Summary This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), in the System Planning (TP) organization, Transmission Services (T). Step up and lead BPA's energy future. As the lead technical authority on emerging grid challenges, you will advise executives, shape national energy policy, and represent BPA at key industry forums. This is a high-impact role for an expert ready to guide the future of the Western transmission system. Responsibilities Powering the Future: Be BPA's Leading Voice on Grid Strategy Bonneville Power Administration is at the heart of the Pacific Northwest's energy landscape, and we are entering a new era of transformation. This is a rare opportunity for a current employee to step into a highly visible leadership role and become the agency's foremost expert on the future of the power grid. You will have the autonomy and authority to shape policy, advise executives, and ensure our region's energy is reliable and secure for decades to come. If you are ready to make a lasting impact, this is your moment. As an Interdisciplinary Civil/Mechanical/Electrical Engineer, you will: Serve as a Trusted Advisor to Senior Leadership: Provide direct, authoritative advice and guidance to BPA's top executives, informing critical decisions that will shape the agency's future. Set the Strategic Direction: Develop and implement high-level strategies, policies, and programs that address the most pressing challenges facing the Western U.S. power grid, from integrating new energy sources to adapting to climate change. Represent BPA on the National Stage: Act as a key representative and voting member in influential industry forums and a leading voice with regional and national energy reliability and regulatory organizations. Drive Technological Innovation: Serve as the go-to expert on technology innovations and research, guiding BPA's approach to adopting new systems and planning for the grid of tomorrow. Resolve High-Stakes Challenges: Lead efforts to solve complex, high-consequence problems affecting the electrical grid by representing BPA in meetings with national, state, and local authorities and other industry leaders. Influence Major Federal Energy Projects: Evaluate and provide recommendations on major energy projects and proposals from the Department of Energy (DOE) and other federal agencies, ensuring BPA's interests are protected. Champion a Unified Vision: Coordinate with other federal power agencies to create unified positions on emerging issues, ensuring a strong, collective voice in national policy discussions. Act as an Agency Spokesperson: Clearly communicate and champion BPA's strategic initiatives and programs, serving as a liaison to ensure consistent interpretation and successful implementation across the agency and with external partners. 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: Selectee will be required to complete the Office of Government Ethics Standard of Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OFGE450e) within 30 days of employment and annually. This position requires a valid driver's license as a condition 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. Occasional overnight travel is required. Working with emergency response teams, agencies, and coordinators and being prepared to work from an alternate location, including home telework location, during such emergencies are required. 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 In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must also meet the specialized experience requirements as listed below. 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-13) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience 1) applying advanced electrical engineering principles to analyze bulk electric transmission system planning or operations; and 2) representing an organization to interpret, apply, or influence regional or national energy policies, standards, or regulations. "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 The salary is based on a Special Rate Table, Number 0754: https://apps.opm.gov/SpecialRates/ 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 Veterans Information: USAJOBS Help Center - Veterans Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Telework: https://www.opm.gov/telework/ Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/ - Who must register: https://www.sss.gov/faq/#who-needs-to-register 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.?
