Accountant (Staff)

About the role

This position is located in the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Office of Financial Management, Accounting Management Group (AMG), Division of Financial Oversight and Internal Controls (DFOIC).

As a Accountant (Staff), GS-0510-9/11, you will perform a variety of complex accounting duties, utilizing a professional knowledge of accounting principles and procedures in carrying out assignments.

What you will do

• Reviewing, analyzing, and reconciling financial reports, accounting records, and supporting documentation to identify discrepancies and recommend corrective actions.
• Applying accounting principles, financial management policies, procedures, and internal control requirements in performing accounting and financial management activities.
• Monitoring financial reporting and accounting activities to evaluate the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of financial information and compliance with applicable requirements.
• Analyzing accounting and financial issues, identifying trends or problems, and developing recommendations or solutions to improve financial operations and reporting.
• Providing accounting guidance and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders, including program officials and auditors, to address financial reporting, accounting, and audit-related matters.

Education

Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the qualification requirements, all candidates must have the following educational requirements: 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 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.

Your 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) you have 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 you have 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, your education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

TRANSCRIPTS are required to verify satisfactory completion of the educational requirement listed above. Please refer to the "Required Documents" section below for the documentation required at the time of application. Click the following link to view the occupational questionnaire: ***

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement. Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), the responses you provide on the application questionnaire, and the results of the online assessments required for this position.

A Subject Matter Expert may assist in the resume review process to help determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating.

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork In order to be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process.

In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. The assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

You will be placed in one of the following categories based on category rating and selection procedures if you meet all of the requirements outlined in this job opportunity announcement: Best Qualified - for those who are superior in the evaluation criteria Well Qualified - for those who excel in the evaluation criteria Qualified - for those who only meet the minimum qualification requirements If you are found to be among the top-qualified candidates, you will be referred to the selecting official for employment consideration.

This is a competitive vacancy announcement advertised under Delegated Examining Authority. Selections made under this vacancy announcement will be processed as new appointments to the civil service.

Current civil service employees would therefore be given new appointments to the civil service; however, benefits, time served and all other Federal entitlements would remain the same.

The category rating process does not add veterans' preference points or apply the "rule of three" but protects the rights of veterans by placing them ahead of non-preference eligibles within each category.

Veterans' preference eligibles who meet the minimum qualification requirements and who have a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10 percent will be listed in the highest quality category (except in the case of professional or scientific positions at the GS-09 level or higher).

Documents you must provide

• To apply for this position, you must submit a complete Application Package which includes: 1.
• Resume showing relevant experience; cover letter optional.
• NOTE: As of September 27, 2025, federal agencies will only accept resumes that are two pages or less in length.
• Your resume must indicate your citizenship and whether you are registered with the Selective Service if you are a male born after December 31, 1959.
• Your resume must also list your work experience and education (if applicable), including the start and end dates (mm/yyyy) of each employment, along with the number of hours worked per week.
• For work in the Federal service, you must include the series and grade level for the position(s).
• For resume and application tips, visit: ***
• Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the assessment tool(s).
• We strongly encourage applicants to utilize the USAJOBS resume builder in the creation of resumes.
• Determining length of general or specialized experience is dependent on the information provided in the resume.
• Failure to include ALL of the information listed below on your resume WILL result in a finding of ineligible.
• Official Position Title (include series and grade if Federal job) Duties (be specific in describing your duties) Employer's name and address Supervisor name and phone number Start and end dates in the month and year format (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) Salary 2.
• CMS Required Documents (e.g., SF-50, DD-214, SF-15, etc.).
• Required documents may be necessary to be considered for this vacancy announcement.
• Click here for a detailed description of the required documents.
• Failure to provide the required documentation WILL result in an ineligible rating OR non-consideration.
• Since this position requires specific education, you must submit a transcript attesting to your possession of the required education.
• You may submit an unofficial transcript or a list of college courses completed, indicating course titles, credit hours, and grades received.
• An official transcript is required if you are selected for the position.
• If selected, you must provide an original document before the final job offer may be extended.
• If you do not submit a transcript indicating your possession of the required education, you will not be considered for this position.
• College Transcripts and Foreign Education: Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that it is comparable to the education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. For a listing of services that can perform this evaluation, visit the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services website.
• This list, which may not be all-inclusive, is for informational purposes only and does not imply any endorsement of any specific agency.
• If you are applying for a position for which a state license is issued (e.g., physician, engineer, attorney), possession of a valid and current U.S. professional license by a graduate of a foreign professional school or program is sufficient proof that the foreign education has been determined to be equivalent to the requisite U.S. professional education in that occupational field.
• Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.
• Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency-Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to commencing the USA Hire Competency-Based Assessments.
• Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis.
• If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency-Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.
• You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency-Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement.
• To determine if you need an RA, please click here to review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

What to expect next

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. Within 30 business days of the closing date, 11/03/2026, you may check your status online by logging into your USAJOBS account (***).

We will update your status after each key stage in the application process has been completed.

Additional information

Bargaining Unit Position: Yes Tour of Duty: Flexible Recruitment Incentive: Not Authorized Relocation Incentive: Not Authorized Financial Disclosure: Not Required Workplace Flexibility at CMS: This position has a regular and recurring reporting requirement to the CMS office listed in this announcement.

CMS offers flexible working arrangements and allows employees the opportunity to participate in alternative work schedules at the manager's discretion. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced federal employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies.

To be qualified you must submit the required documentation and be rated well-qualified for this vacancy. Click here for a detailed description of the required supporting documents. A well-qualified applicant is one whose knowledge, skills and abilities clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements of the position.

Additional information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at ***