Accountant (Staff)

Office of Justice Programs (U.S. Department of Justice); Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP) seeks an Accountant (Staff) at GS-0510-13 in Washington, DC. The role requires a degree in accounting or related fields with 24 accounting hours or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

An online USA Hire assessment is required as part of the application process. Applicants must meet specialized experience requirements and demonstrate ability in accounting analysis, internal controls, and cost reporting.

Qualifications

• Must have accounting education meeting federal standards or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-12 level required.
• Online assessment will be part of the application process.

Responsibilities

• Analyze the impact of budgetary or accounting events on multi-appropriated fund accounts.
• Perform quality assurance reviews of accounting procedures and revise processes as needed.
• Conduct cost reporting and monitor financial performance.

Skills

Attention to Detail

Integrity/Honesty

Teamwork

Learning

Customer Service

Education

Accounting degree with 24 accounting hours

CPA or CIA certificate

Related degree with accounting coursework

Job description

This position is located in the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), Grant Financial Management Division (GFMD).

To qualify for the position of Accountant (Staff), at GS-0510-13, you must meet the qualification requirements listed below.

Basic Entry 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

Applicants must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 level. Specialized experience is experience which is in or related to the line of work of the position to be filled and which has equipped the applicant with the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience include:

• Analyzing the impact of budgetary or accounting events on multi-appropriated fund accounts;
• Performing quality assurance reviews of accounting procedures and making major revisions to accounting processes;
• Conducting cost reporting;
• Conducting financial monitoring and evaluating accounting systems and internal controls; and
• Analyzing cost requirements and variances, including validating indirect cost rates, examining budgets for cost allowability and allocability, and ensuring compliance with cost standards.

Online Assessment

This position requires an online assessment. After you submit this application, you will receive an e-mail informing you that a USA Hire assessment is required of you. You will have 48 hours from the closing date of this announcement 10/20/2026 to complete the assessment as this assessment is part of your application.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics):

• Occupational Interaction Assessment
  • Accountability
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork
• Occupational Judgment Assessment
  • Decision Making
• Occupational Math Assessment
  • Arithmetic
  • Mathematical Reasoning
• Occupational Reasoning Assessment
  • Reasoning

You MUST meet all qualification requirements, including time-in-grade, by the closing date of this announcement, 10/20/2026.

Your resume must support your responses to the online questionnaire and the qualification requirements. Failure to do so may result in an ineligible rating. See the Required Documents section for important notes about what must be included in your resume.