Forensic Accountant

Forensic Accountants in the FBI tackle complex challenges with every assignment. They work hand-in-hand with Special Agents to keep America safe by tracing and linking funding sources to criminal activity and national security matters.

As a core member of the investigative team, the Forensic Accountant owns the financial aspects of the investigation by acquiring, organizing, analyzing, and reporting financial data. FBI Forensic Accountants:

Intuition and curiosity are the bedrocks of an FBI Forensic Accountant. We don’t stop at the easy answers; we dig through faulty foundations to determine the who, what, when, where, why, how and how much on all financial aspects of a case. We package the financial facts for our law enforcement and judicial counterparts and, if necessary, provide testimony on our findings.

ALL APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE BASIC REQUIREMENT BELOW: 

A) Degree in 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. 

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) 24 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 a Certified Public Accountant or a Certified Internal Auditor, obtained through written examination. 

OR 

C) 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 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. 

All applicants MUST verify completion of this requirement by submitting a copy of ALL college transcripts by the closing date of this job opening. 

Specialized Experience (SE): 

GS-11: Applicant must possess at least one (1) year of SE equivalent to the GS-09 level, as defined below: 

⦁ With limited guidance, performed forensic examination and analysis of a variety of financial records and recordkeeping systems, by utilizing accounting, auditing, analytical, technical, and investigative skills. 

⦁ Compiled pertinent financial findings and conclusions to prepare forensic accounting reports and communications. 

GS-12: In addition to the above, applicant must possess at least one (1) year of SE equivalent to the GS-11 level, as defined below: 

⦁ Independently performed forensic examination of a variety of complex financial records and recordkeeping systems by utilizing accounting, auditing, analytical, technical, and investigative skills. 

⦁ Performed analyses of financial data, utilizing various database management systems and accounting/analytical software. 

Education: 

All degrees must be from an accredited college or university. Education may be substituted for specialized experience as follows: 

GS-11: Applicant must have a Ph.D. OR equivalent doctoral degree OR 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree OR LL.M., if related. 

GS-12: Education cannot be substituted for SE 

Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements provided you can show foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States.