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Electronic Integrated Systems Mechanic (Protection & Communication) Craftsman-In-Training

Department of Energy
Western Area Power Administration
Sierra Nevada Region, Maintenance, (N5B30)

Summary

This position is part of the WAPA-SNR-Sierra Nevada Region. As an Electronic Integrated Systems Mechanic (Protection & Communication) Craftsman-In-Training, the primary purpose of this position involves the maintenance, repair, and programming of complex electrical and electronic equipment within power system substations. The role involves working with protective relays, SCADA systems, communication networks, and various control and monitoring devices.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
2 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$84.51 - $84.51 per hour
Pay scale & grade
WB 00
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
75% or less - Same day and/or overnight travel
Appointment type
Permanent
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
26-WN-00454-1-13026680-MP
Control number
879044200

Duties

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As an Electronic Integrated Systems Mechanic (Protection & Communication) Craftsman-In-Training, you will:

  • Maintain, repair, modify, program, install and commission power system substation protection control, monitoring and metering equipment.
  • Maintain, repair, install, program, and test polyphase revenue metering equipment, including electronic and microprocessor-based kilowatt-hour meters, digital demand recorders, and instrument transformers.
  • Maintain, repair, install, program, and test control equipment used in controlling substation equipment. This includes supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), remote terminal units (RTUs), human/machine interfaces (HMI), and communication processors.
  • Maintain, repair, install, program, and test protective relay equipment including current, voltage, differential, reclosing, timing, auxiliary, ground detection, and complex impedance relays of the electromechanical, electronic and microprocessor types. Develop software test routines for protective relays. Verify protective relay, transfer trip, and communication settings.
  • Maintains, modifies, installs, repairs, programs, and tests a variety of simple to complex electronic equipment used in communication, computers and network equipment, and supervisory control systems. Perform database modification and software configuration..
  • Perform work on the communications equipment used for power system operation and control, relaying, data logging, and indication. The equipment includes both fixed and mobile digital VHF, UHF, microwave radio and fiber optic communication systems, voice and data communications, VoIP telephony systems, digital cross-connect equipment, communication alarm and network management equipment, powerline carrier and tone equipment, digital multiplexers, and packet-based IP switches and routers. Work on other electronic equipment such as physical security and video surveillance equipment, antenna systems, programmable logic controllers using digital and analog I/O for system protection communications. Maintains auxiliary generators, transfer switches, storage batteries, battery chargers, uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), HVAC and propane fuel systems.
  • Performs work on computers and network equipment. Install, maintain and test network devices and connections in LAN/WAN networks. Configure, install, troubleshoot and repair network switches and routers.
  • Perform tower work including tower inspection, maintaining tower lighting systems, installing coax, waveguide, various antenna and associated hardware.
  • Installs, aligns, tests, troubleshoots, performs scheduled maintenance on SCADA master equipment, VoIP telephony services, digital processors, data monitoring equipment, communication alarming equipment, large scale integration video equipment, voice and data logging equipment, data storage systems, UPS and non-UPS power equipment, CCTV equipment, paging and notification systems, intertie monitoring equipment, and other systems as assigned which directly support local Control Center functions.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary/trial period. Employees serving on a probationary or trial period may be terminated at any time during the probationary or trial period for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.
  • Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.
  • In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
  • A Service Agreement of up to 2 years is required for this position.
  • Position is subject to random drug testing.
  • You must pass pre-employment drug testing.
  • You must pass pre-employment medical examination.
  • Security clearance and associated requirements- Moderate Risk.
  • Shift work and emergency overtime may be required.
  • Position requires the incumbent to wear PPE.
  • Employee may be required to work other than normal duty hours, to include evenings, weekends and/or holidays.
  • Total salary varies depending on location of position.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, your resume must provide sufficient experience and/or education, knowledge, skills, and abilities, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are being considered. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities, as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to submit a thorough resume that directly relates to this position.

Applicants must meet the requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations (X-118C).

Although a specific length of time and experience is not required for most trade and labor occupations, you must 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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the job elements and screen out listed below. Your resume should demonstrate that you possess these elements and screen out. 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 elements and screen out identified below.

The screen-out element for this position is below. Failure to meet this screen out element will result in an ineligible rating:

  • Completed a 4-year apprentice program as either an Electronics equipment craftsman or a meter and relay craftsman and achieved a qualified electrical worker certificate); OR
  • Employment as a journeyman in the craft occupations (i.e. electronics equipment craftsman or a meter and relay craftsman); OR
  • Hold, or have held, the journeyman level (i.e. a level achieved by at least 4 years of training) as either an electronics equipment craftsman or a meter and relay craftsman and achieved a qualified electrical worker certificate).

If your knowledge and ability in the SCREEN OUT factor above is not sufficient, you will receive no further consideration. In preparing your application, describe in detail the experience and training which you have had that specifically prepared you for this job and to perform the duties described for this job. Experience should be clearly described and documented in your resume. The qualifications reviewer will not assume performance of such duties by job titles alone.

"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.

PHYSICAL EFFORT
This position requires the incumbent to climb communication towers up to 400 feet. This position requires a climbing weight not to exceed 310 pounds with all required gear and personal weight without gear not to exceed 280 pounds.

WORK CONDITIONS
Work is indoors; however, outdoor activities are frequently encountered. Work is on or around energized sources. This position may require the incumbent to occasionally fly in a fixed wing aircraft or helicopter during the performance of assigned duties. Employees may be required to function in an "on-call" status for 24-7 support.

Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications.

Education

For this position, education cannot be substituted for experience.

Additional information

  • This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
  • For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov.
  • Applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) when applying or competing for a job due to a medical condition or to exercise religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement.
  • Promotion Potential: This position is at the full performance level.
  • The selectee for this position may be eligible to receive a recruitment or relocation incentive. You will need to sign an employment agreement to be eligible for this incentive.
  • Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs are not authorized.
  • This position may be eligible for creditable service towards annual leave. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. DOE may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
  • Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include locality payment for selected duty location.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) will be evaluated and you will be placed into one of three pre-defined quality categories under Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.


Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Offices or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications.

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.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Ability To Do The Work Of The Position Without More Than Normal Supervision
  • Ability to Use and Maintain Hand Tools (Electrical Work)
  • Knowledge of Equipment Assembly, Installation, and Repair, etc.
  • Troubleshooting (Electronic Equipment)
  • Use of Test Equipment: Electronics



All qualified Non-competitive applicants and the best qualified Merit Promotion and VEOA applicants will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified".

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (08/12/2026) of this announcement.


To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13026680.

Western Area Power Administration

WAPA
Join the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) Team - Discover Your Next Adventure!

At WAPA, we do more than keep the lights on. As part of the Department of Energy, we are a collective of innovators and problem-solvers dedicated to reliable, cost-based federal hydroelectric power.

Why WAPA?

We market and transmit wholesale electric power generated from 57 federally owned hydroelectric power plants across a 15-state region with over 17,000 miles of transmission lines. As one of the nation's largest transmission providers, WAPA brings wholesale power to market, at cost-based rates, to preference customers such as public utilities and cooperatives, municipalities, national security facilities, and irrigation districts.

Our priority is your career growth and development, with comprehensive training and professional opportunities in a supportive environment. Enjoy competitive salaries, a robust retirement plan, health benefits, flexible schedules, and a work-life balance that values your well-being.

Power Your Career with WAPA

Ready to be part of our dynamic team? Apply to our current openings and take the first step towards a rewarding career that empowers both the West and your future.

Your skills. Our legacy. A shared Future. Are you in?

Agency contact information

PMA Careers
Email
PMACareers@wapa.gov
Address
WAPA-SNR-Sierra Nevada Region
12155 W. Alameda Pkwy
Lakewood, CO 80228
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at Western Area Power Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dc8BuCJpzbI?si=Ag5NQzaFHe7i7ahJ

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