About this role
Job Summary
This developmental position, located in the Finance (Fiscal) Service, VA Hudson Valley Healthcare Center, Montrose, NY, composes a career ladder structure to the full performance level of Accountant, GS-510- 11.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/02/2026. 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-9 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-7 For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-9.
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. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.
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. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/26/2026.
Basic Requirement: 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. 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, 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 must qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: To Qualify at the GS-09 level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-07 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: identify all types of accounting errors and variances and provide progressively more detailed analysis of problem causes and recommendations for corrective action; responsible for internal financial auditing and development of required financial reports, reconcile, compile, verify and disseminate billing information.
OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond post-high school education as described above to meet total experience requirements at the GS-09 grade level for this position.
[For example, an applicant with 6 months of appropriate experience equivalent to GS-7 (50 percent of the experience requirement for GS-9) and 27 semester hours of appropriate graduate education (50 percent of the education requirement for GS-9, in excess of that required for GS-7) would be qualified for a GS-9 position. To Qualify at the GS-11 level: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-09 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.
Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Analyzes and interprets routine information; coordinates with others to accomplish work related activities; processes or records financial transactions or numerical information; verifies accuracy and completeness of information on paper or computer documents or records; prepares operating changes when revisions are required. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.
You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond a master degree. 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. Preferred Experience: Knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles. Professional knowledge of and skill in applying accounting and auditing, as required, concepts, principles, and methods sufficient to work independently when conventional procedures and practices can be applied to most situations encountered. 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/.
Major Duties
- Duties included but not limited to: 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. Reviews the work of Accounting Technician to assure accuracy and conformity to policy and procedures, instructing when necessary on proper methods and assigns projects to be accomplished. Plans, coordinates, and performs one-time/recurring comprehensive reviews, special studies and selective internal examinations of finance and accounting functions. Assignments involve verifying reports with source documents and records, reconciling accounts, investigating to determine if transactions are in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations. Applies a professional knowledge of accounting theories, principles, practices, and automated systems. Utilizes a large body of guidelines, regulations and statutory requirements to identify such accounting problems as: inadequate maintenance of fund control, inaccurate records and reports, and lack of documentary evidence to support the performance of regulatory reconciliations. Reviews report media, directs and/or prepares and analyzes internal and external statements and reports. Examples include: Statement of Financial Conditions, Selected Data, Analysis of Costs Incurred and Statement of Selected Support Data. Makes day-to-day decisions regarding unusual and complex accounting transactions, and is available to consult on solution of management problems and to provide alternatives through sound application of professional knowledge of the accounting system. Analyzes and evaluates current general accounting methods and procedures in terms of adequacy and effectiveness; recommends changes, modifications and improvements in operating procedures. Assists in designing, developing and installing accounting forms and adapting same to meet the requirements of special activities and conditions. Advises installation operating officials on the manner in which data should be submitted and aids in devising procedures for the collection of such data. Prepares operating changes when revisions are required. May be required to perform research to determine and certify the availability of funds. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 08:00AM - 4:30PM Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized. Telework: Ad-Hoc. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Accountant/PD21H62-A and PD25893-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized.
Requirements
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 or 2-year trial 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.