Public Utilities Specialist

Bureau of Reclamation

$85K — $102K *
Energy & Utilities
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-12 level in Federal government.
  • Ability to create periodic power forecasts using data.
  • Expertise in regional power operations and project requirements for agreements.
  • Experience in preparing power agreements or contracts for project use.
  • Subject matter expertise in power operations related to Power Marketing Administration.

Responsibilities

  • Prepare and analyze annual Project Use Energy estimates.
  • Coordinate technical expertise for agreements with WAPA and state water agencies.
  • Ensure compliance with repayment, budgets, and financial records.
  • Provide studies and analyses to CVP power customers and agencies.
  • Analyze power and energy forecasts effectively.
  • Benchmark CVP power performance against the electric utility industry.
  • Facilitate evaluations of FERC proposals affecting Reclamation facilities.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive benefits package including access to family-friendly options.
  • Potential for recruitment or relocation incentives based on eligibility.
  • Opportunity to engage in meaningful public service work.
  • Eligibility for federal benefits varies by position type.
Full Job Description
Summary

You will serve as a Public Utilities Specialist with Bureau of Reclamation.

Duty Location:

Scramento, CA

Redding, CA

Duties

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Some of the major duties you will perform include but are not limited to the following:

  • Prepare, estimate, analyze annual Project Use Energy
  • Coordinates and provides technical expertise to activities under agreements with Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and California Department of Water Resources, water districts, and public utilities and agencies.
  • Ensure consistency and compliance of repayment, budget, financial records, and power customer funding.
  • Upon request, provides studies, analysis, and technical responses to Central Valley Project (CVP) preference power customers, CVP water contractors, WAPA, and other agencies.
  • Prepare and analyze power and energy forecasts.
  • Provide and analyze benchmarking of CVP power performance against electric utility industry.
  • Facilitate and evaluate Federal Energy Regulatiory Commission (FERC) proposals that may impact Reclamation facilities.


Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Direct Deposit participation required.


As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period to evaluate your fitness and whether your continuation of employment advances the public interest.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

One year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in Federal government which must include: 1) uses data to create the issuance of periodic power forecasts (generation or load); 2) provides analysis of regional power operations and power supply and project requirements for the basis of agreements or contractual actions related to energy exchanges or water transfers involving project power and/or energy; 3) prepares various power agreements or contracts involving the use of power for project purposes; 4) provides or presents analyses or subject matter expertise involving power operations pertaining to a Power Marketing Administration or preference power contractors.

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement - 09/21/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement. Competitive candidates must also meet Time-in-Grade requirements as defined in 5 CFR 300, Subpart F.

For current Federal employees, if hours worked per week are not included on your resume, you must submit a non-award SF-50 as part of your application to be used to validate your work schedule and determine the amount of specialized experience that you will be granted. An award SF-50 will not be acceptable documentation for which to consider your amount of qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the work schedule requirement as the service dates will be reflected. For all other applicants who are not current federal employees, your resume must state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). 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.

Education

No education requirement

Additional information

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.

All DOI employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, DOI Ethics Prohibitions | U.S. Department of the Interior.

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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.

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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.

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