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Electric Power Controller

Department of Homeland Security
Federal Emergency Management Agency
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The ideal candidate for this position will monitor and control power generation and distribution to ensure electric power demands are met. This position starts at an hourly rate of $35.05 (WG-12, step 1) in Bothell, WA and $37.33 (WG-12, step 1) in Maynard, MA. Apply for this exciting opportunity to become a member of the Response Directorate, Disaster Emergency Communications Division, MERS Detachment team within FEMA.

View common definitions of terms found in this announcement.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
03/10/2023 to 03/20/2023
This job will close when we have received 100 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Salary
$35.05 to - $43.56 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WG 12
Locations
Maynard, MA
1 vacancy
Bothell, WA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - The non-emergency travel requirement is up to 25%. This position is designated as "emergency essential." If selected, you are required to travel at a moment's notice to various regional locations to provide, plan, operate and maintain tactical, mobile telecommunications, operations, logistical support to Federal, State and local disaster response personnel and to support other emergency and special event operations.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
12 - Bothell, WA (step 5 $40.91) Maynard, MA (step 5 $43.56)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
FEMA-23-AW-597913-MERS
Control number
712149100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This job is open to: U.S. citizens

Duties

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is calling on those who want to help protect American interests and secure our Nation. DHS Components work collectively to prevent terrorism; secure borders and our transportation systems; protect the President and other dignitaries; enforce and administer immigration laws; safeguard cyberspace; and ensure resilience to disasters. We achieve these vital missions through a diverse workforce spanning hundreds of occupations. Make an impact; join DHS.

When disaster strikes, America looks to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Now FEMA looks to you. Join our team and use your talent to support Americans in their times of greatest need. FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages Federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. We foster innovation, reward performance and creativity, and provide challenges on a routine basis with a well-skilled, knowledgeable, high performance workforce. Please visit www.fema.gov for additional information.

EXCEPTED SERVICE: This is a full-time position in the Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) Detachment. MERS positions are in the excepted service. Employees will not acquire civil service status but are eligible for standard and optional benefits.

EMERGENCY ASSIGNMENT: Every FEMA employee has regular and recurring emergency management responsibilities, though not every position requires routine deployment to disaster sites. All positions are subject to recall around the clock for emergency management operations, which may require irregular work hours, work at locations other than the official duty station, and may include duties other than those specified in the employee's official position description. Travel requirements in support of emergency operations may be extensive in nature (weeks to months), with little advance notice, and may require employees to relocate to emergency sites with physically austere and operationally challenging conditions.

In this position, you will maintain state-of-the art systems and equipment at a high level of readiness for rapid response to natural disasters and other all-hazards mission assignments. Typical assignments include:

  • Developing and implementing plans, procedures, and checklists to ensure proper operation and  maintenance of power generation and distribution equipment at deployed sites; instructing and overseeing the performance of other MERS personnel who assist in operating power generation and distribution systems.
  • Planning the placement of generation equipment and the routing of distribution systems to meet operational requirements and optimize efficiency.
  • Maintaining a specified number of generators with proper distribution outlets for each MERS system and sub-system; using a wide range of complex troubleshooting, testing, and repairing equipment for mechanical/electrical systems.
  • Providing technical guidance and assistance to other mechanics and MERS personnel assigned to assist in electrical work and providing power supply connections to a variety of operations/ communications systems.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
  • You must successfully pass a background investigation.
  • Selective Service registration required.
  • You must be able to obtain and maintain a Government credit card.
  • Please review "Other Information" section for additional key requirements.

To ensure the accomplishment of our mission, DHS requires every employee to be reliable and trustworthy. To meet those standards, all selected applicants must undergo, successfully pass, and maintain a background investigation for Top Secret/SCI as a condition of placement into this position. This may include a credit check after initial job qualifications are determined, a review of financial issues, such as delinquency in the payment of debts, child support and/or tax obligations, as well as certain criminal offenses and illegal use or possession of drugs (please visit: Mythbuster on Federal Hiring Policies for additional information). For more information on background investigations for Federal jobs please visit OPM Investigations.

Please ensure you meet the qualification requirements described below.

Qualifications

The qualification requirements listed below must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standard. Although a specific length of time and experience is not required for most trade and labor occupations, you must meet any screen-out element listed, and show through experience and training that you possess the quality level of knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of the position at the level for which you are applying. Qualification requirements emphasis is on the quality of experience, not necessarily the length of time.

Working Conditions:

  1. Outside during summer and winter months in all kinds of weather.
  2. In damp, drafty, cold, and poorly lighted areas.
  3. In the presence of dirt, grease, and continuous noise.

Incumbent may be exposed to hazardous conditions and subject to experiencing cuts, abrasions, bruises, and electrical shock.

Incumbent is subject to call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and may be required to work in excess of 8 hours a day.  Travel by air and other means may be required on short notice and for extended period.

Physical Effort: 

  1. Must be able to lift weights up to 45 pounds and be physically and medically capable of performing all task and duties characteristic of the position.
  2. Work requires standing, stooping, bending, kneeling, lifting, and climbing; work may be tiring and have to be performed in uncomfortable positions.
  3. Work may be performed in enclosed, confined quarters or under extreme environmental conditions.
  4. Incumbent is required to undergo periodic physical examinations to satisfy the CDL requirements of his/her state of residence.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). 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.

NOTE: Qualifications are based on breadth/level of experience. In addition to describing duties performed, applicants must provide exact dates of each period of employment (from MM/YY to MM/YY) and the number of hours worked per week if part time. As qualification determinations cannot be made when resumes do not include the required information, failure to provide this information may result in disqualification. Applicants are encouraged to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder to develop their federal resume. For a brief video on How to Create a Federal Resume, click here.

Current or former FEMA Reservists/DAE employees: To accurately credit your experience for these intermittent positions, make sure to list the dates (from MM/YY to MM/YY) of each deployment, along with the job title and specific duties you were responsible for during each deployment.  Failure to provide this information may result in disqualification.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must authorize employment offers made to current or former political appointees. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, Non-career SES or Presidential Appointee employee in the Executive Branch, you must disclose this information to the Human Resources Office.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement.

Additional information

  • If you receive a conditional offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration for Federal Employment, and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
  • DHS uses E-verify, an internet based system, to confirm the eligibility of all newly hired employees to work in the United States. Learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities.
  • The Department of Homeland Security encourages persons with disabilities to apply, to include persons with intellectual, severe physical or psychiatric disabilities, as defined by 5 CFR § 213.3102(u), and/or Disabled Veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30 percent or more as defined by 5 CFR § 315.707. Veterans, Peace Corps/VISTA volunteers, and persons with disabilities possess a wealth of unique talents, experiences, and competencies that can be invaluable to the DHS mission. If you are a member of one of these groups, you may not have to compete with the public for federal jobs. To determine your eligibility for non-competitive appointment and to understand the required documentation, click on the links above or contact the Servicing Human Resources Office listed at the bottom of this announcement.
  • This announcement may be used to fill one or more vacancies.
  • All candidates must be able to deploy with little or no advance notice to anywhere in the United States and its territories for an extended period of time.
  • A one year probationary period is required for new Federal competitive service employees and new supervisors and managers.
  • You are required to obtain, possess, and maintain a valid Class A Commercial Driver's License (CDL) if selected for this position. 
  • This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position.
  • If selected for this position, and you have not previously completed these requirements, you are subject to (1) completion of a 2 day onboarding program at your primary duty location; and, (2) completion of a subsequent, multiple day orientation program within 90-120 days of hire, at a location to be determined.  Travel associated with the orientation portion of this requirement may be at FEMA’s expense.
  • This position has been identified as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) because of its security, public health, and/or public safety sensitivity, you are subject to random drug testing under FEMA's Drug-Free Workplace Plan (DWP). Refusal to be tested will result in disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.
  • Applying to this announcement certifies that you give permission for DHS to share your application with others in DHS for similar positions.

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 and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. If you meet the minimum qualifications, we will use your responses to the job questionnaire to place you in one of three categories based on your experience, education, and training. The competencies or knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform this job are:

SCREEN OUT FACTOR: 

  1. Ability To Do The Work Of The Position

JOB ELEMENTS

  1. Knowledge of equipment assembly, install
  2. Operation of power system equipment
  3. Technical Practices
  4. Ability To Interpret Instructions

 If you meet the minimum qualifications, you will be placed in one of the following categories:

  1. Best-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate high proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all Selective Placement Factors (SPF), and appropriate Quality Ranking Factors (QRF) as determined by the job analysis.
  2. Well-Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all of the critical competencies, including all SPF’s and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.
  3. Qualified: Applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position and demonstrate basic proficiency in most of the critical competencies, including all SPFs and appropriate QRFs as determined by the job analysis.

If you are best qualified, you may be referred to the hiring manager for consideration and may be called for an interview.

We recommend that you preview the online questions for this announcement before you start the application process.

Veterans: Qualified veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of at least 10% are listed in the best-qualified category, except when the position being filled is scientific or professional at the GS-09 grade level, or higher. This position is not considered scientific/professional. Other 10-point preference eligibles and veterans with 5-point preference who meet the eligibility and qualification requirements are placed above non-preference eligibles within the category in which they qualify.  View information on veterans' preference.

Interagency/Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP/CTAP) Eligibles: If you have never worked for the federal government, you are not ICTAP/CTAP eligible. View information about ICTAP/CTAP eligibility on OPM’s Career Transition Resources website. To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet eligibility criteria for CTAP or ICTAP; 2) be rated well-qualified for the position; and, 3) submit the appropriate documentation to support your CTAP or ICTAP eligibility (see “Required Documents” section of this announcement). Well-Qualified is defined as those applicants whose experience clearly exceed the minimum qualification requirements for the position and demonstrates acceptable proficiency in all critical competencies, Selective Placement Factors and Quality Ranking Factors as determined by the job analysis

Interview Requirement.  Interviews may be required for this position.  Failure to complete the interview may result in removed from further consideration.  


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