BUDGET TECHNICIAN

Summary

You will serve as a Budget Technician with responsibility for performing and conducting a variety of support work in the areas of budget and fiscal, procurement and supply, data processing, personnel support duties, and program record-keeping.

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Duties

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• 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:
• Assist the direct supervisor, Assistant State Director, State Director (SD), Budget Analyst, or other personnel in the development, forecasting and tracking of workloads, expenditures, and accounts.
• Provides technical support on procedural matters and complete required documents for submission.
• Examines historical data and collects information to determine the annual fiscal needs for use in developing operating budgets.
• Retrieves and reviews FMMI reports and multiple program ledgers to assure they are in balance and accounting data is valid, and adheres to prescribed regulations and procedures.
• Identifies erroneous obligations, verifies corrected reports, recommends changes to procedures to prevent recurrence of problems, and advises of findings.
• Responsible for credit card purchases when directed. Uses budget object class codes and accounting codes to ensure expense is charged to the proper account.
• Assists the Budget Analyst in maintaining the APHIS Cost Management System (ACMS) by reviewing planned/committed ledger items, salary projections, agreements, and allocations.
• The incumbent provides technical guidance to employees performing office and program service functions (if applicable). This includes training personnel assigned to these positions.
• Responsible for maintaining files in accordance with the APHIS/WS records management system.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a US Citizen or US National.
• Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
• Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at
• Valid state driver's license is required at the time of application.
• All USDA employees are required to be enrolled in Continuous Vetting, which authorizes government agencies to receive notifications of criminal activity on individuals who hold low risk, public trust, or national security positions.
• Occasional holidays and weekends, driver's license, background check.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.

FOR THE GS-06 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

• Preparing budgets, estimates, and reconciliation.
• Compiling and preparing the work, and financial plans for the program.
• Reviewing financial documents for accuracy, fiscal control, and compliance with policies and directives.
• Working within financial systems/software to track, input, verify, and reconcile.
• Reviewing completion and accuracy of all obligation documents.

Note: There is no education substitution for this 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

This position does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

• Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
• 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.
• Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

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.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.