Human Resources Assistant

Full Job Description

This position is within either the Recruitment & Placement or Benefits & HR Processing team of the Department of Energy's BPA Human Resources Service Center.

Depending on the team you join, you'll either serve as a guide for applicants, ensuring all hiring actions are accurate and compliant with federal regulations, or you will manage key employee data-such as pay actions, promotions, and benefits-to support our dedicated workforce.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: GS-05: 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-04) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience in completing recurring assignments using established procedures and standard methods of operation to set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, record information, update paperwork, or maintain documents (e.g., attendance records, employee benefits forms, correspondence); and create, maintain, enter, and/or verify information into databases.

You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: - Four years above high school, obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position.

One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school.

-OR - - Combination of education and experience as described above, equivalent to one year of experience.

Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement.

One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience.

GS-06: 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-05) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience in applying standard human resource management guidelines to: utilize personal computers and software programs to extract, revise, or sort information from files, records, or databases; and research and resolve errors or discrepancies in personnel records; review work for completeness and accuracy.

There is no substitution of education at the GS-06 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. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Major Duties:

Power the Future: Be the Human Connection Behind Public Service!

Bonneville Power Administration is at the forefront of the Pacific Northwest's energy landscape, and our mission is powered by our people.

As a Human Resources Assistant, you will be a critical part of the team that builds and supports our dedicated workforce.

You will provide essential services that directly impact the careers and well-being of every employee, ensuring BPA can continue to deliver clean, reliable energy to the region.

In this role, you will specialize in one of two key areas: If you join our Benefits & HR Processing team, you will: Ensure the integrity of our workforce data by processing and finalizing official personnel actions, such as promotions and new appointments, serving as the final quality check.

Act as an HR detective, investigating complex employee histories to resolve retroactive pay or benefits issues in collaboration with legal and employee relations experts.

Serve as a pay and compensation specialist, analyzing and applying complex regulations to solve payroll discrepancies and guarantee every employee is paid accurately and on time.

Welcome new employees by managing their onboarding process, helping them navigate and enroll in critical benefits like retirement, health insurance, and other valuable programs.

If you join our Recruitment & Placement team, you will: Act as the central support hub for our staffing program, providing clear and timely information to applicants and managers about hiring processes, application status, and diverse job opportunities.

Become the team's specialist on our automated HR systems, providing expert advice and guidance to ensure hiring actions are processed smoothly and efficiently.

Serve as a guardian of compliance by interpreting and applying federal regulations and internal policies to prepare official hiring actions for final approval.

Meticulously craft and review recruitment communications, ensuring every detail is accurate and professional to provide a best-in-class experience for candidates and hiring teams.