Supervisory Operations Research Analyst

Summary

This position is within Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), Power Services (P), Generation Asset Management (PG), Schedule Planning (PGS), Power Generation Short-Term Planning (PGSP). Lead a high-performing team of 11 technical experts planning regional power system capability and integrating energy resources to ensure grid reliability. You will direct operational strategies, evaluate complex energy trade-offs, and collaborate with regional partners to optimize clean energy generation.

Duties

• This position is located in Portland, OR which boasts huge spans of amazing trees, foliage, landscape, and everywhere you look you can appreciate beautiful greenery! It is known as the most bike-friendly city in America, has a train system that greets you at the airport spanning across the city, and is home to the Portland International Rose Garden, the oldest in the country! Portland is the one place where you will find lively festivals, energetic music, mouthwatering food, and for you basketball fans, the Portland Trail Blazers are a 7 minute walk from the HQs building! There is always something new to experience in this eco-friendly town! Power the Pacific Northwest: Lead the Team Engineering the Clean, Reliable Energy Grid of Tomorrow The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is a vital engine for the Pacific Northwest, delivering clean, reliable power while protecting the region's natural resources. As a Supervisory Operations Research Analyst, you will stand at the critical intersection of environmental stewardship, advanced analytics, and grid reliability. In this key leadership role, you won't just oversee operational strategies-you will empower an elite team of technical experts to solve complex energy challenges, integrate expanding renewable resources, and optimize North America's largest hydroelectric power system. What You Will Do: Key Duties & Responsibilities Lead & Cultivate Top Talent: Provide strategic vision, mentorship, and career development for a high-caliber team of 11 scientists, operations analysts, and utility experts, fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing workplace culture. Balance Energy Production with Environmental Priorities: Direct complex operational planning for the Federal Columbia River Power System, successfully balancing clean electricity generation with critical non-power objectives like fish conservation, flood risk management, and river recreation. Drive Renewable Energy Integration: Spearhead operational strategies that seamlessly integrate clean, variable energy resources-such as wind power-into the grid while maintaining flawless system reliability. Pioneer Next-Generation Analytical Tools: Drive the development, refinement, and implementation of cutting-edge predictive computer models and IT systems to solve complex water flow, energy supply, and system performance challenges. Optimize Multi-Asset Power Portfolios: Conduct high-level trade-off analyses across diverse energy assets-including hydroelectric, thermal, and pumped storage-to maximize energy availability and protect system flexibility under changing environmental conditions. Shape Regional Energy Collaboration: Serve as a key technical leader coordinating with major federal and regional partners-including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation-to align multi-agency water management and grid priorities. Bridge Technical Insights with Energy Markets: Translate complex modeling output into actionable guidance for real-time grid operators and wholesale power marketers to optimize electricity sales, purchases, and supply decisions. Manage High-Impact Regional Power Agreements: Oversee the operational execution of major regional contracts and storage agreements that govern energy coordination and distribution across the Pacific Northwest.

Qualifications

Qualifications: Degree: in operations research; or at least 24 semester hours in a combination of operations research, mathematics, probability, statistics, mathematical logic, science, or subject-matter courses requiring substantial competence in college-level mathematics or statistics. At least 3 of the 24 semester hours must have been in calculus. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTSA qualified candidate's resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-13) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as experience 1) analyzing short-term power system capability, integrating changes to generation resources into system operations, and utilizing computer or mathematical models to evaluate hydrological operations and constraints; and 2) providing technical leadership, work direction, or administrative supervision to a multidisciplinary team of professional staff engaged in operations research, power system planning, or utility operations. "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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. Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration. CTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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. First time supervisors will be required to serve a 1 year probationary period. This position has been designated as requiring a PUBLIC TRUST background. A preliminary background check must be completed before a new employee can begin work. Current Federal employees or other individuals with an existing completed background investigation may not be required to undergo another background check.

Education

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

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date. After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder. If you are asked to take the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be presented with a unique URL to access the USA Hire system. Access to USA Hire is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Be sure to review all instructions prior to beginning your USA Hire Assessments. Click here for Computer System Requirements Note, set aside at least 3 hours to take these assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue at a later time, you can reuse the URL sent to you via email and also found in your USAJOBS account under the "Track my application" link for the corresponding application. You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://login.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/application/status. If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.