Electrical Engineer

Summary

You will serve as a Electrical Engineer with Bureau of Reclamation. This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Lower Colorado Basin Region, Yuma Area Office, Technical Support Office, located in YUMA, AZ.

You may be required to work on-call, evenings, weekends, holidays, overtime and shift work.

First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

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Duties

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At the full performance level, some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

• Performs engineering analyses to include performing and coordinating technical planning activities; data collection (including validation and management); design; modeling and data analyses; analyses of site location and/or conditions; troubleshooting electrical equipment and systems; and risk estimation and analyses.
• Provides electrical engineering support for the Yuma Desalting Plant (YDP) electrical distribution, instrumentation, and industrial control system (ICS), including sustaining, troubleshooting, and improving the plant's distributed control system (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs), and data historians.
• Coordinates operational changes, planned outages, and instrumentation calibrations at YDP with plant operations and maintenance personnel and vendors; documents changes in control narratives and configuration baselines.
• Performs configuration management and quality assurance for ICS/DCS software and firmware updates in accordance with agency standards and YAO procedures.
• Supports integration and reliability of control networks and field control units used to monitor and control desalting and water-quality processes at YDP and the Water Quality Improvement Center (WQIC) research facility at the Yuma Area Office.
• Provides technical oversight of on-site construction and/or operations and maintenance-related work, including inspection and acceptance of facility or utility construction work performed by a contractor.
• Provides electrical engineering expertise in the O&M of complex features/facilities.
• Plans, coordinates, and directs scheduled and emergency (breakdown) maintenance, repair, and modifications.
• Reviews standards of performance and maintenance techniques, including schedules and types of tests performed; performs specialized diagnostic tests on electrical equipment; and evaluates test data and the corrective measures performed to assure adherence to existing procedures and instructions.
• Plans, schedules, coordinates, and conducts electrical engineering facility examinations, reviews, and/or inspections which include conducting condition assessments and construction and transfer inspections; identifying and addressing deficiencies relative to design criteria, applicable codes and standards, or state or Federal statutes or regulations; calculating preliminary estimates for repairs;coordinating with internal and external partners; documenting and presenting results; conducting root cause analyses; analyzing unexpected event reports; conducting accident and incident investigations; and identifying future needs for the asset investment such as extraordinary maintenance and rehabilitation.
• Provides engineering support in connection with regulatory program oversight, policy and rulemaking efforts, review of regulatory compliance issues, and resolution of engineering related issues as they are encountered.
• Develops, monitors, and manages project plans that outline the scope, schedule, and budget of assigned projects.
• Provides technical reviews, peer reviews, and/or checking of designs, drawings, engineering analysis, and technical documents (e.g., trip reports, project notes), specifications, and contract correspondence, ensuring documents are accurate and quality assurance processes were followed.

Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probation to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

*Additional Requirements located under qualifications*

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 10/27/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

In order to qualify for this position you must possess both the Basic Requirement and Minimum Qualification.

Basic Requirement:

1. Basic Requirements: 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
2. 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. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.- 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.- 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.- 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.)

In addition to meeting the educational requirements above, your resume must clearly reflect ALL of the experience (or education for the GS-11) listed below. You must be clear and concise in describing your experience - HR will not make assumptions.

Specialized Experience for GS-11: To qualify at GS-11, you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and complexity to at least the GS-9 level in Federal Service having demonstrated professional experience performing a minimum of two or more of the following:

• Developing preliminary and final designs and specifications, cost estimates for new or rehabilitation of electrical equipment and systems water storage, water conveyance structures and/or distribution facilities (e.g., dams, pumping plants, transmission systems, power generation systems, connected electrical facilities, switchyards, substations, water conveyance, treatment, and/or storage systems);
• Preparing comprehensive electrical design and solving construction problems and other engineering issues;
• Performing technical review of electrical design analysis, plans and specifications for contract documents, studies, reports, etc. to ensure accuracy, technical feasibility, and compliance with various agencies; OR
• Designing or preparing technical specifications related to communications networks including optical carriers, local-area networks, mobile radio systems, telephone systems, telemetry systems, fire alarm and security systems and/or analyzing, troubleshooting, testing, evaluating, optimizing, and/or programming control systems (e.g.: PLCs and SCADA) used to operate water facilities.

OR

Education: Successful completion of at least 3 years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree.

OR

Combination of Graduate Education and Professional Experience: A combination of education and experience as described in 1 and 2 above which together equals 100% of the requirement

Specialized Experience for GS-12: To qualify at GS-12, you must possess one full year of professional experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in Federal Service having demonstrated specialized experience performing a minimum of two or more of the following:

• Managing or advising on data collection and preliminary and final electrical designs and specifications and cost estimates for new or rehabilitation of electrical equipment and systems related to water structures and/or distribution facilities (e.g., dams, pumping plants, transmission systems, power generation systems, connected electrical facilities, switchyards, substations, water conveyance, treatment, and/or storage systems);
• Planning/leading complete design projects for electrical equipment and systems at pumping plants, water/wastewater treatment plants, switchyards, industrial plants, dams, involving various auxiliary equipment and systems;
• Solving design/construction problems, and other engineering issues and performing technical review of electrical design analysis, plans and specifications for contract documents, studies, reports, etc. to ensure accuracy, technical feasibility, and compliance with various agencies; OR
• Managing, leading, reviewing, designing or preparing technical specifications related to communications networks including optical carriers, local-area networks, mobile radio systems, telephone systems, telemetry systems, fire alarm and security systems and/or analyzing, troubleshooting, testing, evaluating, optimizing, and/or programming control systems (e.g.: PLCs and SCADA) used to operate water facilities.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). 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.

**QUALIFICATIONS CONTIUED IN EDUCATION SECTION**

Education

**QUALIFICATIONS CONTINUED**

Selective Placement Factors: This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not provide evidence that you possess the following selective factor(s), you will be rated not qualified. You must possess and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.

For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience . For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

This position has a mandatory education requirement.

You must submit a copy of your transcript(s) to support claimed education if substituting education for experience. Transcripts must include your name, school name, grades, credit hours earned, major(s), grade point average or class ranking, and date the degree was conferred, if applicable. A typed list of courses, grades, semester/quarter hours, GPA, etc. will not be accepted. Non-submission may result in being rated not qualified for the position. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.

Foreign Education: To receive credit for education completed outside the United States, you must show proof that the education has been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education has been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs. For more information on how foreign education is evaluated, visit:

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: 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 RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA 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, based on your adjudication decision. 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 RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (

All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.

Physical Demands/Work Environment: The work is typically performed in an office setting with no special physical demands. However, work may also be performed in the field which involves periods of moving about worksites, bending, climbing, or driving motor vehicles to worksites. The work is usually performed in an office setting. However, work time may also be spent periodically visiting field sites. Field site visits are typically performed in either an outdoor setting subject to weather changes, diverse terrain, and safety hazards associated with working around complex features and/or construction, or an industrial setting subject to noise, fumes, and moving machinery. Both settings may require the use of personal protective equipment. The work may also involve some overnight travel for training, meetings, and site visits. Safety precautions and protocols are observed at all times and the incumbent complies with safety instructions and regulations and ensures individual and others' safety by promptly reporting unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, and accidents to the supervisor.

The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.