Skip to main content
U.S. flag
 

Accountant

Department of Energy
Western Area Power Administration
Rocky Mountain Region - Financial Management J8000

Summary

This position is part of the WAPA-RMR-Rocky Mountain Region. As an Accountant, you will provide advice and assistance to RMR management to interpret accounting data for problem-solving and decision-making purposes. As the Region's principal source of cost accounting, plant accounting, fiscal and systems accounting information, you will be responsible for all phases of financial analysis and review.

Overview

Help
Location
2 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$83,265 - $129,742 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 11 - 12
Promotion potential
12
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Occasional travel - Travel of up to 5-10% annually may be required, with overnight travel possible during all or part of that time.
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
Other
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
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
WJ-26-01049-13030174-DE
Control number
879576700

Duties

Help

As an Accountant, you will:

  • Coordinate all RMR accounting functions, as they relate to the centralized accounting system, including elements of cost, fiscal, and systems accounting.
  • Review and advise on all accounting requirements, relating to broader-based financial management activities, which include accounting, auditing, budgeting, project management, and internal controls.
  • Initiate and review work outputs that affect project accounts, to include project creation, accounting adjustments, project close and end-of-year transactions.
  • Works with Rates staff to reconcile differences on crosswalks between financial statements and power repayment studies.
  • Serve as a contact to auditors, preparing documentation requests, answering questions, and preparing or assisting in the preparation of responses to audit findings.
  • Analyze information for trends and deviations from management/customer plans; reconciles account balances; and makes corrective adjustments.

Requirements

Help

Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
  • In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
  • Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
  • Security clearance and associated requirements- Moderate Risk.
  • Shift work and emergency overtime may be required.
  • Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
  • Total salary varies depending on location of position.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:
A) 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

B) 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. The applicant's background must also include one of the following:
  1. Twenty-four semester hours in accounting or auditing courses of appropriate type and quality. This can include up to 6 hours of business law;
  2. A certificate as Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination; or
  3. 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) the applicant has 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 the applicant has 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, the applicant's education, training, and experience fully meet the specified requirements.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

Specialized Experience, GS-11 Level:
possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the Federal service with:

  1. developing, preparing, and analyzing financial statements and reports; and
  2. reconciling accounts payable and receivable activity and standard general ledger accounts.
OR
Education Substitution
: successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree or at least three full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree in a field related to the work of this position as described in the vacancy announcement.
OR
Combination of Education and Experience:
combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond the first two years of graduate study that together meet the requirements for this position.

Specialized Experience, GS-12 Level: possess at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service with;:
  1. preparing or reviewing month end and year end journal entries;
  2. planning and tracking capital assets through their useful life;
  3. reviewing and analyzing data, identifying errors and formulating questions;
  4. applying Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and providing guidance to non-finance stakeholders.
"Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.

Working Conditions: The work is primarily sedentary.

Physical Effort: The work is performed in an office setting.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Additional information

  • This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
  • For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov.
  • Applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) when applying or competing for a job due to a medical condition or to exercise religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement.
  • Promotion Potential: full performance level is GS-12.
  • The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.
  • This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual leave. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. DOE may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
  • Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service.
  • Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location. General Schedule 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.

Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Office will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.

USAHire: 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.

Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed ahead of non-preference eligibles with the same score. Preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more are listed at the top of the certificate in the order of their ratings unless the job is scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or above (or equivalent).

Category Rating Procedure: You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Once the application process is complete, your resume, supporting documentation, and questionnaire/assessment responses will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the USA Hire rating assessment(s) will be evaluated, and you will be placed into one of three predefined quality categories. These categories are Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified.

Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. Preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or above (or equivalent).

Simultaneous Listing: Candidates may be referred simultaneously on multiple certificates for which they are interested, eligible, and within reach.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly

Your qualifications will be evaluated 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


Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified".

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (08/21/2026) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13030174.

Western Area Power Administration

WAPA
Join the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) Team - Discover Your Next Adventure!

At WAPA, we do more than keep the lights on. As part of the Department of Energy, we are a collective of innovators and problem-solvers dedicated to reliable, cost-based federal hydroelectric power.

Why WAPA?

We provide reliable and cost-effective hydropower and transmission services, operating across 15 states with over 17,000 miles of transmission lines. Our mission is to ensure that 40 million people have access to power. We lead in renewable resources, energy efficiency, and advanced technology with our strategic plan, Power Forward 2030. Our priority is your career growth and development, with comprehensive training and professional opportunities in a supportive environment. Enjoy competitive salaries, a robust retirement plan, health benefits, flexible schedules, and a work-life balance that values your well-being.

Power Your Career with WAPA

Ready to be part of our dynamic team? Apply to our current openings and take the first step towards a rewarding career that empowers both the West and your future.

Your skills. Our legacy. A shared Future. Are you in?

Agency contact information

PMA Careers
Email
PMACareers@wapa.gov
Address
WAPA-RMR-Rocky Mountain Region
5555 E. Crossroads Blvd
Loveland, CO 80538
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Western Area Power Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dc8BuCJpzbI?si=Ag5NQzaFHe7i7ahJ

Your session is about to expire!

Your USAJOBS session will expire due to inactivity in 8 minutes. Any unsaved data will be lost if you allow the session to expire. Click the button below to continue your session.