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Continuity Watch Officer

Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation

Summary

This position is located in Division of Emergency Preparedness and Responses. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies within the agency. The supervisor is Anthony Bowers.


Candidates hired at Grade 13 will be eligible for a non-competitive promotion to Grade 14 upon successful completion of the Continuity Watch Officer certification program and meeting other qualifications/eligibility requirements.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
2 vacancies in the following locations:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Salary
$121,785 - $158,322 per year
Pay scale & grade
GG 13
Promotion potential
14
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
Yes
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Sensitive Compartmented Information
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Financial disclosure required
Yes
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
DEST-13024928-26-KS
Control number
879433500

Duties

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The successful candidate will perform the full range of servicing as a technical authority, exercise coordinator, and watch officer responsible for maintaining continuous situational awareness of events affecting NRC licensed facilities, agency operations, and national continuity requirements. Performs an initial assessment of operational notifications, determining safety or security significance, initiating NRC response protocols, and ensuring accurate, timely communication with NRC leadership and interagency partners during routine, emergent, or crisis conditions.

Such duties include but are not limited to:

  • Receives, reviews, and analyzes event reports submitted under pertinent parts of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations; obtains clarifying information from licensees to determine safety/security significance and potential radiological consequences; initiates notifications to NRC management, federal agencies, and stakeholders for significant events.
  • Maintain continuous situational awareness of domestic and international events-including all-source intelligence-and serve as the initial technical authority for emergency declarations and NRC response actions.
  • Serves as the NRC technical representative in designated operations/continuity facilities (e.g., the Alternate Site Continuity Center, NRC Operations Center, Region IV Incident Response Center); applies independent judgment to determine NRC actions and elevate issues to maintain agencywide situational awareness.
  • Operates, maintains, and tests secure and nonsecure telecommunications systems, IT networks, and emergency operations facilities to ensure operational readiness; reports to designated facilities during hazardous weather, continuity activations, or office closures to support sustained continuity of operations (COOP) and continuity of government (COG) operations.
  • Support development and coordination of continuity and incident response program training and exercises in accordance with Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP); designs scenarios and evaluates effectiveness; conducts critiques and recommends improvements to reporting processes, response procedures, equipment, and interagency coordination to enhance COOP and incident response readiness.
  • Handle sensitive, Safeguards, and classified information; apply operational security (OPSEC) and federal security policies; and coordinate with NRC leadership and interagency partners during routine and emergency operations.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

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:

  • U.S. Citizenship Required
  • This is a Drug Testing position
  • Must be able to meet and maintain security & suitability requirements.
  • As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
    • your performance and conduct;
    • the needs and interests of the agency;
    • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
    • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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: performing operational event assessment, maintaining situational awareness, and supporting continuity and incident-response programs. This experience includes evaluating licensee event reports, determining safety or security significance, initiating notifications to leadership and interagency partners, and operating secure and nonsecure communications systems and emergency facilities. The applicant has developed and executed continuity and incident-response training and exercises, produced accurate operational reports and briefings, maintained Continuity (COOP/COG) readiness, and handled sensitive, Safeguards, and classified information in accordance with operational security (OPSEC) and federal security requirements. The applicant has coordinated with internal and external partners and demonstrated sound judgment in high-pressure or time-critical situations.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

  1. Demonstrated ability to receive, analyze, and assess operational event reports; determine safety/security significance; and initiate appropriate NRC notifications and response protocols.
  2. Experience maintaining continuous situational awareness of domestic/international events and acting as a technical point of contact during emergent or crisis conditions.
  3. Demonstrated ability to operate, test, and maintain secure and nonsecure communications systems, IT networks, and emergency operations facilities to ensure operational readiness.
  4. Experience leading, developing, or coordinating continuity and incident-response exercises, training, and planning products.
  5. Demonstrated ability to prepare, review, and publish operational reports and briefings, ensuring accuracy, clarity, technical correctness, and compliance.
  6. Experience operating under high-pressure or time-critical conditions, handling sensitive and classified information, and applying OPSEC, security, and continuity policies.
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. 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

There are no education requirement for this position.

Additional information

This position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy.

This position is not subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements at the GG-13 level. However, upon promotion to the GG-14 level, the position will become subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements.

This position is not subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements at the GG-13 level. However, upon promotion to the GG-14 level, the position will become subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.

The NRC is a zero-tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for these positions will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing.

A transferable security clearance from another agency or a background investigation leading to a clearance is required for all new hires. To begin work at the NRC without a security clearance, you must be granted a temporary waiver of the required clearance, referred to as a 145(b) waiver. To be eligible for a 145(b) waiver you will need a favorable education verification, reference, credit, and criminal history checks. If a waiver is granted, the successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication is required for continued employment.

If you have resided outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, the agency may not be able to (1) grant the 145(b) waiver where the required investigation cannot be completed in a timely manner, or (2) achieve timely completion of the background investigation required for a security clearance.

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.

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 resume that directly relates to this position.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

If you are curious, inspired, or interested in bringing your energy to a committed team in a dynamic science, engineering, technical, or administrative career, consider the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). We are professionals dedicated to protecting people and the environment by safeguarding the use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry, and research.

NRC is an independent agency established to protect public health and safety as nuclear energy fuels electrical power and a variety of industrial, medical, and research applications. We come from varied educational and experiential backgrounds-the military, industry, and academia.

The NRC prides itself on creating a work environment rich in opportunity, leadership, training, teamwork and work life balance. Help guide our nation into the next generation of nuclear safety by completing your USAJOBs profile and reviewing our job announcements! Begin a challenging career with the NRC where you can be a part of a select group of professionals who protect people and the environment with the peaceful use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry and research.

Agency contact information

Kate Suh
Phone
301-415-0042
Email
Kate.Suh@nrc.gov
Address
Division of Emergency Preparedness and Responses
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
US

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https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/employment

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