Electrical Engineer

Full Job Description

This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), in Transmission Services (T), Planning and Asset Management (TP), in the Transmission Reliability Organization (TPR).

As a successful candidate in this Electrical Engineer position, you will serve as a senior engineer and technical authority on Transmission equipment, systems, standards, and asset data for the development of Facility Ratings.

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 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 electrical engineering principles in the 1) technical support of power system infrastructure with quality and information management for power system components; and 2) contributing to technical projects, ensuring system reliability, and adhering to industry standards and regulations within a utility environment.

"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. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Major Duties:

Are you an expert electrical engineer passionate about ensuring the lights stay on for millions?

The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is seeking a technical authority to join our Transmission Reliability Organization.

This isn't just a job; it's a critical role safeguarding the stability and integrity of the entire Pacific Northwest electrical grid.

You will be the senior expert responsible for ensuring our transmission system operates safely, reliably, and in compliance with national standards, directly impacting regional energy security.

As an Electrical Engineer, you will: Serve as the lead technical expert for validating and implementing the national and regional standards (NERC/WECC) that prevent blackouts.

You'll be the go-to authority on the processes and data that define the safe operating limits of our grid components.

Provide expert project leadership by creating and developing the engineering standards used to implement our crucial Facility Ratings Program, ensuring the long-term reliability of our power system.

Shape the future of grid reliability by collaborating with national regulators and other major utilities to help draft the new engineering standards that will govern transmission system design and maintenance across the industry.

Drive innovation and efficiency by identifying and leading initiatives to improve our data management systems.

You will lead cross-functional teams to find smarter, more effective ways to manage critical grid information.

Act as a key advisor and strategist, analyzing how evolving policies and industry trends could impact our grid's reliability and recommending strategic priorities to senior leadership.

Mentor the next generation of experts by providing technical guidance and training to other engineers and compliance specialists, elevating the technical expertise of the entire organization.

Establish, oversee, and execute the quality control program required for implementing facility ratings, ensuring the data that system operators and planners rely on is accurate and trustworthy.

Represent BPA as a primary technical liaison, interfacing with subject matter experts and external organizations to respond to technical inquiries about our facility ratings.