Airplane Pilot

Summary

This position is located with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), in the BPA Aircraft Services (TAA) organization of Transmission Chief of Staff (TA), Transmission Services (T). Fly multi-engine turbine aircraft across the Pacific Northwest to support critical power grid missions. Join an elite aviation team where your precision flying powers energy infrastructure.

Duties

Take Flight on High-Impact Missions: Power the Pacific Northwest from the Flight Deck At the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), our transmission network delivers approximately 80% of the electrical transmission capacity across the Pacific Northwest, spanning over 15,000 circuit miles and more than 150 substations. Keeping this vital energy lifeline operational and resilient requires rapid, precision air support across rugged terrain and demanding environments. As an Airplane Pilot with BPA Aircraft Services, you will fly multi-engine turbine aircraft (such as Pilatus PC-24), you will serve as a linchpin for regional infrastructure reliability, transporting key agency leaders and technical specialists throughout the Pacific Northwest. If you are an accomplished aviator seeking a dynamic career that pairs exceptional pilot skills with public service impact, this role offers an unmatched flight deck experience. Here are the key duties and operational highlights where your expertise will make a difference: Command Multi-Engine Turbine Aircraft on Regional and International Routes: Serve as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) and Second-in-Command (SIC) operating commuter-category turbine aircraft. You will transport BPA leadership, engineers, and mission-essential personnel safely throughout the Pacific Northwest, other regions of the United States, and across international borders into Canada. Exercise Flight Authority and Operational Risk Management: Act as the operational authority when acting as pilot-in-command. Evaluate weather, route efficiency, and aircraft systems to determine in-flight route changes or make the critical go/no-go safety call to continue, divert, or terminate a mission in alignment with safety policies. Advanced Multi-Crew Cockpit Collaboration: Lead and support operations in a professional, dual-pilot crew environment utilizing modern Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles. Maintain open communications, precise task sharing, and mutual cross-checking to uphold the highest levels of safety and flight discipline. Collaborate with Aircraft Maintenance: Leverage your systems knowledge to support fleet reliability and airworthiness. Work side-by-side with maintenance teams by providing precise operational write-ups, assisting with ground engine run-ups, and conducting functional check flights following aircraft servicing.

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: 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. 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. 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.

Qualifications and evaluation

Category Rating Procedure: You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Once the application process is complete, your resume, supporting documentation, and questionnaire/assessment responses will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the USA Hire Competency Based rating assessment(s) will be evaluated and you will be placed into one of three predefined quality categories. These categories are Best Qualified, Well Qualified, and Qualified. Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. Preference eligibles with a compensable service-connected disability of 10 percent or more are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except scientific or professional at the GS-9 grade level or above (or equivalent). Career Transition Assistance Programs (CTAP): To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified", which is defined as scoring 85.0 or higher. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (09/30/2026) of this announcement. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13068619 USAHire: To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and application questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.

Education

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

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.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes: Your two (2) page RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date). Information on how to create a federal resume https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to/account/documents/resume Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume. Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement. Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements. Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information. Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable (e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition. Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

Additional information

The salary is based on a Special Rate Table, Number 0764: https://apps.opm.gov/SpecialRates/ This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE 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.