Explore a Career at BPA

Employment Opportunities at BPA

Find and apply on BPA positions.

View job announcements
How to complete your USAjobs federal resume (USAjobs)
How to write your federal resume (video)

If you have questions regarding BPA, BPA Jobs, or the application process, please contact HR Help at 503-230-3230 or HRHelp@bpa.gov.

Craft and Skilled

The Bid List is a program for BPA employees to apply for internal hourly positions. These positions may be filled on a permanent or temporary basis. Apprentices in the last year of the program are encouraged to submit a bid to indicate duty locations for which they want to be considered for permanent placement. Employees must submit a new application each calendar year to receive consideration under the current year’s Bid List. Early application is encouraged to receive full consideration for all positions.

How to Create an Account on USA Jobs

How to Apply for Federal Jobs

Student Programs

Potential areas for Pathways college internships (openings vary each year):

Engineering
Finance
Tribal Affairs
Legal
Accounting
Public Affairs
Energy Efficiency
Supply & Logistics
Information Technology
Power Services
Fish & Wildlife
Policy

We are a leader in sustainability and environmental stewardship, promoting energy efficiency, renewable wind, solar and hydropower, the smart grid, fish and wildlife protection and initiatives to address climate change.

Pathways Student Internship Program requirements:

Must be at least 16 years old. (Our internships are college level at this time.)
Must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a degree-seeking student (certificate or degree) at a post-secondary qualifying accredited institution.
Must be in good academic standing and maintain a GPA of a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale or higher (or equivalent).
Must maintain at least a half-time course load, as defined by your educational institution.
Must submit a copy of your current transcripts and/or letter of acceptance as proof of your enrollment. If selected, official transcripts/proof of enrollment must be submitted prior to establishing a start date.
You may have rotational assignments in various organizations.
As a Pathways Student Intern, you are expected to work during your summer, winter and spring breaks unless otherwise coordinated with your manager.
Positions are open to all U.S. Citizens, Nationals, and Foreign Nationals who meet both Immigration and Annual Appropriations Laws.
To be considered for conversion to a competitive service appointment (TERM or permanent) after the internship, you must be a U.S. Citizen.
Pass a background investigation prior to employment start date.

Pathways Recent Graduate Program requirements:

Positions are open to all U.S. Citizens, Nationals, and Foreign Nationals who meet both Immigration and Annual Appropriations Laws.
To be considered for conversion to a competitive service appointment (TERM or permanent) after the internship, you must be a U.S. Citizen.
Pass a background investigation prior to employment start date.
Must submit a copy of your transcripts. If selected, official transcripts must be submitted prior to establishing a start date.
To be eligible you must be a: Recent graduate who has completed, within the previous two years, a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.
- or -
Student who within nine months of the closing date of this announcement will meet the education requirements and will graduate with a qualifying associates, bachelors, masters, professional, doctorate, vocational or technical degree or certificate from a qualifying educational institution.
A student may not be appointed to a position until they have graduated.
- or -
Preference eligible veteran who was precluded from applying due to their military service obligation begin their two-year eligibility period upon release or discharge from active duty. Eligibility for these veterans cannot exceed six years after degree or certificate completion.

Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities

The Schedule A appointing authority for people with certain disabilities, 5 CFR 213.3102(u), is an excepted service authority that agencies can use to appoint individuals, including veterans, who have a psychiatric, intellectual or severe physical disability.

Agencies can use this authority, at their discretion, to appoint you at any grade level and for any job (time-limited or permanent) for which you qualify. After 2 years of satisfactory service, the agency may convert you, without competition, to the competitive service.

There is no limit to the number of times you can apply under this authority. OPM encourages job-seeking veterans to seek consideration under all the hiring authorities for which they are eligible, in addition to claiming their preference under the competitive examining process (if applicable).

An agency's vacancy announcement will generally inform you whether the agency intends to consider candidates under this authority. To be eligible, you must show proof of your disability in the form of a letter from a certifying official. Documentation may be from any licensed medical professional (e.g., a physician or other medical professional certified by a state, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. Territory to practice medicine), a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist (i.e., state or private), or any federal or state agency, or agency of the District of Columbia or a U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits. A sample letter (PDF file) can be found on the OPM website.

Providing Jobs for Veterans

Veterans make up nearly one-third of the federal workforce. The same holds true at BPA where 30% of employees have prior military service. Many Veterans are hired via regular job announcements. Special hiring consideration may be given to some veterans who are disabled, served on active duty in the Armed Forces during certain specified time periods, or served in certain military campaigns. The following Special Hiring Authorities represent a few of many appointing authorities that many be used for Veterans. Eligibility for appointment under one of these authorities doesn’t mean that you are entitled to be appointed to a position, but knowledge of your eligibility for consideration under each authority can enhance your job search.

Check the vacancy announcements, which should clearly state Who May Apply.

To be eligible under the VEOA hiring authority, an applicant must be a preference eligible veteran, or must be a veteran who substantially completed 3 or more years of continuous service under honorable conditions (honorable or general discharge).

Veterans eligible for competition under VEOA appointing authority may apply for advertised positions for which the agency is accepting applications beyond its own workforce under merit promotion procedures. Access and opportunity are not an entitlement to the position and it is not a guarantee for selection.

Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) is an excepted authority that allows an agency to non-competitively appoint an eligible veteran. If you:

Served during a war or are in receipt of a campaign badge for service in a campaign or expedition; OR
are a disabled veteran, OR
are in receipt of an Armed Forces Service Medal (includes the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal)for participation in a military operation, OR
are a recently separated veteran (within 3 years of discharge), AND
separated under honorable conditions (this means an honorable or general discharge).

You can be appointed under this authority at any grade level up to and including a GS-11 or equivalent. This is an excepted service appointment. Upon satisfactory completion of 2 years of substantially continuous service, you will be converted to the competitive service. If an agency has two or more VRA candidates and at least one is preference eligible, the veterans' preference procedures of 5 CFR, part 302 of OPM’s regulations must be applied when using the VRA authority.

Agencies may also use VRA to fill temporary (not to exceed 1 year) or term (more than 1 year but not to exceed 4 years) positions. If you are employed in a temporary or term position under VRA, you will not be converted to the competitive service after 2 years.

There is no limit to the number of times you can apply under VRA, as long as you meet the definition of a covered veteran under applicable law.

The 30% or More Disabled Veteran authority allows an agency to non-competitively appoint any veteran with a 30% or more service-connected disability. You are eligible if you:

retired from active military service with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or more; OR
have a rating by the Department of Veterans Affairs showing a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more.

This authority can be used to make temporary (at least 60 days but not to exceed 1 year) or term (more than 1 year, but not more than 4) appointments in the competitive service. There is no grade level restriction. There is no requirement that you be converted to a permanent position, but an agency has the authority to convert such a position to a permanent position if it chooses to do so.

The agency would first place you on a time limited appointment of at least 60 days and could then convert that appointment to a permanent appointment at management's discretion. When the authority is used to meet a time-limited need, however, you will not be converted to a permanent appointment.

Disabled veterans eligible for training under the Veterans Administration vocational rehabilitation program may enroll for training or work experience at an agency under the terms of an agreement between the agency and VA. While enrolled in the VA program, the veteran is not a Federal employee for most purposes but is a beneficiary of the VA.

Training is tailored to the individual's needs and goals, so there is no set length. If the training is intended to prepare the individual for eventual appointment in the agency rather than just provide work experience, the agency must focus the training on enabling the veteran to meet the qualification requirements for the position.

Upon successful completion, the host agency and VA give the veteran a Certificate of Training showing the occupational series and grade level of the position for which trained. The Certificate of Training allows any agency to appoint the veteran noncompetitively under a status quo appointment which may be converted to career or career-conditional at any time.

BPA participates in the Occupational Skills Training Program in coordination with the VA.

Only veterans discharged or released from active duty in the armed forces under honorable conditions are eligible for veterans' preference. This means you must have been discharged under an honorable or general discharge. Under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011, an individual who has reason to believe s/he will be entitled to veterans’ preference upon discharge may apply for a position in advance of the discharge, and receive consideration as a preference eligible, if the service member is able to provide a certification that s/he is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions not later than 120 days from the date of the certification; the circumstances of the discharge are verified at the time of actual appointment.

You must provide acceptable documentation of your preference or appointment eligibility.

The member 4 copy of your DD214, "Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty," is preferable.
If claiming 10 point preference, you will need to submit a Standard Form (SF-15), "Application for 10-point Veterans' Preference."

VA Civil Service Preference Letter: You may obtain a letter from the Department of Veterans Affairs reflecting your level of disability for preference eligibility by visiting a VA Regional Office, contacting a VA call center or online.

Search for and apply to BPA positions on www.usajobs.gov

View job announcements
How to complete your USAjobs federal resume (USAjobs)
How to write your federal resume (video)

If you are eligible for veterans preference in hiring, and would like additional information on noncompetitive opportunities at BPA, you may email veterans@bpa.gov

For a full description of veteran’s preference in hiring, please visit Office of Personnel Management's FEDSHIREVETS page.

Internal Opportunities

BPA has opportunities for current employees to work in other organizations, or positions, to further their training and development. Interest & Training announcements require approval from your manager, are for temporary assignments, and do not offer promotional potential. Temporary Promotion announcements are competitive vacancies, require the submission of an application, and may result in a temporary promotion. As opportunities arise they will be listed on this page.

Click here to search and apply for permanent BPA positions using USAJOBS. If you are a current BPA or federal employee make sure the "Federal Employees" button is selected in the "Refine Your Results By" box to view merit promotion announcements.

Power Services

Products & Services

BPA Power Contracts

Hydropower Data & Studies

Transmission Services

Doing Business

Products & Services

Operations & Reliability

Reports & Tools

Energy Efficiency

Policy and Reporting

News & Events

EE Sectors

Innovation and Research

Utility Resources

Rate & tariff proceedings

Background Information

Current Rates & Tariff

Current Rates & Tariff Proceedings

Inactive Rate & Tariff Proceedings

Customer & contractor services

Contractor & Vendor Resources

Billing & Payment

Environment, Fish & Wildlife

Fish & Wildlife

Cultural Resources

Pollution Prevention

Environmental Compliance

Land & Right of Ways

Land & Right of Ways Resources

Sustainability at BPA

Sustainability Efforts

Public involvement & decisions

Comments & Decisions

Public Events

Environmental Compliance

Community education

K-12 Resources & Events

General Education

Hydropower Resources

Projects

Energy

Renewables

Hydropower & Water Storage

Technology

Newsroom

News Articles & Publications

Media Relations

Finance

Information & Reports

Debt Management Processes

Financial Planning

Integrated Program Review

Asset Management

Who We Are

Contact

BPA Information

Our Policies

Careers

Working at BPA

Explore a Career at BPA

Employment Opportunities at BPA

Find and apply on BPA positions.

Craft and Skilled

Apprenticeships toggle

Bid List toggle

Student Programs

Pathways Student Internship and Pathways Recent Graduate Programs toggle

Program Requirements toggle

Participant Benefits toggle

View our Pathways Vacancies toggle

Opportunities for Individuals with Disabilities

Schedule A Appointing Authority toggle

Schedule A Application Requirements toggle

BPA Selective Placement Coordinator Contact toggle

Providing Jobs for Veterans

Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998, as amended (VEOA) toggle

Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) toggle

30% or More Disabled Veteran toggle

Occupational Skills Training Program toggle