Accountant

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Hines (IL); On-site; USD 68,000 - 93,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Illinois is seeking an Accountant to perform full scope professional accounting work applying sound principles and practices.

Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date 2026-09-04. The position emphasizes knowledge of accounting theories, practices, methods, and techniques, with opportunities to independently plan and conduct accounting assignments and analyze systems.

Qualifications

• Degree in Accounting or related field with 24 semester hours in accounting (up to 6 in business law).
• Combination of education and experience: 4 years in accounting with 24 hours in accounting or related certification.
• Specialized education or graduate degree can substitute experience per GS standards.

Skills

Accounting theory

Accounting practices

Accounting methods

Auditing

Analytical skills

Problem solving

Education

Accounting degree with 24 credit hours in accounting

CPA or CIA certification

Job description

This Accountant position is organizationally aligned to the VISN 12 Great Lakes Finance Service. The purpose of this position is to perform the full range of professional accounting work requiring the application of sound accounting principles, theories, concepts and practices. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/04/2026.

Qualification Requirements

Basic Requirements

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet one of the following GS-0510 Accounting Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR).

1. 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-

1. 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:
   1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law;
   2. A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or
   3. 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.

Grade Requirements

In addition to meeting the Basic Requirements above, applicants must possess the required specialized experience, education, or combination of experience and education as identified below.

To qualify for this position at the GS-9 level, you must meet one of the following

GS-9 Specialized Experience

Applicants must have one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-7 in Federal Service that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to: Comprehensive knowledge of accounting theories, practices, methods, and techniques; Ability to independently plan and conduct variety of accounting assignments; Analyzing accounting systems; Modifying and adapting accounting and analytical techniques to solve accounting issues and/or problems.

GS-9 Education

Substitute education for the experience. You must have two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree; OR master's degree; OR equivalent graduate degree which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

GS-9 Combination

Equivalent combination of specialized experience and education beyond one year of graduate level education. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following

GS-11 Specialized Experience

Applicants must possess at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-9 in Federal Service that equipped you with the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes, but is not limited to: Comprehensive accounting knowledge of theories, practices, methods, and techniques; Independently plan and conduct variety of accounting assignments; Analyzing accounting systems; Modifying and adapting accounting and analytical techniques to solve complex accounting issues and/or problems; Analyzing trends in accounting systems and their significance to programs and operations; Resolving problems within the accounting system or program operation, and determining need for program redesign or modification.

GS-11 Education

Substitute education for the experience. You must have three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree; OR Ph.D.; OR equivalent doctoral degree. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

GS-11 Combination

Equivalent combination of specialized experience and education beyond one and a half years of graduate-level education. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to do the work of the position.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: 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/