Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens or Nationals

WHAT IS THE APPEALS DIVISION? Independent by statute, staffed by highly trained professionals who provide mediation for any taxpayer contesting IRS compliance actions. Appeals is the last opportunity for the IRS and a taxpayer to resolve disputes prior to litigation, and ensures that all taxpayers can receive an impartial review of their tax case.

WHAT DOES A TAX SPECIALIST DO? IRS Tax Specialists interact with customers of various IRS Divisions to resolve both general and technical issues. They conduct investigations of individual and business taxpayers to determine Federal tax liability. They also provide tax law and tax-related accounting assistance for internal and external customers.

As a Tax Specialist you will:

• Plan and conduct examinations and related investigations of a variety of individual and/or business taxpayers.
• Review examinations and related investigations of a variety of individual and business taxpayers involving complex tax issues and accounting records.
• Advise taxpayers of their rights as defined in the examination and appeal guidelines, the actual examination procedures, and an explanation of current tax and reporting responsibilities and the importance and benefit of meeting future responsibilities.
• Research taxpayer accounts and determine whether penalty and interest determinations are in compliance with statutory provisions, procedural and policy requirements.
• Train and provide guidance to taxpayers, practitioners, and volunteers on technical tax law and accounting policies, practices, and principles as it relates to pertinent tax law modifications through seminars, speeches, or workshops.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OTHER IRS CAREERS? If you want to find out more about IRS careers, visit us on the web at www.jobs.irs.gov

Conditions of employment

• Click "Print Preview" to review the entire announcement before applying.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National
• Refer to Other Information

Applicants at all grades must demonstrate their knowledge of Principles of Accounting. Candidates demonstrate this knowledge either through successful completion of 6 semester credits or 9 quarter credits of college level accounting work or successfully passing the TCO on-line Basic Accounting Assessment (BAA).  The BAA is valid for an indefinite period of time. You will only be allowed to take the Basic Accounting Assessment (BAA) once in a 6 month period. If you choose to retake any of the assessments after the retake restriction, your most current score will be used.

Qualifications

You must meet the following requirements by the closing date of this announcement:

GS-9 LEVEL: You must have one year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-07 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes: Office auditing of various types of tax returns to determine tax liability of individual tax payers, businesses, or corporations; Applying pertinent parts of the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations and procedures to: (1) conduct comprehensive analytical examinations, (2) use creative in-office factfinding techniques, and (3) develop effective public contact skills; Determination and redetermination, or audit, on liability for Federal taxes; Program evaluation, internal audit or administrative management of the assessment and collection of Federal taxes (other than alcohol and tobacco); Investigating alleged criminal violations of Federal tax statutes and making recommendations for criminal prosecution and assertion of civil penalties; Collecting delinquent Federal taxes (other than alcohol and tobacco), including canvassing for unreported taxes due, and securing delinquent returns. OR
You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Master's or equivalent graduate degree in a field of study in an accredited college or university in accounting, auditing, taxation, business administration, law, or other related fields. OR
2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in accounting, auditing, taxation, business administration, law, or other related fields. OR
LL.B. or J.D., if related to accounting, auditing, taxation, business administration, law, or other related fields. OR
You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Options for qualifying based on a combination will be identified in the online questions.

Grades 5 thru 9: You may qualify by a combination of experience and education. Options for qualifying based on a combination will be identified in the online questions.

- The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-time work; part-timework is considered on a prorated basis.
- To ensure full credit for your work experience, please indicate dates of employment by month/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application includes your resume, responses to the online questions, and required supporting documents. Please be sure that your resume includes detailed information to support your qualifications for this position; failure to provide sufficient evidence in your resume may result in a “not qualified” determination.

Rating: You will be evaluated in the following areas: Mathematical Reasoning, Self-Management, Technology Application, Conflict Management, Principles of Accounting, Decision Making, Integrity/Honesty, Influencing/Negotiating, Interpersonal Skills, Oral Communications, Planning and Evaluating, Problem Solving, and Stress Tolerance. Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates.

If you are determined tentatively qualified based on your responses to the online questions, you may receive an email directing you to the on-line assessment (Self Assessment/Job Simulation Assessment) including directions for accessing the assessment and a unique link to register for your testing session. If you pass the online assessments you will be tentatively assigned to one of two quality level categories, (i.e., A/B = Superior or C= Qualified) Your rating may be lowered if your responses to the online questions are not supported by the education and/or experience described in your application. 

If you fail the online assessments, you are not qualified for the position. 

Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Preference-eligibles will be listed at the top of their assigned category and considered before non-preference-eligibles in that category. Qualified preference-eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest category.

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. You may be required to participate in a selection interview. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP)/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP), you must receive a score of category A/B to be rated as “well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Assessment scores are valid for an indefinite period of time. You may only take the on-line Assessment once within a 12-month period. If you choose to retake the assessments after the retake restriction, your most current score will be used.