Electrical Engineer

Bonneville Power Administration • Vancouver, WA

25d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), in Project Scoping (TEEL), Substation Engineering (TEE), Engineering and Technical Services (TE), Transmission Services (T). Shape the future of clean, reliable power! We are seeking an innovative Electrical Engineer to solve complex grid challenges, deploy state-of-the-art electrical systems, and ensure regional power reliability. If you are a versatile engineer ready to lead high-impact projects, apply now to join our team! 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:

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.
• 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 may be subject to FERC SOC non-discrimination rules and restrictions prohibiting disclosure of certain information to Power Merchant Function employees.
• 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.
• 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: 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.)
• 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.
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• 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.
• 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).
• Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree; your education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work.
• 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 two years of full-time study may be credited).

Responsibilities

• 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.

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.
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level