Benefits Specialist

About the role

This position is within Benefits & HR Help (HB), BPA Human Resources Service Center (H), Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Department of Energy (DOE). Empower our workforce by serving as a trusted advisor!

In this role, you will guide employees through key career and retirement milestones, deliver expert counsel on comprehensive federal benefit programs, and resolve complex cases to protect their financial future.

What you will do

• Power the People Who Energize the Pacific Northwest At Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), our mission is to deliver clean, reliable, and sustainable electricity across the Pacific Northwest while stewarding the region's environment and economy.
• Behind this critical transmission and clean-energy infrastructure stands a world-class federal workforce-and you will help support them from day one.
• We are seeking motivated, high-achieving candidates ready to launch or accelerate their career as a Benefits Specialist.
• This is a developmental position with non-competitive promotion potential to the full performance level (GS-12).
• Whether you bring professional experience or are qualifying based on graduate-level education alone, this career ladder offers the ideal blend of structured mentorship, technical training, and hands-on responsibility.
• You will grow into a subject-matter expert who directly impacts employees' financial well-being, healthcare security, and retirement readiness across the agency.
• Key Duties & Developmental Opportunities Grow into a Consultative Benefits Advisor: Under the guidance of senior specialists, build in-depth expertise across the full spectrum of federal benefit programs, including retirement systems, health and life insurance, and savings plans.
• Learn to advise employees and supervisors with clarity, empathy, and technical accuracy.
• Develop Advanced Problem-Solving Skills on Complex Casework: Hone your analytical abilities by researching and evaluating unique personnel situations-such as medical disability retirements, legal court orders, and historical service adjustments-delivering equitable, compliant solutions for sensitive cases.
• Master Personalized Retirement Modeling & Annuity Calculations: Learn to conduct comprehensive service record audits, compute nuanced retirement estimates, and assist employees and their families during pivotal career transitions, gaining hands-on mastery of federal retirement policies and financial counseling.
• Drive Process Improvement & Workflow Innovation: Bring a fresh perspective to our team.
• Review and assess existing HR operations, identify administrative bottlenecks, and recommend forward-thinking adjustments to enhance team efficiency and improve customer service delivery.
• Translate Policy into Real-World HR Practice: Gain foundational experience analyzing and interpreting federal employment laws, human capital directives, and government-wide regulations.
• Collaborate with leadership to help align internal operating procedures with emerging agency priorities.
• Design and Lead Engaging Training & Outreach: Strengthen your public speaking and instructional design skills by developing easy-to-understand educational workshops, digital reference guides, and webinars that demystify complex benefits and empower employees to make informed financial choices.
• Represent the Benefits Team on Cross-Functional Projects: Broaden your organizational acumen by participating in agency-wide working groups, HR seminars, and interdisciplinary task forces, collaborating across departments to support high-visibility human capital initiatives.
• Accelerate Your Professional Growth with Dedicated Mentorship: Participate in a robust quality-assurance and developmental program.
• Receive regular coaching, feedback, and skill validation from seasoned specialists to rapidly progress toward operating independently as a full-performance HR authority.

Requirements

• In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire.
• Answer to these questions is not scored or rated.
• Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration.
• 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.
• Key Requirements: You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
• You will be required to report in person to the official duty location.

Education

If substituting education for specialized experience you must submit proof of your qualifying education. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation.

Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents.

Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system.

Failure to provide college transcripts may result in a rating of 'Ineligible'.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements above. 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.

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

Merit Promotion & VEOA Procedures: If you are minimally qualified for this job, you will be assessed and evaluated to determine if you are a best qualified candidate. Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements and current employees must have at least a fully successful or equivalent performance rating to receive consideration.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Accountability Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Non-competitive Procedures: If you are applying under a non-competitive or special hiring authority, you will still be required to answer the assessment questions.

However, you will not be evaluated against the rating and ranking criteria. Your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine if you are minimally qualified for this job. Veterans' Preference will be applied when required by the hiring authority (e.g., VRA, Schedule A).

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", which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date ( 11/06/2026) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click *** USAHire: To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment.

The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. The USA Hire Assessment includes a cut score. USA Hire cut scores are based on the minimum level of proficiency required to perform the job for a specific series and grade.

You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered.

You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment. The cut score is set at a government-wide level and not at the agency or individual vacancy level for USA Hire standard assessments.

In accordance with 5 CFR 300.201(a), the U.S. Office of Personnel Management does not release testing and examination materials, scoring criteria including the specific cut score requirements, or other information used solely to determine individual qualifications, so as not to compromise the objectivity of the testing process.

Documents you must provide

• duties performed; full name and address of each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
• Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
• Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.
• Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable.
• It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
• Submit one or more of the following to support your eligibility(s) to apply to this job announcement: SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" (current/former federal employees): Most recent Promotion, Within Rate Increase (WRI/WGI), or Appointment/Conversion SF-50 or Notification of Personnel Action showing you are/were in the competitive service and the highest grade or promotion potential held.
• Veterans: DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.
• For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
• Individuals with Disabilities: Schedule A letter from a physician, local, state or federal rehabilitation office citing your eligibility under 5 CFR 213.3102 (u).
• For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
• Certain Military Spouses: Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders authorizing you to accompany the Military member to the new duty permanent station; OR verification of the member's 100% disability (VA Letter); and/or verification of the member's death while on active duty (DD-1300 and Death Certificate) AND verification of the marriage to the service member (i.e., a marriage license or other legal documentation verifying marriage).
• For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center.
• Other non-competitive or special appointing authorities: provide documentation which supports your eligibility.
• Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.
• Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package.
• It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.
• If selected for the position you MUST submit: A copy of your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation and incentive awards, you received in the last 5 years.
• The assigned HR Specialist will verify review this documentation to ensure selectee has at least a satisfactory performance rating before setting the entrance on duty date.
• If you do not have your most recent performance appraisal/evaluation, you will be asked to submit a statement as to why it is not available.

What to expect next

Based on your application and your responses to the application questionnaire, you may be presented with instructions on how to access the USA Hire system to complete the online assessments. The online assessments must be completed within 48 hours following the close of this announcement.

You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation for the assessment should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Your assessment results will be kept on record for one year and used toward future positions for which you might apply that require the same assessments.

To be considered for the position, you must meet all qualifications, including meeting or exceeding the cut score on the required assessments. Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.

You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings. You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE EEO Policy: USAJOBS Help Center | Equal employment opportunity policy Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs.

If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Staffing Specialist listed on this vacancy announcement.

USAJOBS Help Center | Reasonable accommodation policy Reasonable Accommodation for USAHire: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a reasonable accommodation in your online application.

Requests for Reasonable Accommodations for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for Reasonable Accommodation must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for Reasonable Accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.

If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments.

You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement.

To determine if you need a Reasonable Accommodation, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here. Veterans Information: USAJOBS Help Center - Veterans Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Telework: *** Selective Service Registration: *** - Who must register: *** Hiring incentives may be authorized for a highly qualified candidate based on budget availability and in accordance with federal regulations. BPA strives to ensure a safe and positive work environment.

We also understand the importance of work/life balance and offer a variety of programs and policies designed to create more flexible, responsive work environments supportive of commitments to community, home and family members.

BPA also supports employees' overall wellness through its Be Well program, which helps employees adopt healthier lifestyles and feel better about their work/life balance. The program supports five key areas of life: career, community, financial, physical and social.