Associate Accountant-26242510

Salary: $73,153.60 - $89,939.20 Annually
Location : County of San Diego, CA
Job Type: Regular - Full time
Job Number:
Department: Planning & Development Services
Division: Project Planning
Opening Date: 10/29/2026
Closing Date: 11/9/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Job Summary
Are you an experienced accountant who is looking to take your accounting career to the next level? If so, we have the position for you!
The County of San Diego has a current opening for
ASSOCIATE ACCOUNTANT

Interviews will begin the week of December 7th, 2026. Job offers will be made after interviews have been successfully completed.
The starting salary for this position will be based on the candidate's qualifications at time of appointment.
Future Salary IncreaseJune 2027 - 4.30% increase to base pay (3.0% Across-the- Board + 1.30% Market Adjustment)

Associate Accountants are responsible for performing professional level accounting work in maintaining a complex set of budgetary or financial records and producing the more complex accounting reports/statements. Associate Accountants may supervise others performing clerical and/or paraprofessional accounting work. In addition, they are responsible for performing accounting or auditing duties involving fiscal transactions, journal entries, financial statements, records, reports, and may supervise the accounting work for a small department or a division/section/unit in larger County departments.

The current opening is in Planning & Development Services (PDS) and San Diego County Air Pollution Control District (SDAPCD). The ideal candidate is an individual who is organized, manages time efficiently, leads staff effectively, and can troubleshoot when issues arise. Additionally, the ideal candidate has a full understanding of account reconciliation, reallocations, journal entries, budgetary accounting, and how to conduct time studies.

This recruitment may be used to fill additional vacancies within other departments as they occur.
Please read the job description for additional information.

Hiring Process and Timeline:
The timeline for this recruitment is outlined below.
i. Job Offer and Background Process begins shortly after the interviews. Note: Current County employees may be excluded from additional background screening.
ii. Pre-employment Medical Screening: Approximately 3 days following successful background investigation results.
iii. Anticipated Start Date: Start date will be based upon successful completion of medical screening or other mutually agreed upon date.

If you are not selected for this interview process, you may have the opportunity to compete for future vacancies.
Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency in accounting or a closely related field such as finance, business administration, or economics, with at least twelve (12) semester or eighteen (18) quarter units of accounting from among the following courses: Principles of Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Advanced Accounting, Fund Accounting, Cost Accounting, or Auditing; AND, at least two (2) years of professional accounting experience.

Note: A California CPA Certificate will be considered as meeting the education requirement. A master's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency in accounting may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.

Blind Applicant Screening

The Department of Human Resources removes personally identifiable information from all recruitments. This practice, called Blind Applicant Screening, hides a candidate's personal information that could influence or bias a hiring decision. Personal information includes name, phone number, address, gender, age and race. This process helps contribute to a fair and equitable selection process leading to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
The most highly qualified candidates, based on the evaluation results, will be referred for an interview. Be sure to include your experience in meeting the minimum requirements in both the Work Experience section and the Supplemental Questionnaire section of the Application.
Evaluation
The names of qualified applicants will be placed on a nine (9) month employment list based upon scores received during the evaluation of information contained in their employment application and supplemental questionnaire.
Accommodation
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.
As an employer of over 19,000 employees, the County of San Diego is an organization committed to veteran hiring, retention, and professional development. We recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by our veterans and value the unique expertise and leadership qualities they bring to our workforce. We strive to provide veterans with the resources and tools necessary to maximize their employment opportunities, and to assist veterans with their transition into civilian life by applying the valuable skills, knowledge and training acquired in service to positions and career paths at all levels within our large organization. Click on the resource links below to learn more about how the County of San Diego supports its veterans.
Veteran's Preference Policy

The County of San Diego offerspreferential credits for military service to assist qualified applicants in transitioning from military to civilian careers with the County of San Diego. Please read the for additional information.
Military Skills Translator

Do you need assistance translating your military experience into civilian experience? This tool can help! Please read the to access the tool.

Click here to see the Non-Management Benefits Summary
01

READ THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE APPLYING:

The experience indicated in your responses to the supplemental questions below MUST also be described, in detail, in the Work History/Experience section of your Employment Application. Please ensure this section of your application has been updated.

Do you understand this information?

• Yes, I have read this information
• No, I have not read this information, therefore, my application may get reject

02

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Select from the following which most accurately describes your qualifications:

NOTE: If using your education to qualify, please attach a copy of your diploma, transcripts, or certificate of foreign equivalency at the ATTACHMENTS section of your application.
Transcripts must be provided to receive credit for specific coursework.
Required attachments previously submitted do not need to be resubmitted.

• A bachelor's degree in accounting from an accredited U. S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency AND at least two (2) years of professional accounting experience.
• A bachelor's degree from an accredited U. S. college or university, or a certified foreign studies equivalency in a closely related field such as finance, business administration, or economics, with at least twelve (12) semester or eighteen (18) quarter units of accounting from among the following courses; Principles of Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Advanced Accounting, Fund Accounting, Cost Accounting, or Auditing; AND, at least two (2) years of professional accounting experience.
• A California CPA Certificate AND, at least two (2) years of professional accounting experience.
• A master's degree in accounting from an accredited U.S. college or university, or a certified foreign equivalency AND at least one (1) year of professional accounting experience.
• I do not meet the minimum qualifications

03

Do you have experience performing any of the following duties? (Select all that apply)

NOTE: Please ensure this experience is described in your work history section of your application, if applicable.

• Reviewing accounting data
• Maintaining control/subsidiary accounts
• Reconciling specific accounts to independent data
• Maintaining core general ledger accounts
• Preparing and maintaining balance sheets or cost accounting reports
• Performing account analysis
• Funding or revenue reconciliation
• Accounts receivable processing and reconciliation
• Accounts payable processing and reconciliation
• Cash in bank reconciliation
• Providing documentation for auditors for departmental business, contractors, commercial, industrial, and governmental accounts
• Creating accounting reports and spread sheets using programs such as excel
• Performing complex high-volume account reconciliations
• Processing or reviewing financial transactions, expenditures or revenues
• None of the above

04

Please indicate your level of experience using Microsoft Excel from the choices listed below.

NOTE: ***Please be advised that the hiring department may ask you to demonstrate your skills in this area as part of the selection process.***

• Beginner (Able to perform at least 25% of the software's functions without assistance, including sorting and filtering)
• Intermediate (Able to perform at least 50% of the software's functions without assistance, including charts and graphs, exporting and formatting data, basic formulas, creating forms, hyperlinks)
• Advanced (Able to perform at least 75% of the software's functions without assistance, including pivot tables, macrosv look-up, visual basic and complex formulas)
• I do not have experience in Excel

05

Please indicate your level of expertise using Oracle or any other financial system.

NOTE: ***Please be advised that the hiring department may ask you to demonstrate your skills in this area as part of the selection process.***

• Beginner (Able to perform at least 25% of the software's functions without assistance, including viewing data and running queries)
• Intermediate (Able to perform at least 50% of the software's functions without assistance, including entering data, and running or exporting reports)
• Advanced (Able to perform at least 75% of the software's functions without assistance, including researching/analyzing reports, correcting data, and approving or authorizing actions)
• I do not have experience in Oracle or any other financial system

06

SUPERVISORY EXPERIENCE:

Select the supervisory tasks you have performed. Select all that apply.

NOTE: Your work experience MUST be described in the employment history section of this application to receive credit.

• Responsible for hiring staff
• Train employees
• Maintain work schedules
• Assign work to staff
• Evaluate performance
• Discipline
• I do not have supervisory experience

07

For each area selected in Question 6 above, briefly describe your supervisory experience.

NOTE: In order to receive credit, please answer the question thoroughly. Your work experience MUST be verifiable in the employment history section of this application.
If you do not have this experience, please indicate "N/A."
08

Where did you first hear about this job opportunity?

• San Diego County website
• Governmentjobs.com
• Veteran Outreach / FFSC
• Mana de San Diego
• Family, Neighbors, Friends
• County Employee Resources Group
• College/University Career Site
• LinkedIn
• Indeed
• County Social Media
• Job Fair/Career Event
• Other

09

If you selected "Job Fair/Career Event" or "Other" in the question above, please tell us how you first heard about this job opportunity.Please indicate "N/A" if not applicable.
Required Question