Clarification from the agency

All NRC Employees are encouraged to apply. Based on the staffing needs of the agency/area of consideration, additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement.

As a Senior Nuclear Engineer in NRR’s Nuclear Methods and Fuel Analysis Branch or Nuclear Systems Performance Branch, you will be responsible for the following pertaining to light-water power facilities:

1) reviewing and evaluating design, process design parameters, and performance of reactor systems and nuclear fuel designs, including fuel performance, thermal hydraulic, and reactivity phenomena under steady-state, transient and accident conditions for licensing basis events;

2) conducting reactor systems confirmatory analyses;

3) reviewing and evaluating policy issues related to reactor systems methodologies and requirements for proposed designs;

4) preparing safety evaluation reports (SERs), audit reports, and other documentation; 

5) presenting results of evaluations to internal and external stakeholders (e.g., NRC Commission, NRC Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS), NRC Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, international regulatory counterparts, industry and non-governmental organization representatives, the public); and

6) performing technical audits related to reactor systems performance and licensing basis event evaluation.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• This is a Drug Testing position.

You must meet the qualifications for this position by no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector.  

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

1. Demonstrated capacity to apply the theories, principles, and practices in the field of reactor systems and nuclear fuel sufficient to evaluate designs, process design parameters, and review performance for a variety of light-water power facilities and nuclear fuel designs. (Describe specific experience, education, and training that demonstrate your ability to apply your knowledge related to reactor systems design, neutronic and thermal-hydraulic behavior and fuel designs for light-water power facilities.  Also describe experience with any other designs, such as new power or non-power production or utilization facilities. Include examples relative to both thermal hydraulic and reactivity phenomena under steady-state, transient and accident conditions for licensing basis events and issues related to qualification of nuclear fuel designs. Highlight experience in performing computer-assisted analyses in the area of nuclear fuel, reactor thermal-hydraulics and/or core physics for licensing basis event analysis).
2. Demonstrated ability in formulating sound technical judgements, making technical or policy recommendations, and finding solutions to unique first of a kind technical or policy challenges regarding issues pertaining to event evaluation in the areas of core physics, fuel behavior, reactivity control system and control rod design, and core thermal-hydraulic performance. (Describe education, training and experience that demonstrate your ability to formulate technical judgments. Provide examples of judgments, recommendations, or actions you have taken regarding unique first of a kind technical or policy issues pertaining to core physics, fuel behavior, reactivity control system and core thermal-hydraulic performance. Describe your ability to identify complex issues and recommend successful approaches for resolution for areas representing a departure from past precedent, or in the absence of applicable guidance. Highlight examples that demonstrate resourcefulness, initiative, and ingenuity in reaching work objectives. Include specific examples that describe the complexity of the work, and your ability to organize, prioritize and accomplish work such as reactor systems reviews, or authorship of technical or policy papers.) 
3. Demonstrated knowledge of NRC rules, regulations, and policies pertaining to light-water or non-light-water power or non-power production or utilization facilities through familiarity with NRC’s advanced reactor vison, strategy, and policy activities, reactor licensing regulations, passive reactor design policies, system design standards, and regulatory guides and practices. Demonstrated application of this regulatory knowledge through the performance of licensing activities related to nuclear reactors such as recommending and implementing improvements to regulations, guidance, and technical review processes related to nuclear engineering. (Describe specific experience, training, and accomplishments that demonstrate your familiarity with NRC rules, regulations, and policies pertaining to light-water and non-light-water power or non-power production or utilization facilities. Include several technical work examples and describe the complexity of the issues. Highlight licensing experience evaluating reactor system performance under steady state, transient, and accident conditions, and experience with new light-water and non-light-water power or non-power production or utilization facilities. Include specific examples that demonstrate your experience recommending and implementing improvements to regulations, guidance and technical review processes related to nuclear engineering.)
4. Demonstrated ability to communicate information, ideas, and advice in a clear, concise, and logical manner, both orally and in writing. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with management and staff, colleagues, and representatives of external organizations. (Describe education, training, and experience which demonstrate your ability to present information, ideas, and advice in a clear, concise, and logical manner both orally and in writing. Describe your ability to deal effectively with various levels of staff, to coordinate and prepare documents using various inputs. Describe the various types and levels of individuals you routinely interact with and for what purposes. What types of original writing do you generate? With whom do you communicate orally and for what purpose? What types of working relationships have you made, with whom, and how frequently? Include examples of situations where it was necessary for you to use tact, diplomacy, and negotiation skills to achieve cooperation or consensus when interacting with staff, management, or the general public.)

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as experience technically and analytically reviewing, numerically modeling or evaluating design, operation, or performance of the reactor core, fuel designs, or reactor systems for nuclear reactors.

A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate should be addressed in your resume.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

When the application process is complete, your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the job requirements.  You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to any vacancy questions to determine your level of knowledge, skill and ability related to the job requirements.  If you are among the top candidates for this position, your application will be referred to the hiring manager.

Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position.  Therefore, we encourage you to submit a thorough resume that directly relates to this position.