Summary

This position is within Bonneville Power Administration's Power Services, under Generation and Asset Management, Generating Assets, and Contracting Generating Resources. As a GS-13 Nuclear Engineer, you will drive contract oversight for a vital nuclear plant. Coordinate energy output with the federal grid, ensure regulatory compliance, review operations budgets, and liaise with senior executives. Apply your technical expertise to help power the Pacific Northwest!

Duties

Power the Pacific Northwest: Shape the Future of Clean Energy as a Lead Nuclear Engineer with BPA

This critical position is located within Contracting Generating Resources (PGAC), in the Generating Assets (PGA) organization of Generation and Asset Management (PG), within Power Services (P) of BPA. As a GS-13 Nuclear Engineer, you will serve as a vital link between our regional energy grid and the Columbia Generating Station. You will play a defining role in overseeing the region's only commercial nuclear energy facility, driving operational excellence, and ensuring safe, cost-effective power generation for millions of households and businesses.

If you are an experienced engineering professional looking to leverage your technical expertise for high-impact public service, this role offers an unparalleled opportunity to lead and innovate.

Here are the top eight duties where you will make a lasting impact:

• Lead High-Impact Technical and Policy Initiatives: Take the reins on major technical, policy, and economic initiatives. You will guide multi-disciplinary teams, coordinate complex projects, and provide strategic solutions that shape the future of BPA's nuclear oversight.
• Provide Expert Oversight of Nuclear Operations: Monitor and evaluate all phases of nuclear plant operations and maintenance-including fuel management, engineering, nuclear safety, and chemistry-ensuring the operator meets world-class operational standards.
• Optimize Clean Energy Delivery to the Grid: Bridge the gap between nuclear power generation and regional grid needs. You will coordinate scheduled power output to ensure a reliable, seamless supply of carbon-free electricity to the regional power system.
• Collaborate with Senior Leadership and Key Stakeholders: Serve as a primary technical advisor and liaison. You will interface daily with plant operators, executive boards, and federal, state, and local regulatory officials to align strategic goals and policies.
• Ensure Rigorous Regulatory Compliance: Evaluate, monitor, and guide compliance with strict state and federal safety and environmental regulations, safeguarding both the facility's operational integrity and the surrounding communities.
• Champion Financial Efficiency and Stewardship: Analyze multi-million dollar construction, maintenance, and decommissioning budgets. You will monitor expenditures to ensure cost-efficiency and identify innovative opportunities for project cost savings.
• Drive Performance Benchmarking: Develop and analyze performance databases to compare nuclear facility operations and financial health against national industry standards, leveraging data to drive continuous improvement.
• Step into Key Leadership Roles: Build your leadership portfolio by acting on behalf of the Contract Generating Resources Manager during their absence, offering high-level administrative, policy, and technical guidance to the entire department.

Requirements

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:

• Selectee will be required to complete the Office of Government Ethics Standard of Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OFGE450e) within 30 days of employment and annually.

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-

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: 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: (1) Professional engineering experience supporting the operations, maintenance, modification, or oversight of a commercial nuclear power generating facility. (2) Experience applying engineering principles, nuclear industry standards, nuclear regulatory requirements, and technical reasoning to evaluation the safety, reliability, performance, and operations of a commercial nuclear power plant. (3) Experience with the nuclear fuel cycle and necessary fuel loading requirements to support oversight of a commercial nuclear power plants fuel loading strategy.

"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

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation.

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.

In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE

Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations.

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

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.

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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.