Duties

As a Senior Reliability and Risk Analyst, you will serve as a leading technical authority and senior-level professional staff member in charge of the most complex assignments associated with probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) related issues for new and operating reactors including development of policy and guidance, evaluations of applications for new designs and licensing actions, and analysis of plant operating performance using PRA techniques to evaluate safety risk. Utilizes PRA, reactor systems expertise, and regulatory expertise to perform the following activities in order to assure the health and safety of the public, to protect the environment, and to achieve the NRC's strategic goals. Considers use of risk insights and a risk-informed performance-based philosophy in all activities. Such duties include but are not limited to:

Lead technical reviews and prepares safety evaluation reports in support of applications for reactors and licensing actions (e.g. amendments, topical reports, and exemptions from regulations).

Lead preparation of new and revised regulations and supporting documentation including statements of consideration, Committee to Review Generic Requirements (CRGR) packages, backfit analyses per 50.109, and any supporting regulatory guidance.

Lead creation or updates of standard review plans and other guidance documents to support review of licensing submittals.

Develop new and novel approaches to further risk-inform NRR applications and processes.

Represent NRR at agency-wide and industry forums on risk-informed policy, licensing, and inspections issues.

Provide technical leadership in the reviews and evaluations of PRAs of design certification and combined operating license applications for various new reactor designs.

Use insights gained from the PRA analysis of operating reactors to work with reliability and risk analysts in NRR, RES, NRO, and the regional senior reactor analysts and develop recommendations to enhance effectiveness and efficiency in processes related risk-informed decision-making.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• This is a Drug Testing position.
• U.S. Citizenship Required
• Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires.
• Position subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

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 addition to the educational requirements 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 experience that demonstrates an expert knowledge of the theory, principles and practices in the area of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and reactor systems with specialized knowledge of the application of reliability and risk analysis in nuclear facility design, fabrication, construction, analysis, testing, maintenance and operation; thorough knowledge of PRA sufficient to utilize state of the art principles in the analysis of plant operations and events to assess risk significance; and significant experience in the application of risk to support oversight and event assessment.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

1. (DOUBLE WEIGHTED) Demonstrated skill in applying the principles, theories, and practices of probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) in the assessment of complex nuclear facilities (e.g., operating commercial nuclear power reactors, new reactor designs, fuel cycle, etc.).(EXAMPLE: Describe experience, education, and training which demonstrates your knowledge of the principles, theories and practices of engineering or physical science as it relates to the application of reliability and risk analysis, and/or severe accident analysis in nuclear power facility design, fabrication, construction, analysis, testing, maintenance and/or operations. Provide examples demonstrating your experience in the application of probabilistic risk analysis for nuclear power plants, other complex facilities (e.g., spent fuel analysis, dry case storage, small modular reactors, etc.), or PRA related voluntary consensus standards. Describe your accomplishments in areas such as Levels 1, 2, and 3 risk analyses; severe accident progression; low-power and shut down operations; fire safety; human reliability analysis; common cause failure; and external events including seismic, flooding and high winds.)

2. Ability to analyze complex regulatory or technical issues and to develop sound recommendations based on risk insights and new or first-of-a-kind solutions with a clear demonstration of knowledge of nuclear reactor structures, systems, component design, and general operating characteristics. (EXAMPLE: Describe your experience and training with analyzing complex nuclear regulatory or technical issues and developing recommendations for resolution. Examples should demonstrate your nuclear power plant experience related to the following: (1) engineering and analysis or inspection experience involving design, maintenance, or operation of nuclear power plant systems; (2) plant transient and accident analysis typical of or similar to SAR Chapter 15. Describe how you applied risk insights and risk informed performance-based philosophy to conduct analyses. Describe examples of new or first-of-a-kind recommendations you have made and the outcomes. Provide examples of your work as it relates to risk informed decision making. Describe your specific role and provide examples that reflect your technical ability and contribution).

3. Ability to communicate information, ideas, and advice in a clear, concise, and logical manner, both orally and in writing, with colleagues, subordinates, executive management, ACRS, the Commission, members of the public, representatives of professional groups, or other Federal or State agencies. (EXAMPLE: Describe specific experience, training and accomplishments which demonstrate your communication skills, both orally and in writing. Describe your ability to lead complex technical discussions and consolidate complex and diverse opinions into concise presentations, memoranda, letters, reports. Describe your ability to formulate balanced and well-founded recommendations. Describe oral and written presentations you have performed within your organization, including published technical documents you have authored. Describe presentations you have made to outside groups including professional organizations, advisory groups, the public, and/or Congress.)

4. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with management and staff, colleagues, and representatives of external organizations. Ability to build and sustain coalitions across organizations. (EXAMPLES: Describe your specific experience, accomplishments, or training, which demonstrate your interpersonal skills.  Describe how you established effective work-relationships with colleagues, supervisors, and other government and industry officials and coordinated and led meetings. Describe 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 external stakeholders.  Detail experience and your role in successful team work, team building, coalition building, or small group dynamics. Describe how your interpersonal skills have played a role in the understanding or resolution of issues.  Provide examples of leading, mentoring, or training, others. Describe successful interactions with internal and external stakeholders, industry contacts, international contacts, or internal agency contacts at various levels.  Include several examples demonstrating the above.)

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 NRC encourages applicants to provide extensive job experience details in your resume. Applicants may also use the supplemental vacancy question to provide additional information pertaining to specialized experience and ideal candidate criteria.

Education

For 0801 - General Engineering: Candidates for Federal government professional engineering positions must meet certain basic professional knowledge requirements. Generally these knowledge requirements are met by having a bachelor's or higher degree in a relevant professional engineering discipline (e.g., mechanical, metallurgical, materials, nuclear, structural, chemical, electrical) from a school of engineering with at least one professional engineering curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). However, if you do not possess such a professional engineering degree, you may still satisfy the professional knowledge requirements if you have current Professional Engineer (P.E.) registration in one of the relevant disciplines from any U.S. State or Territory; or if you successfully passed an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) written examination administered by a State Board of Engineering Examiners; or if you have either a related professional degree or at least 60 semester hours of specified engineering-related college courses COMBINED WITH at least a year of professional engineering work experience performed under professional engineer supervision and guidance.

Note: Engineering technology degrees are not generally qualifying unless supplemented by other evidence of the individual's professional knowledge (e.g., current P.E. license or EIT examination results, as discussed above).

More detailed information about these alternatives for meeting the knowledge requirements for Federal professional engineering jobs are described in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards Operating Manual which may be accessed at the following website: OPM Qualification Standards for Professional Engineering Positions.

For 1301 - General Physical Science:

A: 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

B: 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, MD. In general, employees are expected to be in the office 4 days per pay period. Telework schedules 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.

Based on the staffing needs of the agency/area of consideration, additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement.

To ensure compliance with an applicable preliminary nationwide injunction, which may be supplemented, modified, or vacated, depending on the course of ongoing litigation, the NRC will take no action to implement or enforce the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. Therefore, to the extent that an NRC job announcement includes the requirement that applicants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to Executive Order 14043, that requirement does not currently apply.

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/

Selectee's 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.