Interdisciplinary Engineer (Electrical Engineer or Electronics Engineer)

Transmission & Distribution World; Lakewood (CO); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Western Area Power Administration is seeking a Telecommunications Engineer to lead planning, design, and coordination of major telecommunication and integrated control systems at its Lakewood, CO headquarters. The role covers digital microwave, fiber optics, satellite, land/mobile radio, telephony, and telemetry.

You will prepare solicitations, evaluate contractor data, and develop policies for spectrum management and secure operations.

Qualifications

• Engineering education or equivalent with fundamentals in engineering science.
• Experience planning and designing microwave, fiber, and RF systems for utility operations.
• Ability to review designs, prepare specifications, and coordinate with contractors.

Responsibilities

• Plan and design major microwave, mobile radio, and fiber systems for utility ops.
• Prepare solicitations and specifications for telecom equipment and contracts.
• Review contractor drawings/data for compliance and advise on revisions.
• Develop policy, procedures, and standards for telecom systems and spectrum management.

Skills

Telecom planning

System design

Cross-agency coordination

Technical leadership

Education

Engineering degree (ABET-accredited)

Tools

Spectrum management software

RF propagation tools

Job description

Summary

This position is part of the WAPA Headquarters. As a Telecommunications Engineer, you will provide leadership in the planning, design, review, liaison, and coordination of major telecommunication and integrated control systems that may include digital microwave radio, fiber optics, satellite communications, land and air mobile radio, telephony, and telemetry. ***This is NOT a remote position. You will need to physically report to the Lakewood, CO office.***

Duties

As an Interdisciplinary Engineer (Electrical Engineer or Electronics Engineer) (Telecommunications), you will: Serve as a designated telecommunications specialist for WAPA's facilities. Responsible for the planning and design of major multi-state microwave and mobile radio systems, telephony, and fiber optic systems necessary for power operations within WAPA. Provide detailed technical analysis of unusual problems that arise in the design, procurement, and modification of complex telecommunication systems required for operation, maintenance, and construction of power facilities; prepare and review designs, drawings, interfaces, and quantity estimates. Prepare solicitations for procurement of telecommunications equipment and material, and specifications for construction and implementation contracts. Reviews contractor furnished drawings and data for compliance with specifications and notifies contractors of required design revisions. Prepare and direct studies, evaluations, recommendations, and analysis of telecommunication needs, costs, and alternatives for system expansion, replacement, security, and improvements; perform microwave and fixed radio system path profile analysis; mobile radio propagation modeling and coverage plotting. Provide design consultation and coordination with other Federal agencies, as required, to obtain DOE and other required agency approvals for operating spectrum-based telecommunication systems necessary for WAPA's power operations. Prepare and recommend policy, procedures, guidelines, and standards for the design, installation, operations, and maintenance of telecommunication systems. Provide for the implementation and management of a WAPA-wide radio spectrum program, including radio frequency authorizations (RFA) for all radio telecommunications equipment operated by WAPA. Utilize software and automatic data processing (ADP) programs for gathering, assembling, and producing data relating to RFA requests and assignments. Performs frequency interference and intermodulation analysis in determining frequency selection and mitigating harmful interference issues utilizing specified databases, software, and ADP required in the execution of WAPA's spectrum management program. Provide technical expertise and coordination with manufacturers, suppliers, telecommunication services providers, and others concerning telecommunications and integrated control facilities or equipment. Administer the WAPA HQ telephony and related systems, including but not limited to, voice mail, audio conferencing, call accounting, and voice firewall. Coordinate corporate operations and strategies with information technology, security, and telecommunications personnel. Provide technical direction to contractors and federal staff in conjunction with daily operations of the HQ telecommunications systems. Evaluate, develop, and implement new technology, enhancements and upgrades for WAPA's corporate voice and data systems.

Requirements

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 - Non-Critical Sensitive/Moderate. When in the field, the incumbent is required to wear appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Additionally, Arc Rated protective clothing is required when in proximity to exposed energized circuits. This position requires the ability to operate a government vehicle. The incumbent must be at least 18 years of age, able to obtain and maintain a Defensive Driver's certification and have a valid state driver's license. Defensive Driver's Training will be completed upon employment.

Qualifications

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) for all positions in the 0800 Series: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf Basic Requirements: You must meet one of the following: 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. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions. 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. 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.) In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0850/0855 Series, applicants must meet the specialized experience below. Specialized Experience: To qualify for the GS12 - Applicants must have one (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS11) in ALL of the following areas: Planning and/or designing major microwave radio, mobile radio, or fiber optic systems for use in utility-based operation. To qualify for the GS13 - Applicants must have one (1) year (52 weeks) of specialized experience, equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS12) in ALL of the following areas: Planning and/or designing major microwave radio, mobile radio, or fiber optic systems for use in utility-based operations; AND Developing and/or applying policy, procedures, guidelines, and standards associated with telecommunication systems. "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: Office work is primarily sedentary. Field work may take place indoors or outdoors and involve long periods of standing, walking, bending, and climbing associated with on-site equipment testing, radio propagation testing, communication site data acquisition and telecommunication system installation inspections and testing. Work Environment: Most work is performed in an office environment with some travel to the field that will be performed indoors and outdoors. During field work, the employee may be exposed to hazards normally encountered in energized substation and some climbing activities associated with telecommunications facilities. These activities may require special safety precautions around energized circuits and equipment.