Duties

Summary

If you are ready to begin your new career or are looking for a place to make an impact, what better place than the top ranked agency in the federal government? We are looking for the best and brightest to join our team of dedicated professionals here at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), where we are ranked the number one mid-size agency in the Best Places to Work in the federal government rankings!

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

Our employees gain valuable work experience that provides them with the career boost that they are seeking. We need people like you to help us move the industry forward and continue to shape the future of energy policy.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's role is to oversee various aspects of the energy industry, including transmission of electricity, natural gas and oil. We also analyze proposals to build liquefied natural gas terminals and interstate natural gas pipelines and license hydropower projects. To help support the modernization of the electric system here in the U.S., we are focusing on issues associated with a smarter grid. Join us and help make a difference!

This position is located in the Office of Energy Infrastructure Security. The Office provides leadership, expertise, and assistance to the Commission in identifying, communicating, and seeking comprehensive solutions to significant potential cyber and physical security risks to the energy infrastructure under the Commission's jurisdiction. The Office will both formulate and make recommendations for Commission action and undertake collaborative engagement with other federal and state agencies and the energy industry to work to identify and communicate risks and vulnerabilities to this nation's energy infrastructure and assist with the development of collaborative mitigation actions to minimize such risks.

Major Duties for the Electrical Engineer:

Serves as subject matter expert to the Commission, the Commission Offices, and to other Federal agencies on matters of mutual interest concerning the energy industry.

Serves as Commission representative on interagency committees or subcommittees whose responsibilities relate to energy infrastructure security. As subject matter expert, the incumbent must make frequent oral briefings before Commission senior staff and Commissioners which include presentations at Commission public meetings.

Serves as a subject matter expert to the Commission, the Commission Offices and to other Federal agencies on engineering issues arising in the energy industry, including those involving the bulk power system and energy infrastructure security.

Travel Required

Not required

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must meet specialized experience.
• Must provide most recent SF-50 containing grade/step information.
• Successfully complete a background investigation.
• Some travel may be required.
• Must be able to Obtain and Maintain a Top Secret Clearance.

Your resume must clearly document how you meet the specialized experience in order to meet the minimum qualification requirements for this vacancy. You must meet time-in-grade requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement. All required documents must be received by the closing of this announcement. For this vacancy you must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 showing your current grade level. If you do not submit a required document (e.g. most recent SF-50, transcripts, etc.), your application will be considered incomplete and you will not receive further consideration. FERC employees must submit all the required documentation to include the SF-50 and transcripts (if appropriate).

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program ( E-Verify ). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify .

Qualifications

This position is included in the bargaining unit.

More than one selection for similar positions may be made from this announcement and the program office for that selection may vary. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s).

Please note - only your resume and cover letter will be forwarded to the selecting official.

In order to meet the minimum requirements for this position, you must have one year of specialized experience at the GS-14 level. Specialized Experience is defined as: experience examining complex bulk power systems, engineering threats, and vulnerability issues of the electric industry. Experience analyzing highly complex electrical networks and/or electric infrastructures, such as the Western and Eastern Electric Interconnections and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), is preferred.

Education

For information on the education requirements of an Electrical Engineer, please click the link below:

Electrical Engineer

OPM Education Requirement:

TRANSCRIPTS ARE REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION. FAILURE TO SUBMIT TRANSCRIPTS AT TIME OF APPLICATION WILL RESULT IN YOUR APPLICATION BEING INCOMPLETE AND YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - http://www.ed.gov/international/usnei/us/workrecog.doc . You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.

Additional information

FERC is ranked number one among mid-size agencies in the Partnership for Public Service's Best Places to Work in the Federal Government rankings. We are also ranked number 1 in Work/Life Balance for the sixth year in a row. As a leader in Work/Life Balance FERC is proud to offer telework flexibilities in accordance with agency policy. Telework is not guaranteed and is offered on a case-by-case basis. FERC does not currently have any 100 percent telework positions.

You must submit all required information by the closing date. If materials are not received, your resume will be evaluated solely on the information available and you may not receive full consideration or may not be considered eligible. The materials you send with your resume will not be returned. If you are selected at a grade lower than the highest shown in this listing, you will be placed under a career development plan and can be non-competitively promoted when you successfully complete the requirements for the higher grade. Relocation expenses will not be paid.

It is the policy of the Government not to deny employment simply because an individual has been unemployed or has had financial difficulties that have arisen through no fault of the individual. Information about an individual's employment experience will be used only to determine the person's qualifications and to assess his or her relative level of knowledge, skills, and abilities. Although an individual's personal conduct may be relevant in any employment decision, including conduct during periods of unemployment or evidence of dishonesty in handling financial matters, financial difficulty that has arisen through no fault of the individual will generally not itself be the basis of an unfavorable suitability or fitness determination. Please use the following link for additional information: Ctrl+Click or tap to follow the link" href="https://hru.gov/Studio_Recruitment/tools/Mythbuster_on_Federal_Hiring_Policies.pdf">Mythbusters of Federal Hiring Policies .

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. Your resume must address the knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in the Qualifications Section. Your resume should clearly show possession of these competencies. The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Knowledge of design and operation of electric power generation and the electric transmission system, power system reliability and the ability to apply such knowledge to analyze complex electric utility planning, modeling and operations issues.
• Ability to effectively present research, findings and recommendations both orally and in writing.
• Ability to provide expert level briefings at all levels of government.
• Ability to effectively lead and work on teams comprised of subject matter experts from different employment backgrounds to achieve a common goal.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

Please note that if you do not provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you will not be considered for this position (or will not receive the special consideration, e.g. Vet's Preference, for which you may be eligible).

CURRENT FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Documentation Relating to Your Federal Employment- Submit an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action, which shows your current (or most recent) grade and competitive service status. (The "position occupied" block on the SF-50 should show a "1" and your "tenure" block should show a "1" or "2".) If you are currently on a Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA), submit an SF-50 showing that. Indicate on your application the highest permanent grade you have held; if this grade is different from your current grade, you must submit an additional SF-50 showing this grade in order to receive credit. (FERC EMPLOYEES ARE ALSO REQUIRED to submit any SF-50 which documents the experience with another organization other than FERC).

SPECIAL HIRING AUTHORITIES DOCUMENTATION: If you are applying under a special hiring authority, submit a copy of proof of your eligibility.

VETERANS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ACT (VEOA) DOCUMENTATION: If you are applying under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA), you must submit a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214 (Member 4 copy), or other official documentation from a branch of the Armed Forces or the Department of Veterans Affairs showing dates of service and type of discharge. Ten-point preference eligibles must also submit an Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference, SF-15; along with official VA letter and any other required documentation listed on the back of the SF-15 form. An SF-15 may be found here.

CTAP/ICTAP PRIORITY PROVISIONS: Current or former Federal employees who are or were on career or career conditional appointments may have special priority selection rights under the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To receive this consideration, applicants must be "Well Qualified" for the position to which they are applying. You will need to provide the Federal Agency Name and date of your Reduction in Force notice, what your most recent performance rating was and your position, grade level and duty location of your last SF-50. At time of appointment, you will be required to provide a copy of agency Reduction in Force notice, a copy of most recent performance rating and a copy of most recent SF-50. You must provide a statement of eligibility at the point of application.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.