Accounting Technician 3 - Long-Term, Non-Permanent

Company:  State of Alaska
Location: Palmer
Closing Date: 07/11/2024
Hours: Full Time
Type: Permanent
Job Requirements / Description
Salary: $29.73 Hourly
Location : Palmer, AK
Job Type: Long Term Nonperm
Job Number: 47881
Department: Natural Resources
Division: Forestry & Fire Protection
Opening Date: 10/24/2024
Closing Date: 11/4/2024 5:00 PM Alaska
Position Open To: Alaska Residents Only
Bargaining Unit: General Government
Range: 16
Job Description
Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.
What You Will Be Doing
The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) is recruiting for a Long-Term Non-Permanent Accounting Technician 3 in the Palmer office. In this position, you will be responsible for the professional accounting functions essential to the Fire Protection Program's statewide Fire Accounting. This position supports Fire Accountant 3 and the Fire Accounting Team members on the administrative team. This position will support budget management activities, fire costs, analyze complex and unusual transactions, review payroll and payable audits, monitor transactions, reconcile billing reports, and prepare reports.
This position performs a variety of complex technical and administrative accounting duties that require independent judgement and action within the rules, regulations, and procedures of the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.
Examples of duties include:
  • Daily Fire costs
  • Maintain Microsoft Access Database using Daily Fire cost info.
  • Process and analyze fire cost data.
  • Read and understand Cooperative Agreements.
  • Communicating with individuals both inside and outside the organization.
  • Researching financial discrepancies and unusual transactions.
  • Pulling audit trail reports, analyzing data, and reconciling corresponding billing documents.
We are looking for a dependable and knowledgeable individual with a strong accounting background, excellent organizational skills, a good work ethic, and a positive attitude.
This position is a Long-Term Non-Perm position with full-time hours.
Mission and Culture
The Division of Forestry & Fire Protection fosters a mission-driven culture responsible for protecting Alaska's values, including life and property, from wildland fire. The Division works closely with federal, state, and local emergency response agencies and private industry vendors to provide wildland fire management and protection for the State of Alaska. The Fire Protection Program's accounting section is integral to administratively supporting Forestry & Fire Protection's workforce.
The accounting team you will join supports the "boots on the ground" that ensure the safety of people, property, and resources in Alaska and nationwide. This position, with its multifaceted functions, encounters diverse challenges and has the opportunity to contribute to the success of the DOF mission.
Benefits of Joining Our Team
The benefits of joining the DOF Accounting team include working with dedicated professionals who support each other while providing the necessary support to our critical Wildland Fire Program and our expanding hazardous fuels program. The DOF administrative team is expanding and adding new staff who are actively engaged in creating a new administrative structure supporting the division's new organization.
The Working Environment You Can Expect
This position is located in Palmer, AK, at the DOF admin building at 101 Airport Rd, Palmer. The Coastal Region office shares the building with the Mat-Su Area office and some Statewide Fire & Aviation personnel. The large windows in the building and office allow for plenty of natural light and a wonderful view of the Chugach Mountains and Pioneer Peak
Our ideal candidate should have the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience:
  • Ability and willingness to read/understand/interpret/follow agreements, manuals, policies, and procedures.
  • Skill in searching for, selecting, and compiling/summarizing data and information.
  • Skill in identifying discrepancies or inaccuracies in data and making corrections
  • Possess a strong attention to detail.
  • Possesses working knowledge of the state accounting and procurement system, IRIS, state payroll system, and the Alaska Data Enterprise Reporting (ALDER) system or equivalent accounting software systems elsewhere and proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
Click here to learn more about working for the Division of Forestry & Fire Protection.
Minimum Qualifications
Two years of technical-level accounting or bookkeeping experience, of which at least one year was at the full-proficiency level.
Substitutions:
Certification as an Accounting Technician from an accredited college will substitute for one year of the required experience at the non-full-proficiency level.
Post-secondary education from an accredited college will substitute for up to one year of the required experience at the non-full-proficiency level (3 semester/4 quarter hours equal one month) if it includes at least 6 semester/8 quarter hours in Accounting.
Post secondary education from an accredited college will substitute for the required two years of experience (3 semester/4 quarter hours equal one month) if it includes at least 9 semester/12 quarter hours at or above the 200 level in Accounting.
An associate's degree in Accounting or Business Administration from an accredited college will substitute for the required two years of experience if it includes at least 6 semester/8 quarter hours at or above the 200 level in Accounting.
Additional Required Information
**NOTE: PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING CAREFULLY**
THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY
This recruitment is open to Alaska Residents only. Applicants must meet to be considered for employment at this time.
If selected for an interview , the applicant must provide the following:
  • A list of two professional references with current contact information, with at least one being a current or former supervisor.
  • A copy of any forestry and/or fire-related training certificates, if applicable.
  • A copy of your two most recent performance evaluations or a letter of recommendation if evaluations are unavailable.
SPECIAL NOTICES
  • This position is a Long-Term, Non-Permanent position. Full-time hours are available; overtime may be available during fire season.
  • This position may travel within Alaska during the fire season (April 1 - August 31 or later) for up to 14-21 days at a time to assist area offices with fire and attend meetings or training.
  • May work towards qualification for other positions utilized in the Incident Command System.
  • May work or be available during evenings and/or weekends, depending on the need during the fire season. Overtime is often necessary during the fire season.

Application Notice
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or a hardcopy application. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska "" page. Your application must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Alaska Standard Time on the closing date.
Supplemental Questions
A cover letter is NOT required for this position. This recruitment utilizes a supplemental questionnaire as part of the application process. The questions may be a mix of yes/no, multiple-choice, and select-all-that-apply. Your complete application, including supplemental questions, will help determine which applicants will advance to the interview phase of the recruitment and selection process.
Education
If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill out the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the minimum qualifications listed above. If utilizing this education, you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. post-secondary institution reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the post-secondary institution. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.
Work Experience
If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer's name, job title, employment dates, and whether full or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine whether the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the recruitment interview and selection phase.
Note: Attaching a resume is not an alternative to filling out the application entirely. Noting, "see resume" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.
Bargaining Unit
If you are a current state employee , please mark the union you are a member of at the time of application. Do not complete this question if you are not a current state employee.
EEO Statement
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or 465-4095 in Juneau or (907) 465-3412 (TTY) or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at P. O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.
Contact Information
Workplace Alaska Application Questions & Assistance
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll-free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to
For assistance with your password, please visit
For specific information about this position, please get in touch with the hiring manager at the following:
Heidi Scott
Accountant 3
Email:
Careers with the State of Alaska offer MANY benefits
The following information describes typical benefits available to employees of the State of Alaska. Actual benefits received may differ by bargaining unit or branch of government, position type, or be prorated for other than full time work.
For a quick breakdown of the insurance, health, and retirement benefits available for State Employees you can view an (Please note this video is specifically designed for new State Employees.)
Insurance Benefits
  • Health insurance, which includes employer contributions toward medical/vision/dental
    • The following employee groups are under AlaskaCare Benefits administered by the State: See for additional information.
      • AVTEC
      • Confidential
      • Correctional Officers
      • Marine Engineers
      • Mt. Edgecumbe Teachers
      • Supervisory
      • Unlicensed Vessel Personnel/Inland Boatman's Union
      • Exempt employees (not covered by collective bargaining)
  • The following employee groups are covered by Union health trusts. Contact the appropriate Union for additional information.
    • General Government
    • Labor, Trades and Crafts
    • Public Safety Employees Association
    • Masters, Mates & Pilots
  • Employer paid Basic Life insurance with additional coverage available (amount depends on Bargaining Unit)

  • Optional Insurance Benefits
    • Group-based insurance premiums for
      • Term life (employee, spouse or qualified same sex partner, and dependents)
      • Long-term and short-term disability
      • Accidental Death and Dismemberment
      • Long-term care (self and eligible family members)
      • Supplemental Survivor Benefits
  • Employee-funded flexible spending accounts for tax savings on eligible health care or dependent care expenses

  • Retirement Benefits
    • Membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)/Teachers' Retirement System (TRS)
    • Matching employer contribution into a defined contribution program (new employees)
    • Employer contribution into a defined benefit or defined contribution program (current employees)
    • Contributions to the Alaska Supplemental Annuity Plan in lieu of contributions to Social Security
    • Option to enroll in the Alaska Deferred Compensation Program
    • Note: The Defined Contribution Plan, Supplemental Annuity Plan and Deferred Compensation Program offer a variety of investment options

    See for additional information
    Paid Leave & Other Benefits
    • Personal leave with an accrual rate increase based on time served
    • Twelve (12) paid holidays a year

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    How would you describe your level of expertise in using the Microsoft Suite programs?
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    From 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest, how would you rate your attention to detail?
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    From 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest, how would you rate your enthusiasm for professional development?
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    With 10 meaning you're ready to take on the full scope of duties on day 1, how prepared are you to step into the duties described in this announcement?
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    I understand that the education and/or experience being used to meet the minimum qualifications for this position must be adequately documented in this application to be considered. Attaching a resume is not an alternative to completing the application in full. Failure to submit a complete application may lead to a determination that your application is incomplete and your removal from consideration for this job opening.
    • I acknowledge that I understand this requirement.

    Required Question
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