Welder

Company Description

The Bonneville Power Administration is a federal nonprofit wholesale power marketer that sells carbon-free electricity from 31 federal dams and one nuclear plant to millions of consumers and businesses in eight states. BPA operates three-quarters of the region’s high-voltage transmission grid and funds one of the largest fish and wildlife programs in the world.

Job Overview

We are seeking a skilled Welder to join our dynamic team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in various welding techniques and fabrication processes, with the ability to work on construction sites and in manufacturing environments. The Welder will lay out and fabricate welded products in the shop or at other installations in the BPA system.

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application.

HOW TO APPLY: External Application Link(s):

25-BPA-48023-12799110-DE: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/846124800

25-BPA-48023-12799111-MP: https://www.usajobs.gov/job/846125300

Open & Close date: Open: 09/16/2025 Close: 09/25/2025

LOCATION(s) Vancouver, WA

SALARY: $68.44 to - $68.44 per hour

DUTIES:

As a Welder, you will:

- From drawings and verbal instructions, fabricates, assembles and repairs all types of bus fittings from copper or aluminum.

- From work sheets or drawings, fabricates and pre-stresses all types of bus, consisting of copper or aluminum.

- Erects copper or aluminum bus in switchyards

- From drawings and verbal instructions, fabricates and installs at proper elevations, oil lines on transformers and breakers.

- Performs all types of general welding on shop fabrications, steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and chromium structures, trucks, dozers, cranes, booms, shovel buckets, etc.

- Selects proper electrode alloys for the type of metal to be worked. Uses electric and diesel generator welding machines, including heliarc, mig, and stick process. Silver solder, plasma, and oxy-fuel cutting, carbon arc gouging. Uses various heavy machine tools as required, such as power saws, cut off saws, CNC guided plasma & oxy/fuel cutting machine, drill press, pipe bending machine, etc.

- From written or oral instructions, blueprints or sketches, the Welder plans own work, makes templates when necessary, and selects methods, materials and machines appropriate for the project.

REQUIREMENTS:

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:

- This position requires a valid driver's license as a condition of employment.

- This position requires an initial drug test prior to appointment and random drug or drug and alcohol testing thereafter. Failure to test or a positive result on random drug or drug and alcohol tests conducted after appointment may result in removal from Federal employment.

- This position requires a preemployment medical exam, at BPA expense, prior to appointment due to the physical requirements of the position.

- After employment, this position may be subject to periodic physical examinations, as prescribed by competent medical authority and at BPA expense, if exposed to health hazards.

- Obtain a BPA Welder Certificate.

- 100% travel to field sites may be required.

- Subject to call for emergency work outside normal duty hours.

- Be able to wear protective apparel such as respirators, welder safety equipment, steel toe boots and hard hats for worker safety.

- Obtain and maintain a valid non-electrical worker's permit within 30 days of hire.

- Obtain and maintain authorized unescorted access to BPA energized and non-energized facilities.

- Possess and maintain a valid First Aid Card. Take First Aid refresher training.

- Be certified on aerial lift equipment or other equipment when assigned to use or operate within 90 days of appointment.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants must meet the requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Job Qualification System for Trades and Labor Occupations (X-118C). Although a specific length of time and experience is not required for most trade and labor occupations, you must show through experience and training that you possess the quality level of knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of the position at the level for which you are applying. Qualification requirements emphasis is on the quality of experience, not necessarily the length of time.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the job elements and screen out listed below. Your resume should demonstrate that you possess these elements and screen out. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your resume how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the elements and screen out identified below. This job has a screen-out factors which will be used to determine minimum eligibility for this job. Applicants who do not receive a minimum of two points on this screen-out element(s) or who do not score at least half of the total points possible across all elements will be found ineligible..

The screen-out element for this position is: Ability to successfully perform the work of a Welder defined as safely performing the majority of the following welding duties: use templates, blueprints and other guides to repair, modify or fabricate metal items and weld metal parts and structures, weld in positions to include flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead; use various heavy machine tools, such as power saws, cut off saws, CNC guided plasma & oxy/fuel cutting machine, drill press, and pipe bending machines without more then normal supervision. Failure to meet this Screen out Element will result in an ineligible rating.

If your knowledge and ability in the SCREEN OUT factor above is not sufficient, you will receive no further consideration. In preparing your application, describe in detail the experience and training which you have had that specifically prepared you for this job and to perform the duties described for this job. Experience should be clearly described and documented in your resume. The qualifications reviewer will not assume performance of such duties by Job Titles alone.

Working Conditions:

- Work is performed in the General Shops at the Ross Complex and at field sites.

- Work may be both indoors and outdoors anywhere in the BPA system, according to the type of work being performed.

- Work at considerable height and on precarious footing during inclement weather.

- Hazards include working around energized, high voltage electrical equipment; climbing on ladders or scaffolding; working around machinery with moving parts; exposure to fumes, smoke, gases, and falling objects.

- The Welder may be required to work at heights up to 150 feet from aerial ladders and boom truck baskets with safety harness.

- The work environment will occasionally include high noise levels or exposure to hazardous materials (i.e., acids, solvents, PCB's, etc.) requiring the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) that could, if precautions are not followed, pose a health risk.

- Approved respiratory and safety equipment shall be worn when hazardous substances are being handled (oil, acid, etc.) or when welding.

Physical Requirements:

- Able to climb in and out of aerial manlift buckets averaging 40" high. May be required to work at heights up to 100 feet from aerial ladders and boom truck baskets.

- Balancing required on narrow and slippery surfaces at heights and in varied weather conditions, as well as on uneven ground.

- Ability to stand an average of 2 hours with a maximum of 5 hours uninterrupted.

- Lifts tools and equipment. Average is 20 pounds.

- Works in cramped, awkward positions while reaching, lifting, bending and using hand and power tools, and positioning pieces.

- Shop and field work requires work with arms overhead or occasionally outstretched for extended periods of time.

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement

Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility.

Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Offices or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will review the first two pages of your 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', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics.

- Ability to Do the Work of the Position without More Than Normal Supervision

- Ability To Interpret Instructions, Specifications, etc. (includes blueprint reading)

- Ability To Use and Maintain Tools and Equipment

- Dexterity and Safety

- Knowledge of Metals

- Use of Measuring Instruments

(See Qualification Section for the rest of these competences)

EDUCATION:

There are no specific education requirements or substitution of education for experience for this position.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

To apply for this position, you provide a complete application package.

(See Required Documents section on application).

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.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $68.44 per hour

Benefits:

- 401(k)

- 401(k) matching

- Dental insurance

- Employee assistance program

- Employee discount

- Flexible spending account

- Health insurance

- Health savings account

- Life insurance

- Paid time off

- Parental leave

- Retirement plan

- Vision insurance

Work Location: In person