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Power Supply Senior Electrical Technician I

Fermilab · Batavia, IL · $31.13–$37.96 an hour · Full time

Posted Sep 22, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about the most complex power supply system you've been responsible for. What made it hard?

What they are checking: Whether their experience reaches the complex equipment a senior technician is expected to own.

As the subject matter expert for your area, how do you help newer technicians without doing their work for them?

What they are checking: Whether they can teach and guide others, since seniors are visible points of contact.

Tell me about a time you set up a test for new equipment before it went into service.

What they are checking: Whether they can prepare and run test phases that catch issues before equipment reaches operations.

What would you do

A supply has an intermittent fault that only shows up under load every few hours. How do you track it down?

What they are checking: Whether they can design a patient troubleshooting plan with logging and monitoring for hard-to-catch faults.

An engineer's design for a modification looks like it will cause a problem you've seen before. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they share field knowledge with engineers constructively before the problem is built.

How do you balance urgent repairs against planned maintenance and fabrication work?

What they are checking: Whether they can prioritize sensibly and communicate trade-offs with supervisors.

About the work

How do you calibrate a magnet power supply's current regulation, and how do you know it is holding?

What they are checking: Whether they understand regulation loops, current transducers and calibration well enough to verify precision.

What electrical safety rules guide you when testing energized equipment?

What they are checking: Whether they know when energized work is allowed and how to do it safely under NFPA 70E style rules.

How do you write a procedure for a test so someone else can repeat it safely?

What they are checking: Whether they can produce clear written procedures, which the group requires for finished work.

What do you look for in a power supply's history to predict an upcoming failure?

What they are checking: Whether they use records and trends to prevent failures rather than only reacting to them.

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The full job description

As published by Fermilab.

The expected hiring range for this position is: $31.13-$37.96. Please note that the pay range information is a general guideline only. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such the scope and responsibilities of the position, qualifications of the selected candidate, business considerations, internal equity, and external market pay for comparable jobs. This position is not eligible for relocation assistance, and sponsorship assistance. About the Role: Fermilab is seeking a Power Supply Senior Electrical Technician I within our Power Supply Maintenance Group . This person under general supervision, provides moderately complex technical support for an assigned area, typically an experimental or support group. What your day-to-day as a Power Supply Senior Electrical Technician I at Fermilab will look like: • Fabricates, sets-up, calibrates, operates, tests, repairs, and/or modifies a wide variety of complex electrical/electronic and/or mechanical equipment, systems, and devices for Laboratory projects/equipment in the assigned area, based on drawings, diagrams and schematics. • Acts as a visible subject matter expert or point person for technical issues in the assigned area. Assists in construction and assembly of experiment and support equipment. Prepares set-up for testing phases of equipment. Prepares and tests equipment for operation using appropriate diagnostic software. • Writes best practice procedures and documentation for all finished work. Enters relevant work information into a database and/or personal logbook. • Produces reports as assigned. Electronically prepares and compiles technical data and safety records for equipment using databases, spreadsheets, and other appropriate computing software and programs. • Provides complex technical support and maintenance for a wide variety of instruments and equipment in the assigned area. Troubleshoots problems and repairs as needed. • Performs ES&H duties, including environmental surveys, waste disposal, and radiological surveys. • Conducts periodic safety inspections of assigned area, including generation of hazard analyses. Assists in performing radioactive and chemical waste pick-ups, waste segregation, and related documentation. Prepares waste for disposal and packages waste for shipment. • Responds to and leads operational and emergency requirements. May be required to work off-hour shifts or respond to emergency call-ins. • Procures and maintains inventories of small parts, supplies, materials, and equipment. • Assists in the design and development of equipment and systems including providing engineering support activities to assigned projects or tasks. • Directs, mentors, and/or guides the work of other technicians or contractors. As assigned, serves as the lead technician or shift supervisor for specific group projects or tasks. • Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor. • Abides by and is responsible for performing all duties in accordance with all environmental, health and safety regulations and practices pertinent to this position. Skills and Attributes for Success: • HS degree (or technical certificate or equivalent). • 7+ years of extensive related experience or up to 5+ year of DOE laboratory experience or in a technical skill of strategic importance to the laboratory’s mission (e.g. cryo, radio frequency, radiation protection, clean room, etc). Applicable Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Required: • Demonstrated experience in the assigned area. • Possesses and applies comprehensive knowledge of electrical, mechanical and/or ES&H technology concepts, practices, and procedures from extensive experience or academic study. Possesses advanced knowledge in specific areas. • Ability to work on complex projects and assignments. • May be required to legally operate a government vehicle. Work Arrangement: Please note that the described work arrangement is subject to change based on business needs and is not guaranteed to be final. • Onsite: This is an onsite role, and the candidate must be able to work from our Batavia office. Benefits/Perks: Fermilab offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program, including: • Medical, Dental, Vision and Flexible Spending Accounts • Paid time off • Life insurance • Short and Long-term disability insurance • Retirement benefits • Onsite day care Why Fermilab: Fermilab is America’s premier laboratory for particle physics and accelerator research, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. We support discovery science experiments in Illinois and locations around the world, including deep underground mines in South Dakota and Canada, mountaintops in Arizona and Chile, CERN in Europe and the South Pole. Pre-Employment Screening: Drug-Free Workplace & Pre-Employment Screening Fermilab is dedicated to fostering a safe, productive and drug-free environment. An offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and drug screening. HSPD-12 In accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) new employees are required to obtain and maintain a HSPD-12 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Credential. To obtain this credential, new employees must successfully complete and pass a federal background check investigation. This investigation includes a declaration of illegal drug activities, including use, supply, possession, or manufacture. This includes marijuana and cannabis derivatives, which are still considered illegal under federal law, regardless of state laws. Failure to obtain or maintain such government access authorization could result in the withdrawal of a job offer or future termination of employment. Foreign Government Sponsored Activities Fermilab employees, and certain guest researchers and contractors, are subject to particular restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Sponsored or Affiliated Activities, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. Such individuals will be asked to disclose any participation for review by Fermilab's Office of General Counsel. REAL-ID Requirement for access to Fermilab Campus Fermilab requires all members of the public to produce a REAL-ID, or equivalent, to access the Fermilab Campus for interviews or career events. A list of acceptable forms of ID can be found here: https://get-connected.fnal.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/REALID-Documents.pdf . If a candidate is selected for an interview but does not possess any of the equivalent documents, we may schedule a virtual interview. Equal Opportunity Statement Fermilab is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and other legally protected categories.

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