Electrical Engineer (Programming)

Bonneville Power Administration

$95K — $115K *
Energy & Utilities
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent education/experience
  • Registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), or Professional Engineer (PE) is preferred
  • Specialized experience in electrical engineering equivalent to GS-11 level
  • Ability to conduct professional studies and tests on software applications
  • Hands-on experience with electric circuit analysis and power systems.

Responsibilities

  • Code, test, and document vendor and in-house applications to meet business needs
  • Define and implement solutions for EMS system upgrades and integrations
  • Plan enhancements in collaboration with technical staff and users
  • Provide technology evaluations and recommendations for EMS solutions
  • Perform engineering calculations to address electric power issues
  • Analyze data flow paths to resolve quality issues in power system data.
  • Evaluate telemetered data for accuracy and reliability.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including health and retirement options
  • Work/life balance programs supporting flexible work environments
  • Wellness programs promoting healthier lifestyles
  • Opportunities for professional development within the federal sector
  • Commitment to a safe and positive work environment.
Full Job Description
Summary

This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration, in the Energy Management Systems (JDE), Grid Ops Application Services (JD), Information Technology (J).

A successful candidate in the Electrical Engineer (Programming) position will provide technical system support, programming, and administration for BPA's critical Energy Management Systems (EMS). The position will provide full life-cycle support for multiple critical EMS used in support of BPA's Control Centers.

Duties

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As an Electrical Engineer (Programming), you will:

  • Code, test, configure, stage, migrate, maintain, and document various vendor and in-house applications to provide solutions that support business requirements.
  • Define requirements and robust solutions to support the modification, integration, and migration of BPA's EMS system to new software versions.
  • Plan and coordinate system and functional enhancements in coordination with system users and technical staff involved with impacted systems.
  • Provide technical evaluation, including weighted recommendations, on potential technology solutions.
  • Perform engineering calculations to resolve electric power problems.
  • Evaluate reasonability of telemetered and calculated power system data.
  • Analyze data beginning at its source and traversing through data flow paths to troubleshoot data quality issues.


Requirements

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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:

  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  • This position may be subject to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Standards of Conduct (FERC SOC) non-discrimination rules and restrictions prohibiting disclosure of certain information to Power Merchant Function employees.
  • May be required to obtain and maintain a state issued driver's license.


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:

  1. 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-
  2. 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-
  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. -OR-
  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.)


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

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-11] in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: experience planning and conducting professional electrical engineering studies, analyses, and tests to solve problems related to the design, development, maintenance, and operation of software applications and the analysis of electric circuits.

"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.

Education

There are no specific education requirements or substitution of education for experience for this position.

Additional information

  • The salary is based on a Special Rate Table, Number 0754 (Vancouver, WA) -or- 0755 (Spokane, WA): https://apps.opm.gov/SpecialRates/
  • This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE


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.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

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