistance. Application Issues: If you have difficulty applying online, contact the Agency Contact listed in this announcement during business hours. Take screenshots of any system errors.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes: Your two (2) page RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date). If your resume does not contain this information, your application may be marked as incomplete, and you may not receive consideration for this position. ** For additional information on Resumes see: What to include in your resume or Resume Writing ** Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume. Education Documentation: Transcripts are required at the time of application submission for Pathways positions. Unofficial transcripts or a report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour), final grade, and overall GPA is acceptable. A degree audit is unacceptable and Word format will not be accepted. Official transcripts WILL BE required if you are selected. Official transcripts will need to be emailed to Human Resources directly from the Registrar's office. If you upload an Official Transcript with your original application package, please note another one will need to be requested and sent directly from the registrar's office prior to your onboarding. For career or technical education programs where transcripts are not available you can submit a copy of the partnership or cooperative agreement that outlines the program requirements. A complete application questionnaire and online USA Hire Assessments. If you are requesting a reasonable accommodation to the USA Hire Assessments, you can find the Reasonable Accommodation process here. Proof of eligibility for the Pathways Recent Graduate Program. This may include college transcripts or other proof of having completed a qualifying program, as described in the Qualifications and Education sections above. You may need to submit multiple transcripts to show how you meet all requirements for this position (e.g., Recent Graduate eligibility versus meeting minimum qualifications). For career or technical education programs where transcripts are not available you can submit a copy of the partnership or cooperative agreement that outlines the program requirements. Other supporting documents, if applicable: Are you claiming veterans' preference? If you are a disabled veteran, Purple Heart recipient, or parent or spouse of a disabled or deceased veteran, you must submit all additional proof required by the SF-15, and if applicable, a completed SF-15. You may request a copy of your Department of Veterans Affairs letter from www.ebenefits.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000 to establish proof of disability. If you are a veteran within 120 days of discharge (from when you apply to this announcement), you must submit signed documentation from the Armed Forces certifying: 1) your expected release/retirement date from active duty, 2) your discharge will be under honorable conditions, 3) your pay grade/rank/rate at time of discharge, 4) dates of active duty service, 5) any campaign or expeditionary medals received, and 6) your separation date from active duty service. If you are a discharged, non-disabled veteran, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 showing character of service (Member 4 copy), or other documentation of service and separation under honorable conditions, as listed on the SF-15. If you don't have your DD-214, you may request it after discharge from the National Archives. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information. Are you a current or former political Schedule A, Schedule C, non-career SES, or Presidential appointee employee? Submit a copy of your applicable SF-50, along with a statement that provides the following information regarding your most recent political appointment: Position title; Type of appointment (Schedule A, Schedule C, non-career SES, or Presidential appointee); Agency; and Beginning and end dates of appointment. Failure to submit any of the above-mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted. Do not submit photographs with your application package. Documents with photographs may not be seen by hiring officials. You must remove your image from any badges, licenses, etc. or you may be removed from consideration.

Additional information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We may select from this announcement or any other source to fill one or more vacancies. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE. For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.opm.gov/telework/ EEO Policy: www.energy.gov/justice/eeo-complaint-process Reasonable Accommodation Policy: www.energy.gov/hc/department-energy-reasonable-accommodation-program Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/veterans Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/ Relocation expenses/incentives may be available. Recruitment incentives may be available. Student Loan Repayment may be available. Advance in Hire (Superior Qualifications) may be available. Creditable Service may be available. Positions may be covered by a bargaining unit. Bargaining unit will vary by departmental element, grade, and/or location. This position is Non Exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Salary will be determined based on the duty location after selection. Management has the prerogative to select at any grade level. The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov. CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS: DOE has the option to non-competitively convert a Recent Graduate to a permanent or term position upon successful completion of program requirements. This is not automatic, nor guaranteed. Conversion is at the discretion of the hiring manager and employing office. To be eligible to be converted to a permanent or term position you must: Be a US Citizen or National. Be recommended for conversion by your manager or supervisor. Complete all training and development requirements within the 1-year appointment period. Successful completion of 1 year of continuous service. Demonstrate successful job performance of at least a "Fully Successful" or equivalent on performance appraisal. Meet the Office of Personnel Management's qualification standards for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted (which may include a positive education requirement). Accounting Series 0510 A Recent Graduate may be converted to the highest General Schedule (GS) grade level qualified for at time of conversion. Recent Graduates converted to a term position in the competitive service may subsequently be non-competitively converted to a career or career-conditional appointment without further competition. WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE PATHWAYS PROGRAM? For additional information regarding the Pathways Program, please refer to the following website: USAJOBS Help Center | Students & recent graduates