Electrical Engineer

Summary This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), in the Energy management Systems (JDE), Grid Ops Application Services (JD), Information Technology (J). A successful candidate in the Electrical Engineer position will serve as a technical specialist responsible for assigned elements of emergency management systems and applications and to provide expert advice to senior colleagues and BPA officials responsible for broad program operations within the areas of expertise. Responsibilities As an Electrical Engineer, you will: Drive Long-Term System Strategy - Shape the future of BPA's grid technology. You will champion the strategic vision and develop long-term roadmaps for our suite of software tools, predicting future operational needs and ensuring our control center systems remain state-of-the-art. Architect Advanced Grid Applications - Design and coordinate the technical requirements for the vital software applications used in our control centers. Your work ensures that the tools dispatchers rely on to match power generation with load, run real-time power simulations, and manage grid stability remain seamlessly integrated. Serve as the Go-To Technical Advisor - Step into a highly visible consulting role. You will provide expert-level technical guidance to senior colleagues and BPA leadership, advising on how complex operating platforms, databases, and application suites depend on and communicate with one another. Bridge Physical Hardware and Monitoring Software (SCADA) - Ensure absolute accuracy in our control rooms. You will troubleshoot telemetry data and align physical substation equipment with our advanced monitoring software, providing dispatchers with an incredibly reliable, real-time picture of grid health. Innovate Next-Generation Operational Tools - Turn operational challenges into smart solutions. By combining your understanding of system operations with advanced engineering principles, you will design and deploy creative, custom software tools that make daily grid management safer and more efficient. Lead External Collaborations & Vendor Management - Act as the technical bridge between BPA and external partners. You will translate complex operational needs into clear technical specifications, evaluate vendor proposals, and manage development contracts-directing the rigorous testing that guarantees third-party software meets our high standards. Safeguard Critical Infrastructure - Protect the grid from modern threats. You will design and implement robust cybersecurity protocols directly into our operating systems, ensuring our critical infrastructure complies with strict federal reliability standards. Represent BPA on the Regional Stage - Extend your influence beyond BPA. You will actively represent our Transmission Services team at regional conferences and technical working groups-collaborating with major organizations like the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) to align tool deployments and power-sharing strategies across the Western Interconnection. Requirements Conditions of Employment In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answer to these questions is not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. When you apply you will be asked a series of questions to determine your eligibility for employment and your qualification for this position specifically. You must answer all of these questions completely and truthfully. Key Requirements: You must be a United States Citizen. This employer participates in the e-Verify program. Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements. You will be required to report in person to the official duty location. Conditions of Employment: After employment, this position may be subject to periodic physical examinations, as prescribed by competent medical authority and at BPA expense, if exposed to health hazards. This position has been designated as requiring a PUBLIC TRUST background. A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or other individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check. 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: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is defined as experience in 1) assisting with multi-functional development projects in software analysis, design, development, and implementation for a new system or major enhancement to an existing system; 2) investigating, evaluating, and selecting tools and methods for improving productivity and software quality throughout the life cycle; 3) assisting in ensuring that applications are thoroughly tested, documented, and security certifications are obtained prior to deployment. "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. Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration. CTAP 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. Education This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible". Additional Information This position meets the definition of the Special Salary Rate for generation and/or transmission of electrical power. The salary is based on a Special Rate Table, Number 0754 (Vancouver, WA): This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE. EEO Policy: USAJOBS Help Center | Equal employment opportunity policy Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Staffing Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement. USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy Reasonable Accommodation for USAHire: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. Veterans Information: USAJOBS Help Center - Veterans Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Telework: Selective Service Registration: - Who must register: Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations. BPA strives to ensure a safe and positive work environment. We also understand the importance of work/life balance and offer a variety of programs and policies designed to create more flexible, responsive work environments supportive of commitments to community, home and family members. BPA also supports employees' overall wellness through its Be Well program, which helps employees adopt healthier lifestyles and feel better about their work/life balance. The program supports five key areas of life: career, community, financial, physical and social.