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Internal Revenue Agent (Excise Tax Specialist)

Department of the Treasury
Internal Revenue Service
Small Business/Self Employed

Summary

SBSE (Small Business Self-Employed)

  • TSB/SE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER EXAM, SPECIALTY EXAM ESTATE & GIFT /EXCISE TAX EXAM (EGE)

WHAT IS SMALL BUSINESS/SELF EMPLOYED?
A description of the business units can be found at: https://www.jobs.irs.gov/about/who/business-divisions
  • Position(s) are to be filled in following area(s):
    • SBSE EXAM - Examination Deputy Operations - SBSE Specialty - EGE

REVIEW THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BELOW FOR FURTHER DETAILS

Overview

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Accepting applications
Posted today · Apply by 07/20/26
Due by 11:59 p.m. ET on July 20, 2026
Location
4 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy. Telework eligible positions do not guarantee telework.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$106,437 - $140,580 per year

The range reflects the minimum locality to maximum locality for locations listed in the announcement. Salary will be based on selected duty location.

Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - Tour of Duty: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm, 40 hours per week.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position. May be required to travel 1-5 days per month.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
Yes - File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26-12981134P-SBN-0512-13
Control number
875441300

Duties

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The following are the duties of this position at the full working level. If this vacancy includes more than one grade and you are selected at a lower grade level, you will have the opportunity to learn to perform these duties and receive training to help you grow in this position.

  • Conducts particularly complex tax law research to establish a technically sound basis for any tax deficiencies that may be determined. Research may concern issues for which no precedents exist and the outcome of the audit may establish a principle for future examinations involving the same or related issues.
  • Explains and outlines any proposed tax deficiencies to the taxpayer (usually a corporate officer) and/or to his or her representative(s). Attempts, in so far as possible, to achieve agreement for proposed additional tax liabilities (which may be of considerable magnitude). Explains, especially where the case may not be agreed, the appeal procedures that are available to the taxpayer.
  • Conducts compliance checks of certain businesses identified as financial institutions: (1) that are required to keep records in accordance with provisions of the Financial Recordkeeping and Reports of Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970; and (2) for which the Internal Revenue Service has been assigned compliance enforcement responsibility. Checks are for the purpose of assuring that proper records have been kept and reports made. The incumbent advises the taxpayer in the event non-compliance is found and determines if there is willful intent indicating a violation of the regulations and possible assertion of civil or criminal penalties or referral to Criminal Investigation.
  • Conducts field examinations or large and complex firms (often with nationwide operations) predominantly within the manufacturing, transportation, communications, sporting goods, aviation, firearms, insurance and petroleum industries, to determine compliance with Federal excise tax laws. The firms are frequently recognized leaders in their respective industries. Field examinations include detailed audits and extensive analysis of such books and records as ledgers, journals, cash books, vouchers, bank accounts, correspondence, minutes of meetings, trust instruments, exception certificates, certificates of incorporation, partnership agreements and catalogs of manufactured goods. Specific attention is directed to those accounts that have a bearing on excise tax liability. Reconstructs accounts, when necessary, if the taxpayer's records are inadequate or incomplete to determine taxable sales.
  • Reviews and evaluates returns which have been assigned by the Manager. Conducts necessary preliminary research and obtains requisite background information. Determines whether the return should be accepted as filed or whether an audit is required.

STANDARD POSITION DESCRIPTIONS (SPD): PD90844
Visit the IRS SPD Library to access the position descriptions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Probationary Period - A person who is required to go through a probationary period and then is transferred, promoted, demoted, or reassigned before he or she completes such period is required to complete the remainder of the probationary period in the new position.
  • Government Credit Card - Obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS SHOWN IN QUALIFICATIONS SECTION

Qualifications

Federal experience is not required. Experience may have been gained in the public sector, private sector or through 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/day/year, and indicate number of hours worked per week, on your resume.

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

BASIC REQUIREMENTS All GRADES (ALSO MEETS GRADE 5 QUALIFICATIONS):

  • A Certificate as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or a bachelor's or higher degree in accounting that included at least 30 semester 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 bachelor's or higher degree in a field other than accounting or a combination of education and experience equivalent to 4 years that included at least 30 semester hours in accounting or 24 semester hours in accounting and 6 semester hours in related subjects as described above.


AND

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE:

  • In addition to meeting the basic requirement, you must have 1 year of specialized experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Qualifying experience must have been in progressively responsible and diversified professional accounting or auditing work that required 1) knowledge of and skill in applying professional accounting principles, theory, and practices to analyze and interpret accounting books, records, or systems specifically to determine their effect on Federal tax liabilities and their adequacy for recording transactions affecting tax liabilities; 2) skill in interpreting and applying Federal tax law for individuals, business, and/or exempt organizations, partnerships, and corporations; 3) knowledge of business and trade practices to develop tax issues based on analysis and evaluation of overall business operations and financial condition; 4) knowledge of corporate financial transactions and financial management principles and practices; and 5) skill in interacting effectively with a broad range of individuals and in negotiating with specialists in accounting, legal, tax, and other similar business-related professions.


In addition to the above your specialized experience for this position must include at least two (2) of the following:

  • Experience with business practices of major firms, such as intercompany transactions who are subject to excise taxation; experience with various issues raised during an examination and to solve problems where guidelines are not clear or few precedents exist
  • Experience meeting and dealing with corporate officers and competent tax practitioners well versed in excise tax law and regulations in order to present the Government's case in a convincing manner.
  • Experience writing clear and comprehensive reports to serve as the basis for proposed adjustments in cases of considerable importance and complexity.

AND

You must also meet the following requirement(s):

  • TIME AFTER COMPETITIVE APPOINTMENT (TACA): Current civilian employees must have completed at least 90 days of federal civilian service since their latest non-temporary appointment from a competitive referral certificate, known as time after competitive appointment. For this requirement, a competitive appointment is one where you applied to and were appointed from an announcement open to "All US Citizens".
  • TIME IN GRADE (TIG): For positions above the GS-05,applicants must meet applicable time-in-­grade requirements to be considered eligible. One year (52 weeks) at the next lower grade level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the grade you are applying for. For positions at the GS-5, you cannot advance to the GS-05 if you have held a GS-02 in the past 52 weeks. There is no TIG restriction for GS-02, 03, or 04 positions.

For more information on qualifications please refer to OPM's Qualifications Standards.

Education

A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Click here (Section 3, Explanation of Terms) or here for Foreign Education Credentialing instructions.

We recommend choosing an evaluator from a member organization of one of the following national associations of credential evaluation services: National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credentials Evaluators (AICE).

Additional information

  • Consider each location carefully when applying. If you are selected for a location, that location will become your official post of duty.
  • In the event that a building is closed due to rent management, new hires may be placed in a local commuting location.
  • Additional jobs may be filled from this announcement or any other source to fill these vacancies.
  • Alternative work schedule, staggered work hours may be available.
  • Salary: General Schedule (GS) Locality Pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. Applicants who disqualify themselves will not be evaluated further.

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

  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Decision Making
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Learning
  • Reasoning
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

Rating: Your application will be evaluated in accordance with the Service's Merit Promotion Plan. A quality group rating will be used to rank and select eligible candidates. If qualified, you will be assigned to one of three quality level groups, Superior/Best Qualified, Highly Qualified and Qualified Referral: Eligible applicants rated in the highest quality group, may be referred to a selecting official for consideration. Candidates, if required to participate in a selection interview (telephonic and/or in person at the discretion of the Selecting Official in accordance with hiring practices), will be interviewed in quality group order. We will not reimburse costs related to the interview such as travel to and from the interview site.

Performance Appraisal and Awards - Will not be used in determining your overall rating. Any performance appraisal/evaluation and award documentation you provide will be forwarded to the selecting official. The selecting official will review this documentation and give it due weight consideration during the overall selection process. IRS employees may obtain their most recent awards listing at https://persinfo.web.irs.gov/.

If you are a displaced or surplus Federal employee (eligible for the Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), you must receive a score of Highly Qualified orbetter to be rated as "well qualified" to receive special selection priority.

Internal Revenue Service

WHY IS THE IRS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK? As an IRS employee, you will feel proud knowing you helped make America stronger while working at one of the world's biggest financial institutions. You will be part of an organization that collects over $2 trillion in revenue and processes over 200 million tax returns annually. We are proud of how we apply the tax law with integrity and fairness to all. The IRS hires talented and dedicated individuals from many backgrounds, including accounting, business, finance, law enforcement and information technology. You will be challenged & supported on a daily basis. Whether you are just starting out or looking for a new opportunity, consider an IRS career.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has a distinguished history dating back to the founding of our nation. As the steward of U.S. economic and financial systems, Treasury is a major and influential leader in today's global economy. We have over 100,000 employees across the country and around the world. Come Join the Department of the Treasury and Invest in Tomorrow.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OTHER IRS CAREERS? Visit us on the web at www.jobs.irs.gov

Agency contact information

(ERC) Employee Resource Center
Phone
866-743-5748
Website
https://irsgov.sharepoint.com/sites/EmployeeResources/SitePages/ERC-Help-Desk.aspx
Address
SBSE EXAM - Examination Deputy Operations
1111 Constitution Ave NW
Washington, DC 20224
US

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