Electrical Engineer (Protection)

Qualification requirements in the vacancy announcements are based on the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards Handbook, which contains federal qualification standards. This handbook is available on the Office of Personnel Management’s website located at: https://www.opm.gov/policy. This series has an Individual Occupational Requirement which must be met. To qualify for the 0800 Series you must meet one of the requirements listed below. 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 please visit: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf In addition to meeting the Individual Occupational Requirements for the 0800 Series above, applicants must meet the specialized experience below. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must possess one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty and responsibility to the next lower grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. The experience need not have been in the federal government. To qualify for the GS-9: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-7 pay grade or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. This experience includes meeting all of the following: Applying practical knowledge of electrical engineering concepts, principles, and methodology to perform routine engineering projects that are limited in depth and scope. You may also qualify for the GS-09: If you have successfully completed a master’s or equivalent graduate degree; -OR- If you have successfully completed two full years of progressively higher graduate level education leading to a master’s degree; -OR- If you have a combination of experience and education as described above. To qualify for the GS-11: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-9 pay grade or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. This experience includes meeting all of the following: Performing duties in design, installation, maintenance, and commissioning of system protection relays and their associated planning, design, maintenance, repair and construction activities. You may also qualify for the GS-11: If you have successfully completed a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; -OR- If you have successfully completed 3 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree; -OR- If you have a combination of experience and education as described above. To qualify for the GS-12: Applicants must have one year (52 weeks) of specialized experience at the GS-11 pay grade or equivalent pay band in the Federal service. This experience includes meeting two of the following: Processing of relay settings or drawings for development in transmission systems. Ability to identify corrective action for relay operations. Assist in the operation or maintenance work practices associated with major electrical apparatus, protective relays, and/or outdoor substation equipment, metering equipment, and communication systems. Serving as a project leader and technical expert on system protection and metering issues, including additions, replacements, and modifications to equipment and facilities. “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. Time-in-Grade: Current career or career-conditional GS employees of the Federal government, or former career or career-conditional GS employees, who have a break in service of less than one year, are required to meet the time-in-grade restriction of one year of Federal experience at the next lower grade, with few exceptions outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to current career or career-conditional federal employees applying for a Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.
This position is part of the WAPA-DSW-Desert Southwest. As an Electrical Engineer (Protection), you will have the responsibility for electrical engineering associated with power system protection, equipment and facilities, providing highly specialized engineering and technical leadership within the Maintenance Office for projects and activities. **This is not a remote position. The selectee will be required to be physically present at the Phoenix, AZ duty location.**