Electronics Engineer

Summary

This position is part of the WAPA-RMR-Rocky Mountain Region or WAPA-UGPR-Upper Great Plains Region. As Electronics Engineer, you will provide engineering expertise to develop, upgrade, and operate the Region's communication systems, SCADA systems, operations support systems, telemetering equipment, data distribution systems, and remote telemetry units (RTUs).

Duties

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As an Electronics Engineer, you will:

• Applies or adapts automated processes that modify real-time control systems and automated computing systems to solve inherent problems or enhance performance of existing systems.
• Establishes system design technical requirements, defines engineering approaches to be used in the system design as well as constraints and standards to be applied during the design process.
• Develops and maintains guidelines, requirements, instructions and procedures relating to the power communications system.
• Makes analysis of equipment failures and system malfunctions and recommends and/or initiates adjustments, repair, replacement, or other appropriate action to prevent recurrence.
• Provides communications and system control engineering assistance and advice to the field offices.
• Monitors maintenance programs to assure necessary actions are implemented on a consistent basis throughout the Region.
• Provides technical advice and guidance in the resolution of engineering problems arising in ongoing automated systems.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
• May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
• In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
• Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
• Security clearance and associated requirements- Moderate Risk.
• Shift work and emergency overtime may be required.
• Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
• Total salary varies depending on location of position.

Qualifications

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management's website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:Applicants must meet the Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) for the 0800 Series as described below:

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. (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.)

AND

In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0800 Series, applicants must meet the specialized experience below.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. The experience need not have been in the federal government.

To qualify for the GS-12: Select the one statement that best describes the experience you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of an Electronics Engineer, at the GS-11 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service.

This experience MUST include all the following:

• Providing technical assistance in these technologies:
  
  • Fiber optics
  • Radio systems (VHF, UHF, spread spectrum, microwave)
  • Data network technologies such as MPLS or SONET, TDM, IP or VOIP

To qualify for the GS-13: Select the one statement that best describes the experience you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of an Electronics Engineer, at the GS-12 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal service.

This experience MUST include all the following:

• Using communications systems that support transmission system facilities for computer systems such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) or Energy Management System (EMS), data and voice communication infrastructures;
  
  • In these technologies:
    
    • Fiber optics
    • Radio systems (VHF, UHF, spread spectrum, microwave)
    • Data network technologies such as MPLS or SONET, TDM, IP or VOIP

"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.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work is primarily sedentary. Field work may take place indoors or outdoors and involve long

periods of standing, bending, and stretching to observe and study work operations in an industrial work

area.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work is normally performed in an office setting. Field work to industrial areas may involve moderate risks or discomfort. Work may occasionally be performed at substation/ transmission line involving hazards requiring special safety precautions around energized circuits and equipment. The use of personal protective equipment and observance of safety precautions is required.

Education

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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 all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

Additional information

• This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
• For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov.
• Applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) when applying or competing for a job due to a medical condition or to exercise religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement.
• If selection is made at a lower grade, promotion up to the full performance level may be made without further competition. However, promotion(s) will depend on the performance of the incumbent and are not guaranteed.
• Promotion Potential: Full performance level is GS-13.
• Upon reporting, and annually thereafter, the selectee may be required to file one or more financial statements and/or a procurement integrity certification. These certifications may be subject to public disclosure.
• The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive.
• Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.
• This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual leave. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. DOE may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
• Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service.
• Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location.

Special Salary Rate Table:

Rocky Mountain Region Maintenance, J5500

0753 - Loveland, CO ($119,796 - 160,638)

Upper Great Plains Region Maintenance, B5500)

0755 - Fort Peck & Billings, MT; Bismarck, ND; Huron and Watertown, SD ($104,502 - 145,483)

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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.