Electrical Engineer

Department: Department of Energy

Location(s): Spokane, Washington, Vancouver, Washington

Salary Range: $101732.0 - $153442.0 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), in in Real Time Study Desk (TORS) organization of Real Time Operations (TOR), Transmission System Operations (TO), Transmission Services (T), A successful candidate in the Electrical Engineer position will perform real-time, current day, and next day Operations Studies/ Analysis.

Major Duties:

• As an Electrical Engineer, you will: Conduct engineering studies for electrical power systems. Observe system conditions in a real-time simulator environment in order to analyze current-day and next-day operations under normal or emergency conditions. Design or direct the development of unique or leading-edge technology for the study of the Electrical Power System. Serve as an advisor to BPA Dispatchers during real-time conditions. Consult with management and planning personnel in preparing requirements and criteria for complex or high value projects for development or modification of operating instructions, mitigation procedures, operating limits, outage coordination, and other control center systems. Conduct electrical engineering testing and evaluation. Provide expert consultation on issues pertaining to the electrical engineering aspects of regulated activities and participates in system event investigations and compliance reporting.

Qualifications: BASIC REQUIREMENT: A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics. -OR- B. Combination of Education and Experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of engineering. The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following: Professional Registration or Licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. -OR- Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.-OR- Specified Academic Courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.-OR- Related Curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, e.g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.) For more information on how to meet the Basic Requirements please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. GS-12: You must have one year of Specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-11). Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience in electrical engineering principles, mathematical modeling and practices to advise on and perform advanced real-time and daily analysis of electrical operating systems in power plants, electrical power systems or transmission system operations. GS-13: You must have one year of Specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-12). Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience applying advanced theories, concepts, and methods to plan and conduct electrical engineering studies and analyses for an electrical transmission system in order to analyze current-day and next-day operations under real-time conditions. "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Other Conditions Work is performed seven days per week, 365 days a year, in 12 Hour Rotating Shifts. The incumbent is required to obtain NERC System Operator certification by the end of the initial training period. Maintaining NERC certification is a requirement of this position. Continuing training at the Vancouver, WA, site will be required each subsequent year to maintain qualifications and meet regulatory compliance requirements. Travel is required for 2-5 days on a quarterly basis. The position is identified as a BPA Transmission Function employee under the FERC SOC non-discrimination rules and is required to complete BPA's mandatory Standards of Conduct (SOC) training. The position is identified as one of the DOE Mission Essential Functions (MEFs) responsible for providing continued operation of a safe and reliable transmission system under altered or degraded operating conditions. During an event, the incumbent is required to report to a remotely located facility when the primary duty station is not available. As a designated MEF the incumbent must provide accurate and up-to-date contact information, and must sign the Emergency Relocation Group (ERG) memorandum acknowledging the designation as an ERG member. Work is performed in a time sensitive environment. The position requires the ability to multi task, perform analytical work quickly, and make quick decisions. Violations of national standards may result in financial penalties to BPA. This work environment may be stressful at times. Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary. Some work may require periods of walking, standing, bending, etc. Employees may carry light items such as books, instruments, and other similar materials. The work does not require any special physical effort. Work Environment: The work is usually performed in an office setting. The work area normally involves everyday risks or discomforts requiring safety precautions typical of offices or meeting and training rooms. Some travel may be required. Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration. CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

How to Apply: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date. You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Application Deadline: 2024-12-23