Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens or Nationals.

WHAT IS THE TAX EXEMPT AND GOVERNMENT ENTITIES (TEGE) DIVISION? Tax Exempt & Government Entities Division serves Employee Plans which examines the returns of qualified pension benefit plans compliance. Exempt Organizations ensures not-for-profit organizations meet tax-exempt status requirements.  And, Government Entities ensures organizations meet their tax withholding and employment tax payment requirements. 

WHAT DOES AN INTERNAL REVENUE AGENT DO? An Internal Revenue Agent (IRA) conducts examinations of entities including individuals, sole proprietorships, small corporations, partnerships, and fiduciaries that may involve a number of separate tasks or procedures. In this position, you will use your professional knowledge and skill in accounting and auditing techniques and practices to examine various tax returns, determine the correct tax liability, identify situations with potential for understated taxes, and to recognize potential fraud. Many situations may require a specialized knowledge of a particular industry and/or may involve varied or complex systems of accounting. In addition, you will interact with taxpayers and their representatives from varied socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, provide examination findings, interpretations of tax laws and regulations, and other necessary information to ensure future compliance.

As an Internal Revenue Agent you will: 

• Conduct examinations of employee plans, exempt organizations or government entities to ensure compliance with the laws governing tax liabilities, financial transactions, employee plans, and/or exempt status.
• Interact with pension trustees, individual taxpayers, pension attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents and other practitioners in conducting day to day operations.
• Make necessary determinations and furnish advice to taxpayers and other Service employees on technical matters involving the functions of the organization(s), the effect of any proposed action or activities, and the consequences on collateral issues affecting taxable organizations.

If you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform all these duties, and will receive training to help you grow in this position.

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

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

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN AMENDED TO EXTEND THE CLOSING DATE TO 5/17/21.

Qualifications

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

BASIC REQUIREMENTS: ALL Grade Levels
You must have a Bachelor's or higher degree in accounting from an accredited college or university that included at least 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) in accounting or 24 semester hours in accounting and an additional 6 semester hours in related subjects such as business law, economics, statistical/quantitative methods, computerized accounting or financial systems, financial management or finance. OR A combination of experience and education at an accredited college or university equivalent to a four year degree that included courses equivalent to a major in accounting, i.e. at least 30 semester hours in accounting or 24 semester hours in accounting and 6 semester hours in related subjects as described above. OR A Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) obtained through written examination in a State, territory or the District of Columbia. OR Are currently serving as an Internal Revenue Agent GS-0512 and have been in this position for at least one year or was previously an Internal Revenue Agent GS-0512 and held the position for at least one year. In addition to the above qualifications, you must possess the following professional accounting knowledges: Principles of Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Cost Accounting, Advanced Accounting, and Auditing.

In addition to the above, you must meet the requirements described below:

GS-07 LEVEL: You must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes knowledge of and skill in applying the principles, concepts and methodology of professional accounting and related fields and skill in communicating and dealing effectively with others. Qualifying experience may have been in accounting, auditing, tax, financial, legal, or other work that required the knowledge and skill defined above. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: One (1) year of graduate level education in a related field such as Accounting, business, finance, law, economics, management, statistical/quantitative methods, or computer science. OR Superior Academic Achievement may be met by having a Bachelor’s degree, with one of the following: A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all completed undergraduate courses or those completed in the last two years of study, or a GPA of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale for all courses in your major field of study or those courses in your major completed in the last two years of study, or rank in the upper one third of your class in the college, university, or major subdivision, or membership in a national honor society recognized by the Association of College Honor Societies. 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.

GS-09 LEVEL: You must have 1 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 knowledge of and skill in applying the principles, concepts and methodology of professional accounting and related fields and skill in communicating and dealing effectively with others. Qualifying experience is accounting work that includes the design, development, operation or inspection of accounting systems; the prescription of accounting standards, policies and requirements; the examination, analysis and interpretation of accounting data, records or reports; and the provision of accounting or financial management advice and assistance to management. Work could also include developing comprehensive accounting and financial information systems in concert with recognized accounting theory and practices as taught in academic institutions and promulgated by accounting standards boards, professional accounting organizations and the Comptroller General. Experience can include work, which included operating, maintaining, improving and evaluating established systems. Day-to-day accounting system operation and maintenance work should address the adequacy of system design, the adequacy of current data in providing financial information or ways to use the system to satisfy new information requirements. Professional accounting work must have been creative, analytical, evaluative and interpretive. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: 2 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in a related field such as Accounting, business, finance, law, economics, management, statistical/quantitative methods, or computer science. OR You may qualify by a combination of experience and education.

GS-11 LEVEL: You must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-09 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes knowledge of and skill in applying professional accounting principles, concepts and methodology in the examination of accounting books, records and systems; skill in interpreting and applying tax law for individuals and business and/or exempt organizations; knowledge of business and trade practices to analyze business operations and financial conditions; and skill in interacting effectively in a wide range of situations with a broad range of individuals. Examples of experience qualifying as specialized include: (This list is not inclusive) Experience in interpreting and applying professional accounting and auditing techniques and practices to examine various tax returns of individuals and/or business organizations. Examining accounting systems and records including computerized accounting and financial information systems which reflect a variety of complex financial operations. Gathering and researching data from a variety of sources, and/or specialized accounting practices unique to a particular trade or industry. The interpretation and application of Federal tax law for individuals, business and/or exempt organizations, partnerships, and corporations. OR You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree in a related field such as Accounting, business, finance, law, economics, management, statistical/quantitative methods, or computer science. OR You may qualify by a combination of experience and education.

- The experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or Volunteer Service. One year of experience refers to full-timework; 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: Your application will be evaluated in the following areas: Decision Making, Interpersonal Skills, Planning and Evaluating, and Accounting Knowledge. Category rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. 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 are eligible and qualified for this position, you will receive electronic information directing you to the assessment process after the closing date of the announcement. This electronic information will include directions for accessing the assessment website and user log-in. The assessment process measures knowledge of accounting (basic, intermediate, advanced, cost, auditing) and general competencies (problem solving, interpersonal skills, self-management, decision-making, oral communications).  

If you pass the on-line assessment, you will be assigned to one of two quality level categories, (i.e., A/B = Best Qualified, C = Qualified) depending on your overall score from the assessment.

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 for this position, except at the GS-09 and above. 

Referral: If you are among the top qualified candidates, your application may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. Candidates will be interviewed in category order. 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.

You will only be allowed to take the assessment once in a 12-month period. If you choose to retake the assessments after 12 months, your most current score will be used.