Human Resources Assistant

Summary This position is within either the Recruitment & Placement or Benefits & HR Processing team of the Department of Energy's BPA Human Resources Service Center. Depending on the team you join, you'll either serve as a guide for applicants, ensuring all hiring actions are accurate and compliant with federal regulations, or you will manage key employee data-such as pay actions, promotions, and benefits-to support our dedicated workforce. Duties Power the Future: Be the Human Connection Behind Public Service! Bonneville Power Administration is at the forefront of the Pacific Northwest's energy landscape, and our mission is powered by our people. As a Human Resources Assistant, you will be a critical part of the team that builds and supports our dedicated workforce. You will provide essential services that directly impact the careers and well-being of every employee, ensuring BPA can continue to deliver clean, reliable energy to the region. In this role, you will specialize in one of two key areas: If you join our Benefits & HR Processing team, you will: Ensure the integrity of our workforce data by processing and finalizing official personnel actions, such as promotions and new appointments, serving as the final quality check. Act as an HR detective, investigating complex employee histories to resolve retroactive pay or benefits issues in collaboration with legal and employee relations experts. Serve as a pay and compensation specialist, analyzing and applying complex regulations to solve payroll discrepancies and guarantee every employee is paid accurately and on time. Welcome new employees by managing their onboarding process, helping them navigate and enroll in critical benefits like retirement, health insurance, and other valuable programs. If you join our Recruitment & Placement team, you will: Act as the central support hub for our staffing program, providing clear and timely information to applicants and managers about hiring processes, application status, and diverse job opportunities. Become the team's specialist on our automated HR systems, providing expert advice and guidance to ensure hiring actions are processed smoothly and efficiently. Serve as a guardian of compliance by interpreting and applying federal regulations and internal policies to prepare official hiring actions for final approval. Meticulously craft and review recruitment communications, ensuring every detail is accurate and professional to provide a best-in-class experience for candidates and hiring teams. Requirements Conditions of employment 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. Qualifications SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: GS-05: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-04) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience in completing recurring assignments using established procedures and standard methods of operation to set up and manage paper or electronic filing systems, record information, update paperwork, or maintain documents (e.g., attendance records, employee benefits forms, correspondence); and create, maintain, enter, and/or verify information into databases. You may substitute education for specialized experience as follows: - Four years above high school, obtained in an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university gained in a curriculum that is qualifying for the position. One year of full-time academic study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university, or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business, secretarial, or technical school. -OR - - Combination of education and experience as described above, equivalent to one year of experience. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirement. One full academic year of study (30 semester hours) beyond the second year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. GS-06: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: Experience in applying standard human resource management guidelines to: utilize personal computers and software programs to extract, revise, or sort information from files, records, or databases; and research and resolve errors or discrepancies in personnel records; review work for completeness and accuracy. There is no substitution of education at the GS-06 level "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. 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. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement. Education If substituting education for specialized experience you must submit proof of your qualifying education. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. See Department of Education Accreditation Search to verify school accreditation. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.DO NOT email or mail in any of your application documents. Documents will not be accepted outside of the online application system. Failure to provide college transcripts may result in a rating of 'Ineligible'. Additional information This position is located in Portland, OR which boasts huge spans of amazing trees, foliage, landscape, and everywhere you look you can appreciate beautiful greenery! It is known as the most bike-friendly city in America, has a train system that greets you at the airport spanning across the city, and is home to the Portland International Rose Garden, the oldest in the country! Portland is the one place where you will find lively festivals, energetic music, mouthwatering food, and for you basketball fans, the Portland Trail Blazers are a 7 minute walk from the HQs building! There is always something new to experience in this eco-friendly town! This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE EEO Policy: USAJOBS 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 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 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. 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 A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.