Industry Economist (Data Scientist)

Summary

The position is located in Policy and Pricing (PTMP) organization within the Market Analysis, Pricing and Policy (PTM) organization of Bulk Marketing (PT), Power Services (PS), Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). The purpose of this position is to perform duties in support of the short-term, mid-term, and long term modeling of the Western Interconnection and associated price forecasts.

Duties

About the Position - Portland 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! As a Industry Economist (Data Scientist), you will: Work closely with the lead Aurora modeler and is responsible for joint operation and maintenance of Aurora (a third-party production cost model used by Bonneville), and independent development, operation, and maintenance of associated fundamental risk models, and generating projections of resource builds across the entire Western Interconnection in order to produce official price forecasts under a wide range of potential future technological, economic, policy, and environmental conditions. Use existing models to perform analysis of the Western Interconnection and produce distributions of prices and other key outputs to facilitate interpretation of new and existing policies. Perform both complex and routine simulations of the Western Interconnection under a wide variety of potential conditions and policy formulations. Extends existing models to encompass new features and logic (such as employing risk-informed, mixed integer programming-based commitments in the simulation to improve fidelity with current and expected market practices, or improving modeled behavior of energy storage systems) and integrates new models as necessary. Manage relationship with software providers for commercial software applications and ensures integration with BPA systems. Clearly and concisely summarize and present results to senior executives (i.e. Power Management Committee, Risk Committee), customers and stakeholder organizations, internal technical experts, and other state and regional power planners (i.e. Northwest Power and Conservation Council staff, and state utility commission staff). Solicit and incorporate feedback from consumers of the studies to refine results, analysis, approach and overall conclusions. 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: Suitable for Federal employment, as determined by a background investigation. May be required to successfully complete a probationary period. Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENT: A. Degree: economics, that included at least 21 semester hours in economics and 3 semester hours in statistics, accounting, or calculus. - OR - B. Have a combination of education and experience: courses equivalent to a major in economics, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Examples of qualifying experience include:1. Individual economic research assignments requiring planning, information assembly, analysis and evaluation, conclusions and report preparation;2. Supervisory or project coordination assignments involving a staff of professional economists, and requiring the evaluation and interpretation of economic information; or3. Teaching assignments in a college or university that included both class instruction in economics subjects and one of the following (1) personal research that produced evidence of results, (2) direction of graduate theses in economics, or (3) service as a consultant or advisor on technical economics problems. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: GS-11: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-09, in the Federal service. Specialized Experience at the GS-11 grade level is defined as: 1) Collecting and analyzing economic or energy market data to identify trends and relationships; 2) Applying established economic principles and statistical methods to evaluate market conditions or support economic modeling; and 3) Preparing analytical summaries, charts, or reports to communicate economic findings. GS-11: You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree, or Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree; your education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. - OR - Combination of education and experience as described above. Less than one year of specialized experience may be combined with graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level (i.e., credit hours beyond the first two years of full-time study may be credited). GS-12: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-11, in the Federal service. Specialized Experience at the GS-12 grade level is defined as: 1) Conducting economic analyses using power market models or comparable analytical tools to evaluate electricity prices, resource scenarios, or market trends; 2) Applying economic, statistical, or quantitative methods to analyze market data and evaluate economic relationships; and 3) Preparing technical reports, visualizations, or briefings to communicate economic findings and recommendations. There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-12 grade level. GS-13: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-12, in the Federal service. Specialized Experience at the GS-13 grade level is defined as: 1) Conducting independent economic analyses and utilizing power market models to evaluate electricity prices, resource planning, or market risks; 2) Applying advanced economic, statistical, or quantitative methods to develop forecasts and assess market conditions; and 3) Interpreting complex economic data and presenting findings and recommendations to management or decision makers. There is no substitution of education for experience at the GS-13 grade level. "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. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

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. 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. 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 qualifications above. This position is announced under a government-wide Direct-Hire Authority (DHA) for Industry Economist (Data Scientist) positions in the 0110 series. Under the DHA, all applicants who meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement, at the grade level they are applying, will be forwarded to the Selecting Official for consideration. Veteran's Preference, category rating, and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply under the DHA 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. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'. Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics): Arithmetic/Mathematical Reasoning Attention to Detail Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reading Comprehension Self-Management Teamwork If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the Education and Qualification requirements listed in this announcement to be referred for consideration. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (11/20/2026) of this announcement. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13105864 Other Information

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: https://www.opm.gov/telework/ Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/ - Who must register: https://www.sss.gov/faq/#who-needs-to-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.?