Defense Finance and Accounting Service · Department of Defense
Grade: 4-4
Applications close 2026-11-02
Summary
This position is part of DFAS's Pathways Program, for current students/individuals accepted for enrollment in a qualifying educational program in an accredited institution, full or half-time basis as a PAID intern. Applicants who indicate they meet the minimum qualifications will receive an email from assessments@USAHire.opm.gov to complete online assessments. Check your "Spam"/"Junk" folders. See below for more information!
Duties
As an Accounting Student Trainee, you will:
- Serve as an Intern in the DFAS Internship Program performing a variety of assignments involving the practical application of financial principles, procedures, processes and regulations.
- Receive, review, and verify the validity and completeness of the appropriation, accounting or financial data, including disbursements and collections.
- Enter data into financial systems and corrects invalid or incorrect entries.
- Verify, balance, and reconcile detailed supporting documentation with listings, automated records, and/or reports.
- Assist in the preparation of recurring and special reports.
Qualifications
Requirements: Enrolled or formally accepted for enrollment as a full-time or half-time (Half-time basis is defined by the academic institution that the student is enrolled or accepted into) student into an accredited college or university in a qualifying degree-seeking program, or enrolled or formally accepted for enrollment in a qualifying certificate program; Qualifying education must be conferred or awarded by the closing date of this announcement. Students must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) at time of application and must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA throughout the entire Pathways Student Trainee Internship appointment to remain in the Program; Applicants MUST submit a transcript or proof of enrollment with the online application (see Required Documents for additional details). Please note that if you are graduating from your current academic program prior to September 2027 you will not be eligible for this student appointment unless you are accepted for enrollment at a qualifying educational institution seeking an ADDITIONAL qualifying degree, diploma, certificate, etc., OR an advanced degree. You MUST submit proof of acceptance along with your current transcripts for consideration. If selected, must sign a Pathways Participant Agreement; be able to furnish course registration information at the start of each school term; and be able to provide verification of academic status (official transcript) at the end of each academic term. This announcement will be used to fill positions at multiple locations. The following are preferred degree categories: Accounting Business Administration with Accounting Concentration Masters of Business Administration with Accounting Concentration Masters of Accountancy NOTE: The degree does not have to be related to the position/series; however to be eligible, candidate must meet the agency-developed or OPM qualification standards for the position to which the Intern MAY be converted. In addition, conversion to an Accountant is contingent on meeting the basic education requirement. There are two ways to meet this basic requirement. Completion or expected completion of all requirements for a bachelor's degree in accounting from an accredited college or university; 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 semester hours of credit in business law. OR A combination of education and experience: at least 4 years of accounting experience or an equivalent combination of accounting experience, college-level education, and training that provided professional accounting knowledge AND 24 semester hours in accounting courses, which may include up to 6 semester hours of business law, OR a certificate as a Certified Public Accountant. In addition to meeting the above requirement, applicants must meet one of the following minimum qualifications: A. Two years of successfully completed education above the high school level in any field for which high school graduation, or the equivalent, is a prerequisite may be substituted to meet the general experience required. Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. NOTE: If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements: You MUST submit a copy of your transcript if you want to substitute your education for experience. If you claim qualifications based on education, and do not submit a transcript, your education will not be used in making a qualification determination and you may be found "not qualified". OR B. One year of generalized experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the duties of the position, is required. General experience is defined as: progressively responsible clerical, office, or other work that indicates ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position to be filled. Volunteer Experience: 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, knowledge, and skills, and can provide valuable training and experience that translates to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. PROGRAM COMPLETION AND CONVERSION ELIGIBILITY: Upon successful completion of their academic program and the internship program, interns may be converted to a term or permanent position in the competitive service consistent with agency needs, academic achievement, and demonstrated potential. Conversion potential for this opportunity is up to the {GS-11} full performance level. However, future budgetary events, hiring restrictions, conversion caps, or other events may preclude the conversion or conversion to a position with the full potential performance level. Individuals converted to a position in the competitive service may be subjected to participation in an agency formal development program.
Education
Undergraduate Credit Information: 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours is equal to 1 academic year above high school. For study at a business or technical school, 36 weeks of study (20+ classroom hours per week) is comparable to 1 academic year above high school. For study at a business or technical school: 36 weeks of study (20+ classroom hours per week) is comparable to 1 academic year above high school. You MUST provide proof of education or of certification to be considered for this position. Click here for more information about acceptable documentation: Transcripts and Certifications. 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. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence at the time of application. Late submissions of proof of accreditation will not be accepted. Click on the link for a list of accredited organizations recognized as specializing in interpretation of foreign education credentials.
How to apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows:
1. To begin the application process, click the Apply Online button.
2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on 11/02/2026.
4. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you both on screen and via email notification.
5. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can re-use the URL sent to you via email and also found on the Additional Application Information page that can be located in the application record in your USAJOBS account.
To update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by return to your USAJOBS account (https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login). There you will find a record of your application, the application status, and an option to Update Application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application both during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. All of your applications will appear on the Welcome page. The application record in your USAJOBS account provides an Additional Application Information page that provides information regarding the documentation you submitted and any correspondence we have sent related to this application. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.
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. 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: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire
