Electrical Engineer.

Bonneville Power Administration; Vancouver (WA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Bonneville Power Administration seeks an Electrical Engineer to design and modernize high-voltage power systems, test emerging technologies, and strengthen grid reliability across the Pacific Northwest.

You will lead complex engineering initiatives, collaborate with manufacturers and labs, and mentor teams to ensure robust, scalable energy distribution for countless homes and businesses.

Qualifications

• ABET-accredited engineering program (required).
• Strong knowledge of electrical power systems and grid reliability.
• Experience designing, analyzing, or modifying electrical power systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, evaluate, and implement high-voltage power systems.
• Collaborate with manufacturers and labs to test new technologies.
• Conduct regional grid simulations and stability modeling.
• Plan transmission expansion and modernization studies.
• Lead 24/7 grid control and automation systems initiatives.
• Mentor engineers and lead multifaceted projects.

Skills

Electrical Eng

Grid design

Problem solving

Cross-functional

Education

ABET-accredited program

Bachelors in Engineering

Job description

Duties

Power the Future of Clean Energy: Lead Critical Grid Innovation Across the Pacific Northwest

At the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), our mission is vital: we deliver clean, reliable, and carbon-free hydroelectric energy across the Pacific Northwest, driving regional economies and powering millions of lives. As an Electrical Engineer at BPA, you will step directly into the vanguard of this mission. Operating within our Power or Transmission Services organizations, you won't just maintain existing infrastructure-you will solve complex engineering puzzles, test emerging technologies, and shape the resilience and capacity of one of the nation’s most robust high-voltage energy networks.

If You Are Driven To Make a Tangible, Lasting Impact On The Future Of Energy, Explore The Six Key Responsibilities Where Your Expertise Will Make a Difference:

• Designing Next-Generation High-Voltage Power Systems

Design, evaluate, and implement state-of-the-art electrical systems and high-voltage substation equipment built to exacting standards. You will develop innovative electrical layouts, resolve intricate mechanical and electrical design trade-offs, and engineer custom solutions for high-demand, high-capacity energy distribution networks where conventional playbooks don't apply.

• Pioneering & Testing Breakthrough Energy Technologies

Collaborate directly with leading industry equipment manufacturers, research labs, and technical specialists to evaluate and field-test experimental technologies. You will assess first-of-their-kind hardware, define technical specifications, and lead testing and energization efforts to safely integrate game-changing innovations into the commercial power grid.

• Conducting Advanced Regional Grid Simulations & Stability Modeling

Leverage advanced computational modeling tools to digitally simulate power flow, voltage stability, and transient dynamics across the interconnected regional grid. Your analytical findings and operational models will establish real-time operating limits, prevent outages, and ensure continuous electrical reliability during severe weather and unexpected system disruptions.

• Directing Strategic Transmission Expansion & Modernization Studies

Plan and steer comprehensive technical feasibility studies to modernize high-voltage transmission corridors. You will evaluate alternative grid configurations, eliminate performance bottlenecks, and chart engineering roadmaps that expand transmission capacity to integrate new generation sources.

• Engineering Mission-Critical, 24/7 Grid Control & Automation Systems

Design, optimize, and protect the high-availability hardware and software systems that empower operators to monitor and dispatch regional power around the clock. You will safeguard real-time data acquisition and energy management platforms, implementing robust cybersecurity defenses, network hardening, and automated control tools to defend critical infrastructure against modern threats.

• Leading High-Impact Projects & Mentoring Technical Teams

Serve as a project leader and technical authority, guiding multifaceted engineering initiatives from concept through procurement, budgeting, and field commissioning. You will establish technical standards, coordinate multidisciplinary engineering groups and external contractors, and mentor rising engineers to build organizational technical excellence.

Who We Are Looking For:

A forward-thinking electrical engineer who thrives on technical autonomy, complex problem-solving, and cross-functional leadership. Whether you are modernizing high-voltage equipment, simulating grid dynamics, or architecting resilient automated systems, your work will ensure millions of homes and businesses have dependable power every single day.

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

• After employment, this position may be subject to periodic physical examinations, as prescribed by competent medical authority and at BPA expense, if exposed to health hazards.
• A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or other individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check.
• This position maybe subject to FERC SOC non-discrimination rules and restrictions prohibiting disclosure of certain information to Power Merchant Function employees. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Standards of Conduct (SOC): The incumbent may be required to have a working knowledge of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Standards of Conduct (SOC) to ensure fair competition in the open access transmission market though compliance with its basic principles. The FERC SOC basic principles require BPA's Transmission Function employees and its affiliated Power Merchant Function employees to function independently and abide by non-discriminatory information access and prohibited disclosure regulations for transmission-related information that is not equally available to all customers. In addition, the incumbent may be required to complete BPA's mandatory SOC training.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT

• 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-
• 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. -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.)

For more information on how to meet the Basic Requirements please visit:

In addition to meeting the basic requirements, you must also meet the specialized experience requirements as listed below.

Specialized Experience Requirements

GS-09: 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-07) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience 1) Assisting professional engineers with the design, analysis, or modification of electrical power systems and equipment by performing routine calculations and preparing preliminary technical drawings or specifications; and 2) Conducting field surveys, standard functional testing, or troubleshooting of electrical components using established engineering practices and manufacturer guidelines.

You May Substitute Education For Specialized Experience As Follows

• Two years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a master's degree, or master's, or equivalent graduate degree; your education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. -OR-
• 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 year of full-time study may be credited).

GS-11:

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-09) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: experience 1) Designing, reviewing, or modifying electric power distribution, transmission, or generation systems using established engineering criteria and precedents; 2) Performing engineering calculations, studies, or evaluations of technical data packages and equipment specifications; and 3) Conducting functional testing, troubleshooting, or field investigations on electrical circuitry and equipment to resolve operational problems.

…

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.

Time-in-Grade:

Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration.

CTAP/ICTAP 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.

Education

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See

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

Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".

Additional information

• The salary is based on a Special Rate Table, Number 0754:
• This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE

EEO Policy

Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Staffing Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement.

Reasonable Accommodation for USAHire:

If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments

Veterans Information

Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Telework

Selective Service Registration

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.

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.

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.

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.