Power Plant Senior Controller

Summary

This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) solicitation utilizing the DHA for Certain Competitive Positions of the DoD Workforce to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.
About the Position: Incumbent will be in charge of power operations during one working shift and responsible for the operation of a complete system of up to thirteen local and remote hydroelectric generating plants under varying and complex operating conditions.

Duties

• Interpret operating instructions, load requests, and priority lists to plan load-shedding schedules, schedule blocks of power, and balance loads.
• Interpret circuit diagrams and equipment layout drawings to determine which equipment can be operated and what rerouting can be done.
• Read and understand electrical and mechanical drawings.
• Read and understand power production schedules, water release schedules, and standard operating procedures.
• Issue, release, and/or track the status of clearances and caution orders for authorized repair work in accordance with Hazardous Energy Control Procedures.
• Prepare switching orders and clearance cards for appropriate controls to ensure the safety of personnel and equipment.
• Operate switches and controls in accordance with meter indications, requiring rapid simultaneous mental and muscular coordination
• Direct electrically qualified maintenance personnel in the switching of electrical power equipment.
• Operationally support power plant and switchyard troubleshooting efforts.
• Take corrective action in an emergency situation when maintenance personnel are not present or available.
• Operate a system of local and remote main generators with different megawatt capacities
• Operate related turbines, governors, switchyards, and other associated auxiliary equipment.
• Calculate the amount of resistive and reactive loads and phase relationships to identify undesirable conditions and their effects.
• Determine the proper time to switch in other feeders, tie in parallel equipment, or adjust transformer taps.
• Analyze a variety of interrelated meter indications to detect abnormal conditions and determine their causes.
• Coordinate generation or transmission line outages with dispatch offices, federal agencies, and private power companies.
• Ensure accurate recording of hourly readings of generator and transmission line meters, indicated loads, reactive loads, voltages, temperatures, and currents
• Make hourly reports of pertinent readings to hydrology and system dispatchers.
• Continually observe all instruments and equipment to maintain awareness of the condition of reservoir regulation, generating equipment, and transmission lines.
• Keep a complete station log of all pertinent activities on the shift, including dispatcher orders, load changes, and clearances.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position may require TDY 10% of the time.
• This position requires the incumbent to work rotating 8-hour shifts, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Obtain and Maintain valid state driver's license.
• Drug testing is required for pre-employment and annually.
• Pre-employment and annual physical exams are required.

Qualifications

Who May Apply: US Citizens

In order to qualify, you must meet the experience requirements below. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
There is no specific length of training or experience required. However, you must be able to demonstrate, through experience shown in your written application materials that you possess the sufficient knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work of this position without more than normal supervision.
Minimum Qualifications (Screen Out Element): Ability to do the work of an Power Plant Senior Controller without more than normal supervision. Assignments will involve performance of common duties of operating a hydroelectric power plant under normal and abnormal conditions; issuing safe clearance for hydroelectric power plant equipment; operating flood control facilities to reduce flood risk. Work under normal supervision of a work leader or journey-level employee. Ability to do the work of an Power Plant Senior Controller without more than normal supervision- Failure to meet this Screen Out Element will result in an ineligible rating.
PHYSICAL EFFORT: Work tasks require that the incumbent be capable of rapid simultaneous mental and muscular coordination in conjunction with hand and eye coordination to operate switches and controls in accordance with meter indications. To respond to emergency situations, incumbent must be able to lift and carry objects up to 45 pounds, climb several flights of stairs in succession, stand, sit, or kneel for prolonged periods of time. To use power plant communications, the incumbent must have normal speech and hearing. To recognize color coded instrument indications, normal correctable vision and color vision are required.
WORKING CONDITIONS: Most duties are performed within the confines of Master Power Plant control room. Occasionally duties may be assigned on the generator and turbine floor, spillway and switchyard. Some exposure to moderate discomforts such as noise, heat, cold, moving, and rotating equipment can be expected. This position requires occasional travel outside the normal duty locations for training activities, operational familiarization of other power plants, local control of other power plants and other activities.

Additional information

• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
• You will be required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship.
• This position requires a 1 year probationary period during which the agency evaluates your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In making this determination, the agency may consider your performance and conduct; agency needs and interests; whether your continued employment supports organizational or Government goals; and whether it promotes the efficiency of the Federal service. Continued employment requires written certification that it advances the public interest.
• Direct deposit of pay is required.
• This is a(n) Career Field position, Engineers and Scientist.
• Selection is subject to restrictions resulting from Department of Defense referral system for displaced employees.
• If you have retired from federal service and you are interested in employment as a reemployed annuitant, see the information in the Reemployed Annuitant information sheet.
• Multiple positions may be filled from this announcement.
• Salary includes applicable locality pay or Local Market Supplement.
• When you perform a Civilian Permanent Change of Station (PCS) with the government, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) considers the majority of your entitlements to be taxable. Visit https://www.dfas.mil/civilianemployees/civrelo/Civilian-Moving-Expenses-Tax-Deduction.htm for more information.
• Payment of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) costs may be authorized, subject to the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations.

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.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.