Nuclear Engineer

About the role

This position is within Bonneville Power Administration's Power Services, under Generation and Asset Management, Generating Assets, and Contracting Generating Resources. As a GS-13 Nuclear Engineer, you will drive contract oversight for a vital nuclear plant.

Coordinate energy output with the federal grid, ensure regulatory compliance, review operations budgets, and liaise with senior executives. Apply your technical expertise to help power the Pacific Northwest!

What you will do

• Shape the Future of Clean Energy as a Lead Nuclear Engineer with BPA At the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), our mission is to deliver clean, reliable, and sustainable carbon-free power to the Pacific Northwest while promoting environmental stewardship.
• This critical position is located within Contracting Generating Resources (PGAC), in the Generating Assets (PGA) organization of Generation and Asset Management (PG), within Power Services (P) of BPA.
• As a GS-13 Nuclear Engineer, you will serve as a vital link between our regional energy grid and the Columbia Generating Station.
• You will play a defining role in overseeing the region's only commercial nuclear energy facility, driving operational excellence, and ensuring safe, cost-effective power generation for millions of households and businesses.
• If you are an experienced engineering professional looking to leverage your technical expertise for high-impact public service, this role offers an unparalleled opportunity to lead and innovate.
• Here are the top eight duties where you will make a lasting impact: Lead High-Impact Technical and Policy Initiatives: Take the reins on major technical, policy, and economic initiatives.
• You will guide multi-disciplinary teams, coordinate complex projects, and provide strategic solutions that shape the future of BPA's nuclear oversight.
• Provide Expert Oversight of Nuclear Operations: Monitor and evaluate all phases of nuclear plant operations and maintenance-including fuel management, engineering, nuclear safety, and chemistry-ensuring the operator meets world-class operational standards.
• Optimize Clean Energy Delivery to the Grid: Bridge the gap between nuclear power generation and regional grid needs.
• You will coordinate scheduled power output to ensure a reliable, seamless supply of carbon-free electricity to the regional power system.
• Collaborate with Senior Leadership and Key Stakeholders: Serve as a primary technical advisor and liaison.
• You will interface daily with plant operators, executive boards, and federal, state, and local regulatory officials to align strategic goals and policies.
• Ensure Rigorous Regulatory Compliance: Evaluate, monitor, and guide compliance with strict state and federal safety and environmental regulations, safeguarding both the facility's operational integrity and the surrounding communities.
• Champion Financial Efficiency and Stewardship: Analyze multi-million dollar construction, maintenance, and decommissioning budgets.
• You will monitor expenditures to ensure cost-efficiency and identify innovative opportunities for project cost savings.
• Drive Performance Benchmarking: Develop and analyze performance databases to compare nuclear facility operations and financial health against national industry standards, leveraging data to drive continuous improvement.
• Step into Key Leadership Roles: Build your leadership portfolio by acting on behalf of the Contract Generating Resources Manager during their absence, offering high-level administrative, policy, and technical guidance to the entire department.

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.
• Conditions of Employment: Selectee will be required to complete the Office of Government Ethics Standard of Confidential Financial Disclosure Report (OFGE450e) within 30 days of employment and annually.

Education

This vacancy has a positive education requirement. 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. In order to be rated as qualified, you must provide copies of your college transcripts.

Failure to provide copies of your college transcripts may result in a rating of "Ineligible".

How you will be evaluated

Category Rating Procedure: You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Once the application process is complete, your resume, supporting documentation, and questionnaire/assessment responses will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications.

If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the rating assessment(s) will be evaluated and you will be placed into one of three predefined quality categories. These categories are Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified.

Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in.

Preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or above (or equivalent).

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 scoring 85.0 or higher.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (09/19/2026) 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.

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).
• Information on how to create a federal resume *** 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.
• Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable, 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.
• 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.

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.

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.

Please check that your USAJOBS profile contact information is current and correct each time you apply to a job--this will ensure we are able to contact you as quickly as possible.

In addition to changing your status online, we will send you e-mail notifications at each major step in the process, to include: application received, eligible or not eligible, referred or not referred, selected or not selected.

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.