This position is located in Division of Engineering.
The supervisor is Raj Iyengar
This position IS subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. This position IS subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.
Summary
This position is located in Division of Engineering.
The supervisor is Raj Iyengar
This position IS subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. This position IS subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.
The successful candidate will perform the full range of the Senior Program Manager, manages and administers the agency's Code and Standards program involving reactor and nuclear safety research, providing technical authority responsibility for the codes and standards, guidance development, policy development, and enhanced safety in NRC programs and processes. Assignments involve leading and managing projects of agency-wide scope. The incumbent serves as a recognized authority on Codes and Standards program involving reactor safety projects by top level management officials within and outside the agency.
Such duties include but are not limited to:
Manages and administers the agency's Code and Standards program by providing strategic planning and technical guidance, support and coordination to enhance regulatory effectiveness. Provides authoritative expertise and advice to branch and division management in technical studies in support of consensus codes and standards, guidance development, policy development, and enhanced safety in NRC programs and processes. Responsible for planning and coordinating activities of projects that stretch across organizational boundaries. Ensures that project tasks are accomplished by staff in the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, as well as in other offices, in a manner that is effective and efficient and minimizes unnecessary regulatory burden activities.
Leads in and manages broad and complex projects that involve the most complex and breadth of scope for the agency. Serves as an authoritative agency representative in interacting with internal and external stakeholders on matters associated with reactor safety project(s). Oversees all aspects of projects and ensures the vast variety of project elements are appropriately and effectively addressed, including, but are not limited to, budget and schedule, and project risks. Exercises technically authoritative expertise in providing input to budget formulation for unique and complex special projects. Manages comprehensive project plans, including goals, tasks, assignments, date coordination, meetings, briefings, deliverables, and required references. Reviews, comments, and monitors implementation progress of communication plans and draft memoranda for assigned programs and processes.
Reviews and provides programmatic and technical assistance on the division's research program plans. Provides definitive strategic, operating and performance assistance for advance planning for division's research activities. Assists the Branch Chief in ensuring that division staff work activities are effectively aligned with the needs of user offices, and divisional staff. Ensures that divisional work products are technically-sound, coherent and responsive to user needs, and consistent with the division's mission. Accurately represents and clearly articulates the RES office view and position. Remains well informed on assigned NRC advanced reactor programs and internal and external developments that may affect these programs.
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.
All information in your resume must be true and accurate.
Conditions of Employment:
This is a Drug Testing position
Must be able to meet and maintain security & suitability requirements.
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.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as: the experience that demonstrates the knowledge of NRC regulations, consensus codes and standards, guidance development, in order to efficiently manage and administer the agency's Codes and Standards program involving reactor and nuclear safety.
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.
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:
1. Demonstrated knowledge of NRC's regulations, codes and standards, guidance development, policy development, and enhanced safety in NRC programs and processes.
(Example) Describe your experience that demonstrates your knowledge of NRC's regulations codes and standards, guidance development, policy development, and enhanced safety in NRC programs and processes. Examples may include impactful experience in licensing, inspection, regulatory research, technical review, etc. Include multiple examples of where you led or had a key role in applying your NRC knowledge in significant, complex situations.
2. Demonstratedability to lead risk-informed decision-making and/or innovation and transformation related to codes and standards, regulatory framework, guides and criteria, and regulatory oversight programs or policy issues related to commercial light-water nuclear power reactors, advanced reactors, non-power reactors, or other similar regulated entities.
(Example) Describe your experience and accomplishments to leading change related to risk-informed decision-making and/or innovation and transformation. Discuss examples of where you led or had a lead role in significant, complex projects. For each example, discuss the challenge, context, the actions you took, and the results, including the outcome and the impact on the organization.
3. Demonstratedability to prioritize, plan, manage, and administer complex licensing and research programs involving reactor and nuclear safety, including licensing, codes and standards, guidance development, policy development for enhanced safety in NRC programs and processes for regulated entities.
(Example) Describe your experience managing significant, unique, controversial, or complex projects related to licensing, codes and standards, guidance development, policy development for enhanced safety in NRC programs and processes for regulated entities. Discuss examples of where you led significant, complex licensing, codes and standards, regulatory oversight, rulemaking or guidance development projects. For each example, discuss the challenge of the project, context, your specific role and the actions you took, and the results, including the outcome and the impact on the design, licensing, operation, and/or regulation of these types of facilities.
4. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with a broad range of audiences on technical and policy issues, challenges, and resolutions.
(Example) Describe specific experience, training, and accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to effectively communicate technical and policy issues, challenges and resolutions. Describe examples of significant oral communications and impactful written products. Describe your ability to prepare written documents such as licensing actions, inspection reports, technical information proposals, research reports, significant briefings, and public communications. Provide at least three specific examples for both written and oral communication with particular focus on coordinating integrated team reviews, risk-informed decision making, leading change, and conducting meetings with diverse stakeholders and management. Be sure to describe the audience, the nature and complexity of the communication, and the outcome of such communication. Be sure to specify with whom you communicated.
5. Demonstrated ability in interpersonal relations and persuasion for the purpose of obtaining acceptance on technically desirable solutions and/or procedures through resolution of differing technical views to reach consensus and to establish effective working relationships with various audiences.
(Example) Describe specific experience that demonstrates your ability in interpersonal relations and persuasion for the purpose of obtaining acceptance on technically desirable solutions and/or procedures through resolution of differing technical views to reach consensus and to establish effective working relationships with various audiences. Discuss examples of where you led or had a lead role in resolving differences to reach consensus in significant, complex situations. Describe your experience in establishing effective working relationships with executives as various levels, supervisors, subordinates, peers, vendors, professional associations, the public, and government and industry officials. Describe challenges you encountered in working relationships and how you utilized your interpersonal skills to resolved them. For each example, discuss the challenge, context, the actions you took, and the results, including the outcome and the impact on the organization.
A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate must be addressed in your resume. The NRC encourages applicants to provide job experience details in your resume. Applicants may also use the supplemental vacancy question to provide additional information pertaining to the specialized experience and ideal candidate criteria.
PLEASE BE CLEAR AND CONCISE. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Education
Qualification for All Professional Engineering 0800 Series:
Basic Requirements:
Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: (1) lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or (2) include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas of engineering science or physics: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.
OR
Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished (1) a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and (2) a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their applications to one of the branches of The adequacy of such background must be demonstrated by one of the following:
Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT)1, or licensure as a Professional Engineer (PE) by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico. Absent other means of qualifying under this standard, those applicants who achieved such registration by means other than written test (e.g., State grandfather or eminence provisions) are eligible only for positions that are within or closely related to the specialty field of their registration. For example, an applicant who attains registration through a State Board's eminence provision as a manufacturing engineer typically would be rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.
Written Test -- Evidence of having successfully passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE)2 examination or any other written test required for professional registration by an engineering licensure board in the various States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Specified academic courses -- Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and that included the courses specified in the basic requirements under paragraph A. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of an engineering program as described in paragraph A.
Related curriculum -- Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate scientific field, g., engineering technology, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology, may be accepted in lieu of a bachelor's degree in engineering, provided the applicant has had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. Ordinarily there should be either an established plan of intensive training to develop professional engineering competence, or several years of prior professional engineering-type experience, e.g., in interdisciplinary positions. (The above examples of related curricula are not all-inclusive.)
More detailed information about these alternatives are described in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards Operating Manual which may be accessed at the following website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule- qualification-standards/0800/materials-engineering-series-0806/n
FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.
Additional information
The duty location of this position could be Rockville, MD, King of Prussia, PA, Atlanta, GA, Naperville, IL or Arlington, TX. This position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
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.
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.
As an NRC employee you will enjoy excellent Federal Benefits, including:
Comprehensive health and life insurance plans
Flexible Spending Account Program for health and dependent care
Dental and Vision Insurance
Retirement savings and investment plan similar to 401(k) (Thrift Savings Plan)
Annual (vacation) and paid sick leave
Family friendly leave policies
11 paid holidays per year
Transit benefits
This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees.
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.
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. Your application will be evaluated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to any vacancy questions to determine your level of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job requirements. You must respond to all required application questions.
If you are among the top candidates for this position, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for possible interview and selection based upon the number of available vacancies to be filled in each office.
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 concise resume that directly relates to this position.
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.
As an NRC employee you will enjoy excellent Federal Benefits, including:
Comprehensive health and life insurance plans
Flexible Spending Account Program for health and dependent care
Dental and Vision Insurance
Retirement savings and investment plan similar to 401(k) (Thrift Savings Plan)
Annual (vacation) and paid sick leave
Family friendly leave policies
11 paid holidays per year
Transit benefits
This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees.
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.
The following documents are required for your application package to be complete. If you fail to provide any required documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); and 4) other qualifications. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. See below for Additional Resume Information.
SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action): You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive status or reinstatement eligibility. This SF-50 should not be an award SF-50. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.
Additional Resume Information:
Your resume is crucial in our evaluation of your qualifications. Resumes should clearly demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Please limit your résumé to 2 pages. To ensure your resume contains all required information, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, please ensure it contains all the required information, and you organize it so we can associate the following information with each experience/position:
Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year) format
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will pro-rate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Concise, results-focused language for job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable).
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position).
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) or other inappropriate material on your resume or cover letter. If your resume contains prohibited information as listed above, your application may be determined ineligible, and you will not receive consideration for this position. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter, links to social media such as LinkedIn, to determine your qualifications. Cover letters are optional.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin an application. To be considered for this position, you must complete the online application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 04/30/2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. For a preview of the application questions, please see https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12937478.
Your complete application must include your resume, responses to all required vacancy questions, and any required documents that prove your eligibility to apply.
To begin your application, select the "Apply" button located on the right side of this screen. Follow the subsequent prompts to log in or register, submit all required documents, answer the questions, and complete the application process. You may either select your required documents within your USAJOBS profile to upload with your application or directly upload them during the application process. The following types of document types can be uploaded: .gif, jpg., .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, .doc, and .docx.
Important Considerations:
Paper Applications: Paper applications will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate hardship circumstances through the agency contact listed below.
Application Extensions: Requests for application extensions will not be granted.
Hardship Assistance: If you experience hardship applying online, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below for assistance. You must reach out during business hours before the announcement closing date and speak with someone who can provide support for your online submission.
The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the coordinator at (301) 415-5888 or TDD 240-482-3217. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Division of Engineering
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
US
Next steps
You may check the status of your application at any time after the announcement closes by logging onto USAJOBs and selecting "Application Status." You will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your resume, question responses, and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and/or security background investigation.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
The following documents are required for your application package to be complete. If you fail to provide any required documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); and 4) other qualifications. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. See below for Additional Resume Information.
SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action): You must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive status or reinstatement eligibility. This SF-50 should not be an award SF-50. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.
Additional Resume Information:
Your resume is crucial in our evaluation of your qualifications. Resumes should clearly demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Please limit your résumé to 2 pages. To ensure your resume contains all required information, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, please ensure it contains all the required information, and you organize it so we can associate the following information with each experience/position:
Job title
Name of employer
Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year) format
Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will pro-rate part-time employment in crediting experience.
Concise, results-focused language for job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable).
Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position).
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) or other inappropriate material on your resume or cover letter. If your resume contains prohibited information as listed above, your application may be determined ineligible, and you will not receive consideration for this position. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter, links to social media such as LinkedIn, to determine your qualifications. Cover letters are optional.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin an application. To be considered for this position, you must complete the online application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 04/30/2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. For a preview of the application questions, please see https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12937478.
Your complete application must include your resume, responses to all required vacancy questions, and any required documents that prove your eligibility to apply.
To begin your application, select the "Apply" button located on the right side of this screen. Follow the subsequent prompts to log in or register, submit all required documents, answer the questions, and complete the application process. You may either select your required documents within your USAJOBS profile to upload with your application or directly upload them during the application process. The following types of document types can be uploaded: .gif, jpg., .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, .doc, and .docx.
Important Considerations:
Paper Applications: Paper applications will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate hardship circumstances through the agency contact listed below.
Application Extensions: Requests for application extensions will not be granted.
Hardship Assistance: If you experience hardship applying online, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below for assistance. You must reach out during business hours before the announcement closing date and speak with someone who can provide support for your online submission.
The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the coordinator at (301) 415-5888 or TDD 240-482-3217. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Division of Engineering
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
US
Next steps
You may check the status of your application at any time after the announcement closes by logging onto USAJOBs and selecting "Application Status." You will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your resume, question responses, and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and/or security background investigation.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
