Interdisciplinary Civil Engineer (Construction Management)/Electrical Engineer/Electronics Engineer
What you'd do
This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration, in the High Voltage Construction Management (TFHM) and Facilities Construction and Quality Assurance (TFHQ) organizations, Transmission Field Services (TF), Transmission Services (T). A successful candidate in the Interdisciplinary Civil Engineer (Construction Management)/Electrical Engineer/Electronics Engineer position will serve as a technical specialist in construction management by managing contracted construction activity.
Major duties
Powering the Pacific Northwest: Lead the Modernization of Our High-Voltage Grid as a Senior Construction Engineering Specialist The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) delivers clean, reliable, and sustainable hydropower and transmission services to millions of people across the Pacific Northwest. As we modernize and expand our massive high-voltage electrical transmission system, we need visionary technical leaders. In this critical, interdisciplinary GS-13 engineering role (Civil, Electrical, or Electronics Engineering), you will not just oversee construction-you will shape the future of our region's energy infrastructure. Serving as the primary technical authority, you will manage major, complex grid modernization and construction projects from inception to energization, ensuring the safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of our regional power system. As an Interdisciplinary Civil Engineer (Construction Management)/Electrical Engineer/Electronics Engineer you will: 1. Serve as the Lead Technical and Construction Consultant Act as the premier engineering authority across internal departments, external public agencies, utility partners, and the public. You will guide complex high-voltage grid initiatives through high-level collaboration, ensuring all stakeholders are aligned on project expectations, safety, and execution strategies. 2. Drive Project Feasibility and Risk Management Direct comprehensive front-end project planning, including cost estimates, construction timelines, power outage coordination, environmental protections, and land rights. You will evaluate engineering designs for risk, practical constructability, and operational efficiency, resolving conflicts before ground is even broken. 3. Direct and Coordinate High-Performing Field Teams Lead and inspire diverse technical teams in the field. You will align the efforts of resident engineers, quality assurance inspectors, safety personnel, and specialized testing/commissioning engineers to ensure work is executed safely and in strict accordance with engineering designs. 4. Shape Strategic Contracting and Resource Allocation Develop and execute tailored contracting strategies that maximize the use of public funds. You will assess the capabilities of external construction firms to match complex grid projects with the best-fit industry partners, driving high efficiency and value. 5. Partner with Contracting Officers on Major Financial Decisions Serve as the technical anchor for multimillion-dollar construction agreements. You will evaluate competitive bids, negotiate complex contract modifications, and recommend milestone payments, ensuring technical requirements translate seamlessly into contract execution. 6. Enforce Rigorous Quality and Field Compliance Conduct active on-site field evaluations to monitor contractor performance. You maintain the ultimate authority to halt, reject, or correct non-conforming construction, ensuring our high-voltage transmission lines, substations, and fiber-optic networks meet uncompromising quality standards. 7. Resolve Multi-Disciplinary and Unforeseen Engineering Challenges Spearhead the resolution of unexpected field conditions, sudden weather challenges, and design-versus-construction conflicts. You will use engineering ingenuity to navigate highly complex, multi-phase projects extending beyond a single specialty area, keeping schedules on track. 8. Establish Long-Term Standards and Best Practices Drive agency-wide excellence by standardizing construction administration specifications, developing advanced training modules, and capturing lessons learned. Your expertise will elevate the standard of engineering practice and continuous improvement across the entire organization.
What you need to qualify
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.) For more information on how to meet the Basic Requirements please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: 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-12] in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience in advanced civil engineering or electrical engineering or electronics engineering theories, principles, concepts, standards, and methods related to power or transmission systems sufficient to 1) managing projects involving the construction of transmission and power lines and non-electric plant facilities; 2) serving as a technical specialist in construction management and providing expert advice to senior colleagues; and 3) managing business processes to assess the value and effectiveness of program accomplishments. "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.
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