Summary This position is in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), Division of Reactor Oversight (DRO), Reactor Assessment Branch (IRAB). The supervisor is Pat Finney. Selectee is subject to Office of Government Ethics Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements and security ownership restriction reporting requirements. This position is in the Bargaining Unit with the National Treasury Union, Chapter 208. Responsibilities As a Senior Reactor Operations Engineer or Scientist, you will serve as a leading technical authority and senior-level professional staff member in charge of the most complex assignments associated with ensuring the NRC's oversight of commercial power reactors, including those under construction or decommissioning, is effective, accurate, and credible through inspection, policy development, coordination, implementation, assessment, and enhancement. You will review and develop oversight processes, policy, and guidance. Additionally, you will evaluate the implementation of the reactor oversight processes (ROP) at NRC headquarters and regional offices and take action in response to feedback on the impact of NRC activities. Responsibilities you will be assigned include but are not limited to: 1. Provide primary program management and technical direction for the reactor oversight and construction reactor oversight processes (ROP) with an emphasis on improving the safety and risk focus of inspections and assessment activities. 2. Develop inspection related program guidance for NRC inspections of commercial nuclear power facilities, including operating facilities and those under construction or decommissioning. 3. Determine inspection scope and attributes to evaluate licensee safety performance by focusing on licensee programs and hardware that make significant contributions to safe operation. 4. Ensure that inspection procedures provide a basis for determining the quality of licensee performance in the areas covered in the inspection. 5. Prepare responses to public and Congressional inquiries regarding assigned areas of responsibility and NRC activities. Represents NRC in public forums. 6. Provide technical expertise for regional inspections, providing instant decisions and direction, when needed. 7. Initiate programs to develop new (or changed) concepts for operating commercial power reactor inspections and implements corresponding trial programs by determining the details needed to adequately test the concept. Prepare the documentation needed to include the new concept or approach in the routine established program of reactor inspection. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship Required This is a Drug Testing position. Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires. Subject to security ownership restrictions and reporting requirements. Subject to random drug testing during 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. Qualifications In order to qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (GG/GS-14) in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as: Experience that demonstrates expert knowledge of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's reactor oversight process (ROP) and associated inspection and other programs and regulations pertaining to the regulatory assessment of operating commercial nuclear power reactor facilities. 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 and may also be addressed in the vacancy question provided for your supplemental response. Brief (e.g., one page) resumes are discouraged, as they may place you at a disadvantage during the hiring process due to insufficient information. The IDEAL CANDIDATE will be able to demonstrate the following: 1. Demonstrated expert knowledge of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) reactor oversight process (ROP) including risk significance determination as applied to operating, construction, and decommissioning commercial nuclear reactor power plant inspections, operations, maintenance, engineering, and plant support areas of performance. (In your resume, describe your experience with the NRC’s ROP at commercial nuclear reactor facilities. Describe substantive experience in applying inspection knowledge (i.e., observe, identify issues, evaluate, and assess overall performance in) to operating, construction, and decommissioning commercial nuclear power plant performance assessments.) 2. Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) rules, regulations, and policies governing implementation of the reactor oversight process (ROP) and nuclear reactor systems regulatory reviews through familiarity with codes and standards, regulatory guides, and practices. (In your resume, describe specific experience, training, and accomplishments which demonstrate your knowledge of industry codes and standards, and NRC rules, regulations and guidance governing the ROP and operation of commercial nuclear reactor power systems. Include several examples of such work and describe the complexity of the issue.) 3. Demonstrated skill in identifying complex commercial nuclear power reactor regulatory and safety issues and recommending successful approaches for resolution. (In your resume, describe specific experience, training, and accomplishments which demonstrate your skill with identifying complex commercial nuclear power reactor issues and recommending successful approaches for resolution. Highlight examples that demonstrate resourcefulness, initiative, and ingenuity in completing the work. Describe novel and never-before tried solutions.) 4. Demonstrated ability to assume lead responsibility for a broad range of technical tasks. (In your resume, describe specific assignments where you worked or acted as a task leader on evaluating complex technical issues. Describe your work experience in performing effectively in an environment where coordinating the efforts of others across organizations and disciplines was important to success.) 5. Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information effectively, both orally and in writing; demonstrated ability to establish effective working relationships with supervisors, government and industry officials, utility employees/managers, professional committees, and coworkers. (In your resume, describe your experience, education, training, and accomplishments which demonstrate your ability to participate in and lead complex technical discussions; write clear papers or reports; and establish effective working relationships with supervisors, peers and individuals of diverse backgrounds. Provide specific examples which demonstrate your ability to lead discussions, present briefings and write papers or reports.) Education You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application. Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of credibility of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree. If you are qualifying for an 800 Series Engineering position under OPM’s basic requirements Section B, you must also provide copies of your 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; OR 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. GG-0801 (General Engineering Series): 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 engineering. 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, e.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.) GG-1301, (General Physical Science Series): Basic requirements: Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics. OR Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education. Additional Information The duty location of this position is Rockville, Maryland. In general, employees are expected to be in the office at a minimum of 4 days per pay period. Telework schedules, including full-time telework, are approved, on a case-by-case basis. If selected, telework will be determined in accordance with Agency policy and the Collective Bargaining Agreement, if applicable. 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 may offer recruitment incentives to eligible new appointees, or relocation incentives to current Federal employees who are required to move geographically when the NRC determines that, in the absence of such incentives, it will be difficult to fill the position with a suitable candidate. Generally, current Federal employees are not eligible for a recruitment incentive, but maybe eligible for a relocation incentive. The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Individuals with disabilities may contact the Selective Placement Coordinator for assistance with the application or hiring process via Disability.Resource@nrc.gov. Deaf applicants may contact the Disability Program Manager by calling the NRC videophone at 240-428-3217. Individuals who are eligible for non-competitive appointment under an OPM special appointing authority may apply for consideration under a comparable NRC non-competitive appointing authority. Veterans, please visit: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/ 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. 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 wavier 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. The NRC is a zero tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for this position will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing unless currently in a NRC position subject to random drug testing AND will be subject to random drug testing upon appointment to the NRC.