Physical Scientist

Duties

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!

At the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), our mission is to power the Pacific Northwest with clean, reliable, and affordable hydroelectricity while championing environmental stewardship and fish and wildlife restoration across the region. As a Physical Scientist within Duty Scheduling, you will stand on the front lines of this mission-serving as a real-time decision-maker behind one of the largest renewable energy assets in North America, the Federal Columbia River Power System.

In this dynamic role, you will apply physical science principles, mathematical modeling, and operational strategy to orchestrate river flow, balance high-stakes clean energy markets, and protect vital biological ecosystems.

• Direct Real-Time Hydropower & Reservoir Operations Oversee dynamic, round-the-clock reservoir and dam operations to continuously balance electrical grid power generation with non-power priorities such as flood risk management, recreation, and water storage.
• Lead Multi-Agency River System Coordination Collaborate directly with federal water management partners (including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation) and regional energy organizations to synchronize daily plant operations, maintenance schedules, and flow requirements.
• Drive Real-Time Energy Market Strategy & Grid Reliability Act as the primary technical authority within the regional energy market, adapting power generation schedules on the fly to support grid stability, meet real-time energy demands, and maximize system efficiency.
• Utilize Advanced Computer Simulation & Hydraulic Modeling Apply scientific principles and state-of-the-art predictive computer models to simulate river behavior, calculate real-time water capacity, and optimize complex operational strategies under changing environmental conditions.
• Champion Environmental Protection & Fishery Mandates Translate biological protection requirements and fishery restoration programs into practical hydro-scheduling decisions, safeguarding wildlife habitats while fulfilling clean energy commitments.
• Manage High-Value Clean Energy Supply Contracts Maintain high-precision model simulations to administer specialized energy contracts, dynamically calculating and communicating real-time capacity and energy allocation rights to regional power utility partners.
• Collaborate & Negotiate Across Inter-Utility Networks Represent generation supply interests during active shifts, working with non-federal utility partners and energy generation stations to resolve after-the-fact dispatch discrepancies, scheduling variances, and operational agreements.
• Provide Technical Mentorship & Operational Leadership Serve as a technical resource on shift for energy marketers and load specialists while actively training and mentoring junior scientists and operational trainees to build team technical excellence.

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• This employer participates in the…