Accountant

Western Area Power Administration (DOE); Lakewood (CO); On-site; USD 83,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Area Power Administration (DOE) in Lakewood, CO seeks an Accountant to provide advice and analysis of accounting data for problem solving and decision making. You will coordinate cost accounting, plant accounting, fiscal and systems accounting information for the Rocky Mountain Region as the region’s principal source.

The role covers all phases of financial analysis, project accounting, and interaction with auditors.

Qualifications

• Degree in accounting or related field with 24 semester hours in accounting.
• Combination of education and experience meeting the specialized requirements.
• GAAP knowledge and ability to prepare or review journal entries.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate all RMR accounting functions related to centralized systems.
• Review accounting requirements across budgeting, auditing, and internal controls.
• Prepare project accounts and year-end transactions.
• Collaborate with Rates staff to reconcile statements.
• Assist auditors with documentation and audit responses.
• Analyze trends and correct account balances.

Skills

Accounting

GAAP

Financial analysis

Auditing support

Education

Accounting degree

Job description

Summary

This position is part of the WAPA-RMR-Rocky Mountain Region. As an Accountant, you will provide advice and assistance to RMR management to interpret accounting data for problem-solving and decision-making purposes. As the Region’s principal source of cost accounting, plant accounting, fiscal and systems accounting information, you will be responsible for all phases of financial analysis and review.

Learn more about this agency

Locations

1 vacancy in the following locations:

• Lakewood, CO
• Loveland, CO
• Billings, MT
• Bismarck, ND
• Huron, SD
• Watertown, SD

Work arrangements

Telework eligible: Yes—as determined by the agency policy.

Remote job: No

Relocation expenses reimbursed: No

Salary & Pay Information

$83,265 – $129,742 per year

Pay scale & grade: GS 11 – 12

Promotion potential: 12

Work schedule

Full-time

Travel

Occasional travel – You may be expected to travel for this position.

Appointment type

Permanent

• 0510 Accounting

Supervisory status

No

Federal service type

This job is in the Competitive Service

Union representation

No

Drug test

No

Security clearance

Other

• Moderate Risk (MR)
• Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
• Background check type

• Credentialing
• Suitability/Fitness

Financial disclosure required

No

Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.

Announcement number

27-WJ-074071-13102301-DE

Control number

890397200

Eligibility

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Military spouses

Military spouses of active duty service members or whose spouse is 100 percent disabled or died on active duty.

Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens, Nationals, or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Additional locations

Huron, SD

Watertown, SD

Duties

• Coordinate all RMR accounting functions, as they relate to the centralized accounting system, including elements of cost, fiscal, and systems accounting.
• Review and advise on all accounting requirements, relating to broader-based financial management activities, which include accounting, auditing, budgeting, project management, and internal controls.
• Initiate and review work outputs that affect project accounts, to include project creation, accounting adjustments, project close and end-of-year transactions.
• Works with Rates staff to reconcile differences on crosswalks between financial statements and power repayment studies.
• Serve as a contact to auditors, preparing documentation requests, answering questions, and preparing or assisting in the preparation of responses to audit findings.
• Analyze information for trends and deviations from management/customer plans; reconciles account balances; and makes corrective adjustments.

Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
• In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
• Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
• Security clearance and associated requirements- Moderate Risk.
• Shift work and emergency overtime may be required.
• Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
• Total salary varies depending on location of position.

Qualifications

To be found qualified, you must meet the basic requirement AND minimum qualification requirements for the grade level(s) in which you apply.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

A) 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

B) 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.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:
Specialized Experience, GS-11 Level: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09) in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as having all of the following:

1. developing, preparing, and analyzing financial statements and reports; and
2. reconciling accounts payable and receivable activity and standard general ledger accounts.

OR
Education Substitution : successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or at least three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field related to the work of this position as described in the vacancy announcement.

OR
Combination of Education and Experience: combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond the first two years of graduate study that together meet the requirements for this position.

Specialized Experience, GS-12 Level: Your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized experience is defined as having all of the following:

1. preparing or reviewing month end and year end journal entries;
2. planning and tracking capital assets through their useful life;
3. reviewing and analyzing data, identifying errors and formulating questions;
4. applying Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and providing guidance to non-finance stakeholders.

“Experience” refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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.

Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.

Working Conditions:The work is primarily sedentary.

Physical Effort: The work is performed in an office setting.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement.

If you are relying on education to meet the qualification requirements, you must provide your transcripts.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Additional information