Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

State Civil Service Commission

Examinations

for

ACCOUNTANTS/AUDITORS/EXAMINERS (ENTRY LEVEL PROFESSIONAL)

When completing your application, please make sure you apply for all job titles for which you want to be tested.  You will NOT be permitted to add job titles after you test.

APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

NATURE OF WORK

You will perform beginning level professional work in accounting, auditing, or examining of financial/fiscal/operational records, transactions, or procedures as part of a training program designed to develop technical competence.

You may audit or examine the financial records/operations of organizations such as banks, savings and loan associations, public utilities, insurance companies, corporations, or the internal records or operations of State agencies.

All Trainee job titles require successful completion of a 1 year training and work experience probationary period for promotion to the next higher level in the area of specialization.  Promotion involves an increase in salary.

Accountants 1, Audit Specialists 1 and Associate Financial Institutions Examiners serve a 6 month probationary period.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

You will be tested before your qualifications are reviewed.  Your test results will count only if you meet all job requirements.  If after reading the requirements you are not sure you qualify, contact one of the Commission's offices listed at the end of this announcement.

Most auditors and examiners are required to travel.  Travel expenses will be paid.  Overnight and out-of-state travel may be required for some auditors and examiners. 

You must be a Pennsylvania resident, of good moral character and able to perform the essential functions of the job.

Minimum Requirements

Public Utility Auditor Trainee

Graduation from college with a bachelor’s degree that includes or is supplemented by 24 credits in accounting.

Accountant 1

A bachelor's degree including or supplemented by 15 credits in accounting; OR 1 year as a Fiscal Technician and 15 college credits in accounting; OR 1 year as a Financial Programs Trainee; OR 5 years of bookkeeping experience and 15 college credits in accounting; OR successful completion of the Commonwealth's Accounting Intern Program.

Insurance Company Examiner Trainee

A bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, economics or business administration including 12 credits in accounting.

Audit Specialist 1

A bachelor's degree including or supplemented by 18 credits in accounting and auditing; OR 1 year as a Financial Programs Trainee; OR successful completion of the Commonwealth's Accounting Intern Program within the previous 18 months; OR an equivalent combination of experience and training which included the required 18 credits in accounting and auditing.

Financial Programs Trainee

A bachelor's degree including 12 credits in accounting; OR 4 years of experience in bookkeeping work which included 12 credits in accounting; OR an equivalent combination of experience and training which includes 12 credits in accounting.

Associate Financial Institutions Examiner

A bachelor’s degree with a major in finance or accounting or in a business-related major such as marketing, business administration or economics, which included 9 credits in accounting; OR an equivalent combination of experience and training which includes 9 credits in accounting.

Revenue Tax Auditor Trainee

A bachelor's degree in accounting or a closely related field that includes 24 college level credits in accounting; OR an equivalent combination of experience and training that includes professional accounting experience and 24 college level credits in accounting.

Clarification of Requirements

You may substitute related education for the required experience or appropriate experience for part of the required education for Financial Programs Trainee, Audit Specialist 1 and Associate Financial Institutions Examiner.  You may substitute related experience for part of the required education for Revenue Tax Auditor Trainee.  Unrelated experience or education will not be accepted.  No substitutions may be made for the required coursework in accounting or auditing for any job titles.

You may take the test if you have completed 90 or more credit hours and expect to receive a bachelor's degree including the required coursework within the next 7 months.  You must provide proof of your degree before you start work.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Each year, State agencies typically hire for all positions.

Lists created by these tests will be used to fill future vacancies as they occur due to retirements, promotions, transfers, resignations and so forth.

Auditors/Examiners may work out of their homes or regional/district offices throughout the State.  Accountants usually work in Dauphin County. 

For the most recent information on job opportunities contact:

Public Utility Auditor Trainee

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, Bureau of Human Resources, Commonwealth Keystone Building – Room N-301, Harrisburg, PA,  17105-3265, Telephone:  (717) 787-8714, Internet:  www.puc.state.pa.us

Accountant 1/Audit Specialist 1/Financial Programs Trainee

Office of Administration, Bureau of Human Resources, Finance Building – Room 508-B, Harrisburg, PA, 17120, Telephone:  (717) 783-5446, Internet:  www.oa.state.pa.us

Insurance Company Examiner Trainee

Pennsylvania Department of Insurance, Bureau of Human Resources, Strawberry Square – Room 1326, Harrisburg, PA  17120, Telephone:  (717) 787-4298, Internet:  www.insurance.state.pa.us

Audit Specialist 1

Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, Bureau of Human Resources, Health and Welfare Building - Room 222, Harrisburg, PA, 17105, Telephone:  (717) 787-8035 or 1-800-346-4254,  Internet:  www.dpw.state.pa.us

Financial Programs Trainee/Revenue Tax Auditor Trainee

Pennsylvania Department of Revenue, Bureau of Human Resources, Strawberry Square – Room 1121, Harrisburg, PA  17128-1100, Telephone:  (717) 787-7550, Internet:  www.revenue.state.pa.us

Associate Financial Institutions Examiner

Pennsylvania Department of Banking, Bureau of Human Resources, 16^th Floor, 333 Market Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101-2290, Telephone: (717) 787-5383, Internet: www.banking.state.pa.us or Tina McBride, Telephone: (717) 783-3611, e-mail: tmcbride@state.pa.us

TESTING

The test will be administered on a computer.  Information about computerized testing is available online at www.scsc.state.pa.us OR in paper form at any State Civil Service Commission office.  You will have a maximum of 2 1/2 hours to complete the test.

The test will cover the following subject areas:

The test will be administered in the Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh State Civil Service Commission offices, Monday through Friday.

The test will also be held approximately 10 days a month at additional test centers located in Allentown, Erie, Johnstown, Lock Haven, and Scranton.  For further details on test dates, contact the Commission’s Information Services Unit; Telephone (Voice) (717) 787-7811, Text Telephone (Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing callers only) (717) 783-8896.

If you take the test and want to take it again, you may be retested after 6 months from the date of your test.  You must submit a new application to be retested.

If your name is on an eligible list for these job titles and you take this test, your most recent examination result will be the only one counted.

TEST RESULTS

Employment and promotion lists will be established.  You will be notified in writing of your test results.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online at www.scsc.state.pa.us or submit your completed paper application to:

State Civil Service Commission

ATTN:  Applications

P.O. Box 569

Harrisburg, PA  17108-0569

Online and paper applications both require submission of a copy of your transcript at the time of application.  An unofficial transcript is acceptable.  Enter your name and Social Security Number at the top of the transcript.  Send by e-mail toRA-cs-transcripts@state.pa.us or fax to (717) 787-8650 or mail to the above address.

If you are in your senior/final year of study, you also should submit a listing of the courses/credits in accounting or auditing that you expect to take and complete prior to graduation.

Applications and further information can be obtained from:

For further information on testing, assistance for persons with disabilities, veterans' preference and other items, refer to the instructions provided with the "Application for Employment/Promotion."