Bonneville Power Administration is a federal nonprofit wholesale power marketer that sells carbon-free electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to millions of consumers and businesses in eight states. BPA operates three-quarters of the region’s high-voltage transmission grid and funds one of the largest fish and wildlife programs in the world. With a focus on affordable, reliable, and clean energy, BPA offers career opportunities throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana.
Role Description
This is a full-time hybrid role for an Electrical Engineer at Bonneville Power Administration in Vancouver, WA, with flexibility for remote work. The Electrical Engineer will serve as a consultant and expert advisor on SPC systems and equipment, providing expert advice to senior colleagues and BPA officials responsible for broad program operations.
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application.
Open & Close date: Open: 11/06/2024 Close: 11/15/2024
LOCATION(s)Vancouver, WA
SALARY: See announcement for salary
As an Electrical Engineer, you will:
Originate new and improved applications and strategies for existing and new engineering concepts, theories, and principles.
Provide short and long range planning for relays, meters, fault recorders, and communication devices.
Develop maintenance standards and guides, covering methods and techniques to be followed by field maintenance crews for maintenance of relays, meters, fault recorders, and communication devices.
Apply mastery of advanced electrical engineering theories, principles, concepts, standards, and methods for system integration, modification, redesign, troubleshooting, installation, operation and maintenance, and failure analysis for all SPC systems and equipment.
Evaluate manufacturers' specifications and drawings for novel and somewhat controversial devices or components proposed for addition to or removal from an acceptable or standard parts list.
Investigate and resolve problems and conditions in SPC systems and equipment impacting costs, efficiency, safety, and performance.
Provide technical leadership for NERC compliance within SPC and authoritative technical consultation on Protective Relays and Cyber security for those relays.
Conditions of Employment
Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
This position does not support remote work. You will be required to report physically to the official reporting worksite as specified by the supervisor, but no less than 3 days per pay period
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.
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:
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-
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:
(See Qualification Section for the rest of these competences)
A qualified candidate's online application and 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 for this position is defined as: applying a wide range of professional knowledge of electrical engineering theories, principles, standards, and methods sufficient to serve as a technical expert on system integration, modification, redesign, troubleshooting, installation, operation, and maintenance of metering and recording systems, fault recorders, sequential event recorders, SCADA systems, current transformers, and other transmission system protection and control equipment.
There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-13 level.
"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.
Physical Demands: The work is primarily sedentary. Some work may require periods of walking, standing, bending, or driving a motor vehicle. The work does not require any special physical effort.
Work Environment: Work is typically performed in an adequately lighted and climate controlled office. May require occasional travel.
You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
EDUCATION
This vacancy has a positive education requirement. 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. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts.
Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:
To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package.
(See Required Documents section on application).
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 Bonneville Power Administration has been powering people and careers for over 85 years. We are a non-profit federal agency that provides clean, emissions-free electricity to the Pacific Northwest and maintains a high voltage transmission system to deliver that electricity. We are a leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship, promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, the smart grid, fish and wildlife protection and initiatives to address climate change. We are a visionary and innovative agency that values diversity and creativity and encourages continuous learning. We are located throughout the Pacific Northwest with opportunities in cities, smaller communities and rural areas. You can learn more about BPA at www.bpa.gov.
