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Program Manager (Communication Maintenance)

Department of Energy
Western Area Power Administration
Desert Southwest Region - Protection and Communication (G5300)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

As a Program Manager (Communication Maintenance), you will Lead power grid communications maintenance for AZ, Southern CA, and NV. Manage engineers and technicians to ensure reliable power system communications. This includes program development, budget management, and compliance. Oversee daily operations, system monitoring, maintenance, and emergency response across field installations. Supervise resource allocation, performance, training, safety, and labor agreement adherence.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/17/2025 to 09/26/2025
Salary
$117,034 to - $156,047 per year

Salary will be based on chosen duty location upon selection. See additional information below for link to 2025 special rate tables.

Pay scale & grade
GS 13
Locations
1 vacancy in the following locations:
Phoenix, AZ
Boulder City, NV
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational, as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
13
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
Moderate Risk (MR)
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
25-WG-00443-12801814-MP
Control number
846192900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Current Federal employees within the Department of Energy with competitive status or other eligibility; CTAP/ICTAP eligibles; DOEnergy employees participating in the OPM or DOE Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) are not eligible to apply.

Duties

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As a Program Manager (Communication Maintenance), you will:

  • Managed the overall Communications Maintenance Program, ensuring secure and reliable power grid communications.
  • Developed and executed the long-range Communications Maintenance Program budget and resource allocation.
  • Monitored program performance, equipment status, and work schedules, and implements preventative maintenance analysis.
  • Established and enforced communications maintenance policies and procedures, ensuring compliance with NERC/WECC standards.
  • Overseen communication systems maintenance for field installations in Phoenix, Coolidge, Gila, and Mead, addressing performance issues.
  • Developed and initiated emergency action plans to minimize power outages caused by communication equipment failures.

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.
  • Must be able to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and follow standard safety procedures.
  • May be called upon for support at any time including, nights, weekends, and holidays.
  • 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. Your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred.
  • 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.
  • Department of Energy (DOE) employees participating in the OPM or DOE Deferred Resignation Program (DRP) are not eligible to apply for this announcement. DRP participants are not considered active DOE employees because they have agreed to separate from the agency.
  • Shift work and emergency overtime may be required.
  • 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

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 position does not have an Individual Occupational Requirement

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: To be considered minimally qualified for this position, you must demonstrate that you have the required specialized experience for the respective grade level(s) in which you are applying:

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience in the next lower grade level (GS-12) or equivalent in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as having all of the following:

  1. Assisting in the development and implementation of communication maintenance plans for critical infrastructure;
  2. Apply knowledge of communication network principles and practices to maintain complex systems supporting power grid operations; and
  3. Assisting in the supervision or lead of technical teams, providing guidance and support for communication system maintenance activities.

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.

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. Your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred.

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 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.
  • Salary: The salary range indicated in this announcement will be adjusted to include a special rate table for the selected duty location. Special Rate pay tables may be found under Salaries & Wages.

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.

Structured Resume Review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications for this position based on the required competencies. SMEs will review ONLY the first two (2) pages of your resume. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume).

Once the announcement closes, we will conduct a review of your application package to verify your eligibility and qualifications. If you are found qualified, your application will move forward to additional phases of the review process.

The competencies for the Program Manager (Communication Maintenance) are:
  • Financial Management
  • Teamwork
  • Technical Competence
  • Technical Credibility



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 (09/26/2025) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click.https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12801814

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