Clarification from the agency

- Recent Graduates - All U.S. Citizens, Nationals, and Foreign Nationals who meet both Immigration Laws and Annual Appropriations Laws.

As a Public Utilities Specialist (Recent Graduate), you will:

• Perform assignments of limited scope and difficulty to support energy planning, evaluation, and research functions.

• Perform a variety of well-defined tasks designed to provide familiarity with the organization’s programs, projects, and functions; familiarity with pertinent manuals and procedures; and experience in the application of basic knowledge of the utility business practices, product markets, evaluation, measure planning and market research approaches.

• Use established formulas to make routine calculations.

• Search readily available data from prescribed sources such as files, reports, or regulations and recognizes and corrects obvious discrepancies and data omissions.
  
  

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.

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. 

Relocation (PCS) is not authorized for this vacancy; however, relocation/recruitment incentive may be paid in accordance with federal regulations and in consideration of budget availability for a highly qualified candidate; determined upon selection.

CONVERSION REQUIREMENTS:

BPA has the option to convert a Recent Graduate position to a permanent or term position upon successful completion of program requirements. This is not automatic, nor guaranteed. Conversion is at the discretion of the hiring manager and employing office.

To be eligible to be converted to permanent or term position you must:

Be a US Citizen.

Be recommended for conversion by your manager.

Complete all training and development requirements within the 1-year appointment period.

Successful completion of 1 year of continuous service.

Have demonstrated successful job performance.

Met OPM qualification standard for the position to which you will be converted.

A Recent Graduate may be converted to the highest General Schedule (GS) grade level qualified for at time of conversion.

Relocation may be authorized with conversion.

Qualifications

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENT:

GS-07: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-05): Experience applying analytical and evaluative techniques to participate in routine and recurring analytical assignments.

You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows:

One year of graduate-level education, or superior academic achievement (S.A.A.) gained in a bachelor degree curriculum that is qualifying for the position to be filled (based on class standing, grade-point average, or honor society membership). See the following link for more information:  https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-policies/#url=app  —OR—

Combination of education and experience as described above. Less than one year of specialized experience may be combined with completed graduate education.

GS-09: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-07):  Experience applying business or industry knowledge to the identification, consideration, and resolution of issues or problems of a procedural or factual nature to support planning, evaluation, or research functions.

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. —OR—

Combination of education and experience as described above. 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).

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. Learning - Uses efficient learning techniques to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills; uses training, feedback, or other opportunities for self-learning and development.
2. Oral Communication - Expresses information (for example, ideas or facts) to individuals or groups effectively, taking into account the audience and nature of the information (for example, technical, sensitive, controversial); makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others, attends to nonverbal cues, and responds appropriately.
3. Reasoning - Identifies rules, principles, or relationships that explain facts, data, or other information; analyzes information and makes correct inferences or draws accurate conclusions.
4. Teamwork - Encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit, works with others to achieve goals.
5. Written Communication - Writes in clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner for the intended audience.

"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.

How you will be evaluated

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

The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to place you into an initial quality category via OPM's Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to ensure you have been placed into the appropriate quality category.

Your application is rated based on the extent and quality of your experience, education (when applicable), and training as described in your resume and applicant assessment. Your credentials are measured against the established duties of the position at the grade level(s) being advertised.

 If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as scoring in the Well Qualified category (or higher).

 If you are a Veteran Preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. CP/CPS veterans are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and higher.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly