Security ClearanceNot Required
Duties
The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.,The duties may include, but are not limited to:,Carries out enforcement of jurisdictional, competition, financial, and trade practice provisions of the Act, primarily by the enforcement of the financial provisions of the Act.,Review previous audit reports, formal orders and stipulations, and annual and special reports submitted by subject persons or firms to determine if financial practices and conditions comply with requirements of the Act.,Documents investigative findings in an agency approved format and prepare detailed investigative reports documenting violations found when corrective administrative action is warranted.,Provides advice and guidance on the financial audit methodology, monitors the technical accuracy, and reviews the analysis, concepts, and conclusions upon completion of the audit.,Conducts investigations with lower grade investigators to inform and instruct in the policy and procedures used by the Division.,Develops procedures for handling financial complaints received from livestock shippers and other members of the livestock, poultry, and meat marketing industries.
Qualifications
To qualify, you MUST meet all program and qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement. To be eligible, applicants must meet one of the following requirements; Completed all requirements for an associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational, or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution within the previous two (2) years. Current students who will complete their degree requirements by 06/30/2026 will be considered. OR Individuals who, due to military service obligation, were precluded from applying to the Recent Graduates Program during any portion of the 2-year eligibility period described above shall have a full 2-year period of eligibility upon release or discharge from active duty. This eligibility period cannot extend more than 6 years from the date on which the requirements for the academic course of study were met. BASIC REQUIREMENT Degree: accounting, auditing; or a degree including auditing courses 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. 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. 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 1, 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 1; 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. APPLICANTS WHO MEET THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS QUALIFY AT THE GS-07/09 GRADE LEVEL. IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE: Applicants must meet the following specialized experience and/or education requirements listed below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level (GS-05) in the Federal Service. This experience may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors. Examples of qualifying experience include, but are not limited to: Under direction, performed examination and analysis of data, by utilizing accounting, auditing, and investigative skills. Completed data entry into spreadsheets and databases used to analyze data. OR 1 year of graduate-level education in Accounting, Auditing, or a closely related field. OR Superior Academic Achievement: To qualify based on superior academic achievement, you must have completed the requirements for a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution AND 1) have a class standing in the upper third of the graduating class, 2) membership in a national scholastic honor society (excluding Freshman honor societies), or 3) must meet certain GPA requirements. GPA requirements: 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on official transcripts or as computed based on 4 years of education, or courses completed during the final 2 year of the curriculum; OR 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required course completed in the major field or courses completed during the final 2 years of the curriculum (GPA will be rounded to one decimal place, e.g., 2.95 rounds to 3.0 and 2.94 rounds to 2.9). Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-09 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience equivalent in level of difficulty and responsibility to the next lower level (GS-07) in the Federal Service. This experience may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors. Examples of qualifying experience include, but are not limited to: With supervision, performed examination and analysis of financial records and recordkeeping systems, by utilizing accounting, auditing, and investigative skills. Created and used spreadsheets databases, graphs and charts to analyze data. OR 2 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree in Accounting, Auditing, or a closely related field. Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required. COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07/09 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed graduate education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
Please see above for education qualification requirement information. Transcripts including the date your degree was conferred are required. Applications will not be considered without this documentation. For those graduating this semester by 06/30/2026, you will have to provide proof of conferment prior to entrance on duty.
Other Information
Recent Graduate appointments are intended to last for 1 year. Recent Graduates who satisfactorily complete all the USDA Recent Graduates Program requirements may be non-competitively converted to a Term or Permanent appointment in the competitive service. Conversion is not guaranteed. Recent Graduates converted to Term appointments may later be non-competitively converted to a Permanent competitive service position. If selected, official transcripts will be required prior to entrance on duty. A Pathways Participant Agreement will be required if you are selected for a position. The agreement must be signed by all applicable parties prior to entrance on duty. First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected. Travel, transportation, and relocation expenses will not be paid. Any travel, transportation, and relocation expense associated with reporting for duty will be the responsibility of the selected employee. Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection. This position is represented by a collective bargaining unit (union), specifically the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). 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 starting 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 a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. Selection will be at GS-0511-07/09 with the possibility of conversion to a term or permanent GS-0511-07/09, with promotion potential to the GS-12 level. Conversion eligibility and position is not guaranteed and depends upon the program unit's needs. CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS Recent Graduates may be non-competitively converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service. To be eligible for conversion the Recent Graduate must meet all of the following: Successfully complete at least 1-year of continuous service in addition to all requirements of the Program as outlined in the Participant Agreement. Demonstrate successful job performance. Meet the qualifications for the position to which the Recent Graduate will be converted.