Duties

As a Reactor Engineer or Scientist (Severe Accident/Source Term), you will serve as technical reviewer for assignments associated with severe accidents and source term for non-light-water nuclear reactors. to assure public health and safety and protection of the environment. Activities may include:

• Reviews submittals from non-light-water nuclear reactors to evaluate the implementation of NRC regulations and guidance associated with severe accidents and source term to assure public health and safety and protection of the environment. Applies risk-informed decision making and performance-based principles.

• Develops guidance and policy associated with the review of severe accidents and source terms in non-light-water nuclear reactors.

• Provides technical assistance, advice, and recommendations to NRC management and staff and communicating issues related to severe accidents and source term with internal and external stakeholders.

• Evaluates the functional capability of nuclear power plant safety systems, equipment, and procedures needed for accident mitigation, the response of containment (or functional containment) and the behavior of hydrogen and fission products and the radiological consequences of severe accidents. Also responsible for analysis of accident source terms and the environmental impact of design basis and severe accidents.

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 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 order to qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GG/GS-12) in federal/public service or equivalent experience in the private sector.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as experience in severe accident, source term, or radiological consequence analysis as it relates to nuclear facility design and operation. Experience in the areas of thermal-hydraulic design for licensing basis accident analyses can also be considered specialized experience.

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 the theories, principles, and practices in the fields of nuclear, mechanical, or other engineering or science disciplines sufficient to evaluate severe accident phenomena and radiological consequences for nuclear reactors. (double weighted) Examples may include specific experience, education, and training that demonstrate your knowledge related to severe accident phenomena, containment thermal-hydraulics, source term, and radiological consequences for nuclear reactors. Include specific experience and accomplishments which demonstrate your knowledge of the design, development, and application of system level and specialized computer codes for severe accident and radiological consequences for confirmatory analysis to support risk-informing and resolution of safety issues. Examples of computer codes for severe accident and radiological consequences include MELCOR, MAAP, MACCS, and RADTRAD.

2. Demonstrated experience in leading, managing, or participating with others in complex, highly technical tasks leading to timely issue resolution. Examples may include relevant technical projects or tasks that you conducted with a focus on identification of problem areas, emerging issues, processes used to achieve resolution, and your specific role in the project or task, particularly when addressing differing views.

3. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with colleagues, management, or external entities such as the public, industry, or international groups. Examples may include your specific experience, accomplishments, or training, which demonstrate your interpersonal skills. Describe situations where it was necessary for you to use tact, diplomacy, and negotiation skills to achieve cooperation or consensus when interacting with colleagues, management, or external stakeholders. Detail experience and your role in successful teamwork, team building, coalition building, or small group dynamics. Describe how your interpersonal skills have played a role in the understanding or resolution of issues and include examples of leading, mentoring, or giving training.

4. Demonstrated ability to communicate and present technical information clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing. Examples may include leading complex technical discussions, consolidating complex and diverse opinions, data, or analysis results into concise, balanced, and well-founded
recommendations and producing high quality technical reports to diverse stakeholders.

Education

You MUST include an official or unofficial 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.

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

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: These positions are being filled using Direct-Hire Authority . These positions are located in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power Production and Utilization Facilities (DANU) Technical Branch 1 (UTB1).

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.

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.