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Electrician Power Systems SubOperator

Department of the Interior
Bureau of Reclamation

Summary

The Hungry Horse Field Office manages planning, design, testing, operation, and maintenance of critical electro-mechanical systems supporting the hydroelectric powerplant and dam. Responsibilities include emergency and preventive maintenance on generators, transformers, switchgear, pumps, cranes, HVAC, water systems, monitoring and protection equipment, LAN, security, and high-voltage electrical systems up to 230 kV.

Overview

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Location
4 vacancies in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$52.18 - $56.52 per hour

First time hires to the Federal government normally start at the step 1 rate.

Pay scale & grade
WB 00
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time - You will be required to work weekends (weekend plant checks) approximately 3-4 times a year.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be required to occasionally travel overnight away from home. You must obtain a government charge card with travel and/or purchase authority.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
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
CBVM-26-13052586-DE-BLO
Control number
883024400

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Duties

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This position is located within the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific Northwest Regio, Hungry Horse Operations & Maintenance, Hungry Horse, Montana.

At the full performance level (WB-00) the major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
- Locate, troubleshoot, and maintain electrical and solid-state equipment in the hydroelectric generating station, switchyard, dam, and appurtenant structures.
- Install, modify, repair, and test electrical circuits, fiber-optic circuits, system fixtures, switches, switchboards, meters, relays, and transformers including power transformers up to 230 kV.
- Interpret and work from electrical schematics, drawings, diagrams, wiring charts, blueprints, manuals, safe-clearance procedures, and Standing Operating Procedures to perform electrical and mechanical tasks.
- Perform switching operations and follow Bureau switching and safe-clearance lockout tagout (LOTO) procedures.
- Maintain refrigeration units, HVAC systems, cranes (up to 290 tons), elevators (10,000 lb), turbines, pumps, cooling-water systems, lubrication systems, gates and replace modules within electronic systems.
- Design (on a limited basis) and install electrical systems, including conduit, wiring, fixtures, and control devices; plan routing, placement, type, size, and gauge for cabling and wiring.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
  • Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • Direct Deposit participation required.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
  • Must have and maintain a valid driver's license throughout employment.
  • Craft employees are required to complete a pre-employment physical for their position. You must maintain physical fitness standards throughout employment.
  • You must be at least 18 years of age or older to operate government vehicles.

Physical Demands: May lift and carry up to 50 lbs, and intermittently up to 100 lbs; similar force is often needed for pushing, pulling, turning, and positioning parts, assemblies, equipment, and tools. Heavier items may require team lifts or devices such as jacks, hoists, and cranes. Requires hand-eye coordination for tools and test equipment. Frequent walking, standing, bending, stooping, kneeling, and long periods of sitting may be necessary. May need to use SCBA, air-filtration masks, or other respiratory devices.


Working Conditions: Work occurs indoors and outdoors in mixed weather and on varied terrain, with risks from tools, equipment, heavy objects, and hazardous areas. Exposure may include confined/cramped spaces, heights, energized equipment, asbestos, lead, epoxies, and other hazards. Duties may be performed from ladders, scaffolds, hydraulic lifts, switchyard structures, extreme heights, and occasionally over water. Incumbent must safely operate equipment and vehicles in compliance with all laws. Must maintain a valid State Driver's License and required certifications, report expirations or physical changes affecting competency, and report all accidents per regulations. Position requires obtaining and maintaining certifications such as respirator fit testing, CPR/First Aid, fall protection, defensive driving, lockout/tagout, and Switchman Certification.


*Additional Requirements located under Additional Information*

Qualifications

All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-09/17/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.

To qualify for this position, you must have sufficient knowledge and ability in the following job-related factors:
  • Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision (SCREENOUT)
  • Ability to Use and Maintain Hand Tools (Electrical Work)
  • Ability to Use Electrical Drawings
  • Knowledge of Electrical Equipment
  • Technical Practices (Theoretical, Precise, Artistic)
  • Theory and Instruments (Electrical, Electronic) Used in Shop and Trade Practices
  • Troubleshooting (Electrical)

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. Your resume must support your response to the assessment questionnaire, and if it does not, your application will be marked as not eligible. The qualifications reviewer will not assume performance of such duties by Job Titles alone. Address your knowledge, skills and/or abilities in the areas shown in the job-related factors.

You must meet at least 2 points on the screen-out element(s) and obtain an average of at least 2 points on all of the job elements to be considered qualified for this position.

Volunteer Experience: 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.

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience for Federal Wage System (FWS) positions.

Additional information

Requirements Continued:
As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.

If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive. A continued service agreement may be required if it is determined you are eligible for a permanent change in duty station (PCS), recruitment, or relocation incentive.


All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.

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.

A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Assessment Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Assessment Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score will be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you can lose consideration for this position.

Your resume must not exceed 2 pages. Only the document submitted as the "Resume" under the Documents section will be used to determine your qualifications/eligibility and for rating purposes. In the event you submit more than one resume, only the latest submission will be reviewed.


Candidates will be rated and ranked using Category Rating procedures. These procedures place candidates with veteran's preference above non-preference eligibles within each category. Veterans with a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent are listed in the highest quality category. Under Category Rating, candidates will be rated and ranked into the following categories:

  • Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position

  • Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job

  • Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.


You will be evaluated on the following competencies and/or job elements:

  • Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision
  • Ability to Use and Maintain Hand Tools (Electrical Work)
  • Ability to Use Electrical Drawings
  • Knowledge of Electrical Equipment
  • Technical Practices (Theoretical, Precise, Artistic)
  • Theory and Instruments (Electrical, Electronic) Used in Shop and Trade Practices
  • Troubleshooting (Electrical)


Current or former displaced Federal employees who are surplus, displaced, or involuntarily separated have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP). To be considered under CTAP/ICTAP, you must be well-qualified, score at least 85 (i.e., meet the minimum qualification requirements, including any selective placement factors; education, and experience requirements), and be able to perform the duties of the position upon entry.


Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Providing false or misleading information on your resume or supporting documentation may result in removal from consideration or other action consistent with applicable federal hiring regulations. Applicants who include vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate language or information in their application package will be ineligible for further consideration for this position.

Bureau of Reclamation

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated Island Communities. Click here to learn more about the Department of the Interior and its bureaus.

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Click here to learn more about the Bureau of Reclamation.

Agency contact information

Annette Woodward
Phone
904-585-5749
Email
annette_woodward@ios.doi.gov
Address
Hungry Horse Field Office
Bureau of Reclamation
Hungry Horse Field Office
P.O. Box 190130
Hungry Horse, MT 59919
US

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