Assistant IT Auditor (System's Audit)

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); On-site; USD 57,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits package

Paid vacation, sick leave, holidays

Extensive training opportunities (80+;

Education and certification reimburse.

Diversity, equity, inclusion focus

Job summary

State Auditor’s Office (SAO) in Washington seeks entry-level IT System Application Auditors to learn how government applications process information and operate controls. You will interview staff, summarize findings, identify risks, and support multiple concurrent projects to support audit opinions.

The role offers training, a collaborative team, and a pathway to grow within the System Audit Team that serves state agencies and local governments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three college-level accounting courses.
• Education may be substituted with 4-years of compiling or auditing financial statements or related audit experience.
• Any equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Learn how applications process information through interviewing agency staff.
• Document summaries and provide auditor evaluations.
• Identify risks and weaknesses and how to resolve them.
• Verify automated and manual controls operate correctly.
• Manage multiple projects with strong project management.

Skills

Eagerness to learn

Clear written & verbal comms

Multi-project momentum

Financial & compliance testing

Automated input/output controls

Critical thinking

Big-picture reasoning

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor’s degree + 3 accounting courses

4+ years audit/financial statement experience

Equivalent education/experience

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Description

In Person Locations available at: Olympia, Port Orchard, Mill Creek, Bellingham, or Spokane.

Application review will begin on September 1st - The hiring manager reserves the right to close this listing once a candidate has been selected.

About SAO

At the State Auditor’s Office, we work together to make a difference in how our state government operates. With 15 offices statewide, we are looking for innovative, talented people to join our team to help us continue our important work. Get to know us! We take pride in serving various governments and the people of Washington State. Learn more about who we are and what we do on social media, using the hashtag #WeAreSAO and on our website at https://sao.wa.gov/about-sao/what-we-do.

Our Culture

We are committed to building and maintaining a workplace environment that is collaborative and supports all employees as we effectively carry out the agency’s mission. This includes ensuring inclusion and equity throughout the agency, while embracing the individual differences of our employees and clients. We believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds are fundamental to doing our best work.

The Washington State Auditor’s Office (SAO) prides itself in offering flexible schedules and a hybrid work environment that helps our staff balance work and life.

About the Role: IT System Application Auditor

Information Technology Systems Auditing Is An Exciting Career Opportunity. It Is Well Suited For People Who Like To Understand How Application Software Systems Are Integrated Into Our Government’s Operations. We Help Ensure Government Applications Operate Reliably, Securely, And As Intended. Entry-level System Application Auditors:

• Learn how applications process information through interviewing agency staff.
• Document summarize of important information and supply auditor’s evaluation.
• Identify potential risks and weaknesses and how to resolve them.
• Help verify the automated and manual controls operate correctly.
• Be responsible for multiple projects utilizing strong project management skills.

About System Application Auditor Team

The System Audit Team serves both state agencies and local governments. We communicate clearly and work professionally, both within our Office and Washington State governments. The System Audit Team supports training, auditing resources and conducts fieldwork related to financial and operational application technology.

We’re committed to helping every team member thrive and make a meaningful difference for Washington’s government entities and the citizens they serve.

Duties

Successful IT System Application Auditors come from many backgrounds. These skills help you thrive in this role:

• Eagerness for learning new things through active listening
• Clear and professional written and verbal communication
• Maintaining momentum on multiple projects simultaneously
• Basic understanding of financial and compliance testing
• Basic understanding of automated input, processing and output controls
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skill
• Ability to connect the dots and see the big picture of a complex process.
• Ability to build effective working relationships.

If you like learning how application systems operate and the responsibilities of Washington State government agencies this role fits well. You will help colleagues understand how technology affects their audit opinions.

Qualifications

Assistant IT Auditor 1 ($5,111 - $6,870)

This is the first level of our staffing range. Our Office provides recorded and on-the-job training. Work is done collaboratively with more experienced audit staff.

Job Qualification Requirement For Entry-level System Application Auditing

• Option 1 - Requires a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of three college-level accounting courses.
• OR Option 2 - Education may be substituted with 4-years of compiling or auditing financial statements, verifying the accuracy of business computer application, or other related audit experience.
• OR Option 3 - Any equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Supplemental Information

We offer a comprehensive package of health and wellness benefits to employees, including:

• Full benefits package.
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Growth and development opportunities, including 80+ hours of training each biennium.
• Educational and professional certification reimbursements.
• An agency-wide commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion in the workplace.

Read About Our Benefits

The following information describes typical benefits available for full-time employees who are expected to work more than six months. Actual benefits may vary by appointment type or be prorated for other than full-time work (e.g. part-time); view the job posting for benefits details for job types other than full-time.

Note: If the position offers benefits which differ from the following, the job posting should include the specific benefits.

Insurance Benefits

Employees and their families are covered by medical (including vision), dental and basic life insurance. There are multiple medical plans with affordable monthly premiums that offer coverage throughout the state.

Staff are eligible to enroll each year in a medical flexible spending account which enables them to use tax-deferred dollars toward their health care expenses. Employees are also covered by basic life and long-term disability insurance, with the option to purchase additional coverage amounts.

To view premium rates, coverage choice in your area and how to enroll, please visit the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) website. The Washington Wellness program from the Health Care Authority works with PEBB to support our workplace wellness programs.

Dependent care assistance allows the employee to save pre-tax dollars for a child or elder care expenses.

Other insurance coverage for auto, boat, home, and renter insurance is available through payroll deduction.

The Washington State Employee Assistance Program promotes the health and well-being of employees.

Retirement And Deferred Compensation

State Employees are members of the Washington Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). New employees have the option of two employer contributed retirement programs. For additional information, check out the Department of Retirement Systems' web site.

Employees also have the ability to participate in the Deferred Compensation Program (DCP). This is a supplemental retirement savings program (similar to an IRA) that allows you control over the amount of pre-tax salary dollars you defer as well as the flexibility to choose between multiple investment options.

Social Security

All state employees are covered by the federal Social Security and Medicare systems. The state and the employee pay an equal amount into the system.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

If you are employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, and meet the qualifying criteria, you may be eligible to receive student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

Holidays

Full-time and part-time employees are entitled to paid holidays and one paid personal holiday per calendar year.

Note: Employees who are members of certain Unions may be entitled to additional personal leave day(s), please refer to position specific Collective Bargaining Agreements for more information.

Full-time employees who work full monthly schedules qualify for holiday compensation if they are employed before the holiday and are in pay status for at least 80 nonovertime hours during the month of the holiday; or for the entire work shift preceding the holiday.

Part-time employees who are in pay status during the month of the holiday qualify for the holiday on a pro-rata basis. Compensation for holidays (including personal holiday) will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status in the month to that required for full-time employment, excluding all holiday hours. Pay status includes hours worked and time on paid leave.

Sick Leave

Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month. Overtime eligible employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month, earn a monthly proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Overtime exempt employees who are in pay status for less than 80 hours per month do not earn a monthly accrual of sick leave.

Sick leave accruals for part-time employees will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment. Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

Vacation (Annual Leave)

Full-time employees accrue vacation leave at the rates specified in WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA). Full-time employees who are in pay status for less than 80 nonovertime hours in a month do not earn a monthly accrual of vacation leave.

Part-time employees accrue vacation leave hours in accordance with WAC 357-31-165(1) or the applicable collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on a pro rata basis. Vacation leave accrual will be proportionate to the number of hours in pay status, in the month to that required for full-time employment.

Pay status includes hours worked, time on paid leave and paid holiday.

As provided in WAC 357-58-175, an employer may authorize a lump-sum accrual of vacation leave or accelerate the vacation leave accrual rate to support the recruitment and/or retention of a candidate or employee for a Washington Management Service position. Vacation leave accrual rates may only be accelerated using the rates established WAC 357-31-165.

Note: Most agencies follow the civil service rules covering leave and holidays for exempt employees even though there is no requirement for them to do so. However, agencies are required to adhere to the applicable RCWs pertaining holidays and leave.

Military Leave

Washington State supports members of the armed forces with 21 days paid military leave per year.

Bereavement Leave

Most employees whose family member or household member dies, or for loss of pregnancy, are entitled to five (5) days of paid bereavement leave. In addition, the employer may approve other available leave types for the purpose of bereavement leave.

Additional Leave

Leave Sharing

Parental Leave

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Leave Without Pay

Please visit the State HR Website for more detailed information regarding benefits.

Updated 01-07-2026

01

Monitoring of Recruitment Sources

• Careers.wa.gov
• SAO.wa.gov
• College Website (specify below)
• Other Website (specify below)
• Networking/Social Event (specify below)
• Job Fair (specify below)
• Newspaper (specify below)
• Campus Career Center (specify below)
• Subscription Services Email
• On Campus Interviews
• Friend
• SAO Employee (specify below)
• SAO Presentation
• Other (specify below)

Selection of Source(s) List

(0950) Please list the specific source(s) if you made a selection in question #1

Travel Availability

I can travel regularly to (Please select all that apply):

• Olympia
• Port Orchard
• Mill Creek
• Bellingham
• Spokane
• Current assigned SAO duty station (internal SAO candidates only)

Experience Over Six Months

• Ensured data correctly transferred from one application system to another completely and accurately
• Evaluated segregation of duties through analysis of system permissions, role or access rights
• Confirmed operations followed required rules and standards
• Learned/used compliance criteria such as AICPA, Greenbook, OMB Circular No.-A, State mandated policies and manuals
• Completed assignments and projects using Microsoft tools such as Word and Excel
• Held or pursuing certificates related to CIA, CPA, CISA, PMP or another technical accreditation

Additional Capability

• Asked clarifying questions to better understand instructions and concepts
• Successfully managed five or more tasks, assignments or projects at the same time
• Provided helpful and respectful customer service
• Used guidance from supervisors, teachers or mentors to improve the quality of a finished assignment
• Stayed organized using Microsoft tools such as calendar, planner, to dos or other resources.

Education or Experience Requirement

• Yes
• No

Accounting Experience Detail

0950 - Please provide a detailed outline of your accounting experience including relevant education courses or work history/volunteer experience. Details for any courses should include the following information: Name of College/University, Course Code and Name, Number of Sem/Qtr Credits, Grade Received. (Example: University of Washington, Acct 201 - Intermediate Accounting, 5qtr, B). Details for relevant work/volunteer history should include the following: Name of Organization, Date/Length of Service and Description of work performed. These details will be used to determine your eligibility.

Required Question

The Office of the Washington State Auditor is an equal opportunity employer.

Persons with a disability, who need assistance in the application, or testing, processes, or who need this announcement in an alternative format, may call [phone] or via the telecommunications relay service by dialing 7-1-1.