Career Center

The Substation Operator Apprenticeship program is a formal 4-year program consisting of eight steps of 6 months each. Apprentices must pass an end-of-step review following each 6-month step to remain in this program. Apprentices will be promoted to journeyman after successfully passing the eighth step review.

A successful candidate in the position of Substation Operator Apprentice II will, under direct supervision of a journeyman Substation Operator or another journeyman Electrical Worker, operating high voltage electrical equipment in electrical power transmission system substations and on transmission lines. Specific tasks vary with the type of substation to be operated.

A Substation Operator Apprentice II:

• Operates energized high and low voltage electrical power transmission system substations following strict procedures and safety requirements.
• Checks and reviews station conditions. Responsible for station security and safety of others in the station.
• Performs inspections on all high and low voltage equipment in substations and keeps records. Periodically inspects station, including all components in the switchyard, outlying buildings, and the perimeter of the property.
• Monitors and operates various communications systems. All processes require clear oral communication.
• Completes associated documentation required of the above listed tasks.
• Drives 15-20% of the time in all weather conditions.

Conditions of Employment:

• 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.
• Satisfactory completion of all aspects of each step including the correspondence course and classroom instruction is mandatory for advancement to the next step. Failure to meet apprentice program requirements contained in the Standard of Apprenticeship will result in removal from the apprenticeship program.
• Become knowledgeable with and follow the safety practices of the BPA Accident Prevention Manual.
• Establish a residence in accordance with negotiated requirements that is within one hour or less commuting time under normal weather and road conditions to the duty station headquarters.
• Possess at all time a valid state driver's license. Traffic citations indicating poor driving habits may disqualify applicants, and can be cause for removal from the program.
• Obtain certification on the equipment associated with substation operations assigned to operate.
• Posses or obtain a Restricted Electrical Workers' permit within the one-year of employment and maintain it continuously thereafter.
• Take First Aid training to obtain a First Aid and CPR Card within the first month of employment and maintain continuously thereafter.
• Subject to call for emergency work at any time.
• As part of the job requirements, and at the discretion of the Chief Substation Operator III, the Substation Operator Apprentice shall be required to apply restricted use pesticides and may be required to obtain a pesticide applicator's license.
• In addition to a successful evaluation on the final review, the Step 7 Apprentice must pass the current year's Standard Clearance Certification examination. Satisfactory completion of the clearance certification examination is a mandatory requirement for graduation to the journeyman level.
• The Apprentices may be selected for and relocated to their first assigned duty station during the last 6 months of their apprenticeship program in accordance with BPA-CPTC memorandum of understanding (MOU) applicable to apprentice placement.
• This position requires a pre-employment 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.
• 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.

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 Substation Operator Apprentice II is defined as training or experience in the basic operation of power systems (e.g., transmission, distribution, generation) and equipment to include reading different types of electrical diagrams and identifying symbols common to a power system. Failure to meet this Screen out Element will result in an ineligible rating.

The next Substation Operator Apprentice class is scheduled to begin in July 2022.