Accountant 1

About the role

The Accountant 1 position with the Bureau of Business Taxpayer Accounting offers a chance to use your detail oriented mindset to support important financial responsibilities for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. This role empowers you to help maintain accurate and trustworthy financial records that impact many taxpayers. You will play a key part in ensuring that restricted credit programs and financial reports are handled with care and accuracy. Join a team that values your precision and commitment to quality.

This position focuses on reviewing financial transactions and ensuring the accuracy of restricted credit activities within corporate tax accounts. It supports the agency by evaluating accounting methods, recommending improvements, and maintaining reliable financial records. As an Accountant 1, you will perform the following duties:

• Financial Review: Analyze financial transactions to identify errors, missing data, duplicate postings, or inappropriate refunds
• Compliance Auditing: Evaluate statutory compliance for restricted credit programs and confirm accuracy of posted credit activity
• Process Evaluation: Assess accounting methods, system procedures, and workflow processes to recommend improvements
• System Verification: Examine system generated notices, interest calculations, penalty amounts, and fee processing for accuracy
• Interagency Support: Serve as a liaison to other divisions and agencies to improve workflow procedures and share technical guidance
• Data Validation: Use internal databases and software applications to verify transaction accuracy and support audit requests

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with a 60-minute lunch, or 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with a 30-minute lunch, Monday - Friday.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time, up to 3 days per week upon successful completion of the required in-office training. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements

• Successful completion of the Commonwealth's Accounting Intern Program (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• One year as a Financial Programs Trainee (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration); or
• One year as a Fiscal Technician (Commonwealth job title or equivalent Federal Government job title, as determined by the Office of Administration), and fifteen college credits in accounting; or
• Five years of Bookkeeping experience and fifteen college credits in accounting; or
• A Bachelor's Degree including or supplemented by fifteen credits in accounting.
• Applicants will be considered to have met the educational requirements once they are within 3 months of graduating with a qualifying degree.

Other Requirements

• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency Guidelines.
• You must be able to perform essential job functions.

Legal Requirements

• This position will have access to Federal Tax Information (FTI) and is subject to the provisions of IRS Publication 1075 (Pub 1075) which requires you to pass an enhanced background check prior to beginning employment. Under Pub 1075, acceptance of a conditional offer of employment will require submission to and approval of satisfactory criminal history reports, including but not limited to: a fingerprint-based federal records check; a PA State Police clearance; a check of local law enforcement agencies where you have lived, worked, and/or attended school within the last five (5) years; and a citizenship/residency verification.

How to Apply

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position.
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant’s own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

Additional information

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
• your score may be lower than deserved.
• you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.