Remote Rural Water Association Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
You will serve as an Electronics Technician with the Bureau of Reclamation, Missouri Basin, Dakotas Area Office, Rural Water Division. You will provide technical expertise to support rural water projects, focusing on installing, maintaining, troubleshooting, and improving electronic and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) control systems used across wide-ranging water treatment and distribution facilities. The Duty Station is negotiable but will be in Bismark, ND or Pierre, SD.
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Duties
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Duties will be developmental in nature when filled below the full performance level.
The major duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:
GS-10 (Developmental Level):

• Assist with installation and maintenance of electronic systems, including SCADA and control equipment.
• Support corrective and preventive maintenance activities for water system electronics.
• Troubleshoot and repair basic electronic components and communication devices.
• Interpret wiring diagrams and assist in resolving system faults under supervision.
• Participate in meetings and coordinate with Tribal and engineering staff on project tasks.

GS-11 (Full Performance Level):

• Independently plan, organize, and implement new and replacement electronic systems for water projects.
• Develop maintenance standards, direct testing, and analyze compatibility of complex electronic components.
• Diagnose and resolve advanced system faults, recommend modifications to improve efficiency.
• Provide technical support and guidance to project personnel, including troubleshooting and repairs.
• Represent the office in meetings with Tribes and agencies, presenting information and coordinating solutions.

Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• Must provide proof of U.S. citizenship.
• Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
• Males born after 12-31-59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• Direct Deposit participation required.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, visit www.dhs.gov/EVerify/.
• Must be fluent in speaking, reading, and writing English.
• You must possess and maintain a valid state driver's license to operate government vehicles required for travel to rural water system facilities.
• You will be required to work in and around operating water treatment plants, pumping stations, storage facilities, and remote rural water system sites where exposure to electrical equipment, hazardous conditions, and inclement weather may occur.
• You must be able to safely work around energized electronic systems, motor controllers, PLCs, SCADA components, communication equipment, and instrumentation associated with water treatment and distribution systems.
• You may be required to travel to remote Tribal and rural project sites, sometimes over rough terrain or in adverse weather, to perform installation, troubleshooting, or repair of electronic systems.
• You must wear required personal protective equipment (PPE), follow all safety regulations, and comply with agency safety requirements while performing maintenance, diagnostics, and repairs on electronic control equipment.
• You must be able to lift, carry, and manipulate tools, test equipment, and electronic system components necessary for repairs and installations, up to 75 pounds.
• You may be required to work occasional overtime or adjusted schedules to support system outages, emergency repairs, or project deadlines.
• You may be required to complete training and maintain certifications relevant to electrical safety, confined space protocols, lockout/tagout, or SCADA/PLC systems as assigned.
• This position may require participation in meetings and coordination with Tribes, State agencies, Federal partners, contractors, and other stakeholders as part of program operations.

**Additional Requirements listed below in the Qualifications Section.
Qualifications
**Requirements continued from above.

• You must be at least (1)18 years old or (2) at least 16 years old and: (a) Have graduated from high school or been awarded a certificate equivalent to graduating from high school; or (b) Have completed a formal vocational training program; or (c) Have received a statement from school authorities agreeing with their preference for employment rather than continuing their education; or (d) Be currently enrolled in a secondary school and either work only during school vacation periods or work part-time during the school year under a formal student employment program.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.
This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest, meet the organization goals and mission of the agency, and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the service.
In determining if your employment advances the public interest, the agency will consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law, the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies, in writing, that the individual's employment should continue and that their appointment should be finalized. In the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period, such appointments are terminated. Upon completion of your probationary your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
QUALIFICATIONS:
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-07/31/2026-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST state either "full-time" (or "40 hours a week") or "part-time" with the number of hours worked per week to ensure proper crediting of specialized experience. Failure to adequately provide information needed to determine number of hours worked in each position may result in that time not being credited when evaluating qualifying experience. For periods of time that reflect military service, the DD-214 or Statement of Service is sufficient to meet the full and/or part-time hours requirement as the service dates will be reflected.
This position requires a special qualification that has been determined to be essential to perform the duties and will be used as a screen out element. If you do not self-certify in the Assessment Questionnaire that you meet the following selective factor, you will be rated not qualified.
Selective Placement Factor: Must be fluent in speaking, reading, and writing English prior to entrance on duty.
- AND -
Minimum Qualification Requirements: To qualify for this position, you must meet the following minimum qualifications:
GS-10 Level. You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-9 level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors) that demonstrates the ability to apply comprehensive, practical knowledge of electronic theory, digital and analog circuitry, and electronic troubleshooting methods to maintain, install, and repair SCADA and electronic control systems used in water treatment and rural water projects.
Examples of qualifying specialized experience may include:

• Performing preventive and corrective maintenance on SCADA systems, PLCs, motor controllers, instrumentation, radios, and communication equipment.
• Troubleshooting faulty signals, failed components, and communication issues using diagnostic tools.
• Reading and interpreting wiring diagrams and system drawings to isolate electronic problems.
• Replacing electronic components and sub-assemblies and verifying operability through functional testing.
• Identifying appropriate substitute parts when originals are obsolete.
• Requesting replacement components and documenting maintenance actions.

-OR-
GS-11. You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-10 level that demonstrates the advanced skill applying in depth knowledge of complex SCADA architectures, electronic control theory, and the interactions among integrated analog/digital sub-assemblies to maintain overall system integrity across multiple water treatment and distribution facilities.
Examples of qualifying specialized experience may include:

• Troubleshooting complex, system-wide SCADA or electronic control failures involving multiple integrated components.
• Analyzing system performance trends and identifying root causes of recurring or multi-layered electronic issues.
• Developing or modifying diagnostic procedures, maintenance methods, or testing approaches to improve system reliability.
• Researching and selecting compatible substitute components for obsolete equipment to maintain system continuity.
• Coordinating with engineering staff to evaluate control logic, system interactions, and impacts of equipment upgrades.
• Maintaining overall system integrity across multiple facilities by assessing interactions among processors, integrated circuits, and communication hardware.

Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). 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.
Education
This position does not allow substituting education for experience.
Additional information
Additional vacancies may be filled using this job announcement.
Promotion to the full performance level is neither guaranteed nor implied and will be based solely on your ability to satisfactorily perform the work of the position, existing work at the higher grade level, and recommendation by the position's supervisor.
If otherwise eligible and qualified, you may be offered a recruitment or relocation incentive. The decision to offer an incentive will be made on a case-by-case basis and is neither promised nor guaranteed. For information visit: Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive.
Related Non-Federal experience or related experience as retired members of the uniformed services may be credited towards computing entitlement to leave accrual, at managerial discretion, providing that experience meets certain criteria. This provision allows new employees to earn annual leave at a higher rate than would otherwise be allowed. (5 Code of Federal Regulations, 630).
Physical Demands:

• Long periods of standing, walking on uneven ground, and working outdoors.
• Frequent bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, and climbing to reach equipment.
• Regular climbing of ladders and steep stairs, sometimes while carrying tools or equipment.
• Lifting materials and tools up to 75 pounds.
• Working in tight or confined spaces, often requiring extended time on ladders.

Working Conditions:

• Regular work at construction, industrial, marine, and outdoor sites in varied conditions.
• Exposure to water-system facilities, including electrical and mechanical equipment areas.
• Environments with noise, dust, wet or slippery surfaces, and temperature extremes.
• Situations requiring strict safety compliance, including electrical safety and lockout/tagout.
• Travel to remote rural or Tribal locations, sometimes over rough terrain, for maintenance or system support.

All Department of Interior (DOI) employees, their spouses, and minor children may not acquire or retain any claim, permit, lease, small tract entry, or other rights granted by the Department in Federal lands, with limited exceptions. Additional ethics prohibitions can be found here, https://www.doi.gov/ethics/ethics-prohibitions.
Current surplus and current or former displaced Federal individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) must be well qualified for the position to receive consideration for special priority selection. Well qualified means that the applicant meets the following: OPM qualification standards for the position; all selective placement factors, where applicable; special qualifying conditions that OPM has approved for the position, where applicable; is physically qualified with reasonable accommodation, where appropriate to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry; and is rated by the organization at least at the well qualified level.
The duties of this position are suitable for telework and the selectee may be allowed to telework with supervisor approval.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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