Fresh Listing

Posted: January 15, 2026 (0 days ago)

This job was posted recently. Fresh listings typically have less competition.

Mechanical Engineer/Electrical Engineer

Bonneville Power Administration

Department of Energy

Fresh

Salary

$99,954 - $140,188

per year

Closes

January 24, 2026

GS-11 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $62,107 - $80,737

Typical requirements: 1 year specialized experience at GS-10. Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 years graduate study.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This job involves working as a mechanical or electrical engineer for a government agency focused on power services, where you'll conduct studies and projects to improve energy efficiency, manage demand for electricity, and support conservation efforts.

It's ideal for engineers with a solid background in engineering principles who enjoy applying their skills to real-world energy challenges in a team setting.

Candidates who are detail-oriented and passionate about sustainable power solutions would fit well.

Key Requirements

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program, or equivalent combination of education and experience meeting fundamental engineering criteria including calculus, physics, and engineering sciences
  • At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 level in professional engineering, particularly in energy efficiency or related fields
  • Knowledge of mechanical or electrical engineering principles applied to energy systems
  • Professional registration as a Professional Engineer (PE), Engineer in Training (EIT), or successful passage of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam
  • Experience in engineering studies, demand side management, or conservation acquisition
  • U.S. citizenship and ability to meet security and background check requirements for Department of Energy positions

Full Job Description

This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration, in the Engineering Services (PEJ) organization within Energy Efficiency (PE), Power Services (P).

A successful candidate in the Mechanical Engineer/Electrical Engineer position will serve as a mechanical or electrical engineer performing a wide range of professional engineering studies and assignments in energy efficiency, integrated demand side management and conservation acquisition.

Qualifications: 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: 1.

Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, 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.

2.

Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 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.

3.

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. 4.

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.) SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS GS-11: A qualified candidate's resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as: 1) Applying engineering theories, concepts, principles, standards, and methods to provide engineering support services to internal and external clients; AND 2) Analyzing and evaluating the advisability of proposed building, facility, or system projects.

GS-12: A qualified candidate's resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as: 1) Applying a wide range of engineering theories, concepts, principles, standards, and methods applicable to building and system auditing or analysis to provide energy efficiency/conservation engineering support services to internal and external clients; AND 2) Analyzing and evaluating the advisability of proposed building, facility, or system projects.

"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. GS-11: You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: 1.

Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D.

degree, or Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree; your education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. -OR- 2.

Combination of education and experience as described above.

Less than one year of specialized experience may be combined with graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (i.e., credit hours beyond the first two years of fulltime study may be credited).

GS-12: There is no substitution of education at the GS-12 level.

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. Major Duties:

As a Mechanical or Electrical Engineer: Serve as a specialist with responsibility for the mechanical equipment and energy efficiency projects in support of BPA functions and programs.

Provide technical expertise for the areas of energy efficiency, integrated demand-side management, conservation acquisition and end uses of electricity.

Plan and carry out assignments of such breadth, diversity and intensity that they involve many, varied complex features; require versatility and innovation in adapting, modifying, or making compromises with standard guides and methods or originating new techniques or criteria.

Identify possible conflicts between engineering and management requirements for resolution. Use computer technology in the performance of assigned engineering work.

Check your resume before applying to catch common mistakes

Browse Similar Jobs

Posted on USAJOBS: 1/15/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 1/16/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: 26-BPA-48772-12846057-DOE