Mechanical Engineer

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• See "Other Information" section regarding Selective Service requirements.

This announcement is also being advertised under Merit Promotion as announcement DOE-BPA-20-14074-MP. If you are a status candidate or intend to apply under a Special Hiring Authority (e.g. Schedule A, VEOA, etc.), please apply under the Merit Promotion announcement as well.

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

Special Salary rate: The salary is based on a Special Rate Table, Number 0755:  https://apps.opm.gov/SPECIALRATES/2020/TABLE075504262020.ASPX

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register. If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.
  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.
• 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.
• Selectee may be subject to a 1 year probationary period. 
• This position requires a valid driver's license as a condition of employment.
• Operation of government owned or leased motor vehicles in the performance of assignments.
• Required to obtain/maintain CPR/First Aid/AED certified in accordance with BPA Safety Policy.
• • Required to obtain/maintain Arc Flash certified in accordance with BPA Safety Policy.
  • Occasionally may be required to wear PPE, including boots, arc-flash rated clothing, hard hat, eye protection, and gloves.
  • A pre-employment physical is required.
  • There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts in commercial/industrial storage areas or hazardous waste sites.
  • The work requires some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing, or recurring and considerable walking, stooping, bending, crouching, and climbing such as in performing regular and periodic construction activities, field inspections, or to observe and study work operations in an industrial, storage, or comparable work area.
  • Work may include frequent lifting of moderately heavy items weighing less than 50 pounds.

• 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)1, 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 such 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.
  2. Written Test ?? Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 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.
  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.
  4. 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 REQUIREMENT:

  For GS-09 - A qualified candidate's 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: applying engineering methods or concepts in project management support and analytical or consulting services to clients, including supporting the development of technical specifications for mechanical equipment such as energy efficiency or utility products.

  For GS-11 - A qualified candidate's 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: professional engineering work providing project management support, and analytical and consulting services to internal and external clients, including technical oversight or development of technical specifications for mechanical equipment such as energy efficiency or utility products.

  There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-09 or GS-11 level. 

  Your resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies (KSACs). Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSACs identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position.

  1. Contracting and Procurement - Knowledge of various types of contracts, techniques, or requirements (for example, Federal Acquisitions Regulations) for contracting or procurement, and contract negotiation and administration.
  2. Electric Utility Fundamentals - Knowledge of generation, transmission, and/or distribution concepts in the wholesale or retail markets of providing electricity to consumers; Knowledge of the business practices, regulations, rate structures, and operating characteristics of the electrical utility industry; Ability to apply knowledge of the laws, regulations, standards, policies, concepts, principles, practices, rate structures, and contractual relationships applicable to electric utility customers.
  3. Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of engineering concepts, principles, and practices, and of equipment, tools, mechanical devices, and their uses to produce motion, light, power, technology, and other applications.
  4. Influencing and Negotiating - Persuades others to accept recommendations, cooperate, or change their behavior; works with others towards an agreement; negotiates to find mutually acceptable solutions.
  5. Mechanical Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to planning, designing, developing, testing, or evaluating thermodynamic, mechanical, electro-mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, or structural equipment, systems, models, tools, or specialized mechanical devices.
  6. Partnering - Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
  7. Project Management - Knowledge of the principles, methods, or tools for developing, scheduling, coordinating, and managing projects and resources, including monitoring and inspecting costs, work, and contractor performance.

  "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. 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".

  Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. 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.