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Nuclear Engineer

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Germantown, Maryland
Closing date
Oct 19, 2019
Duties

Summary

A successful candidate in this position will serve as a Nuclear Engineer in leading the Department of Energy employees and contractor team members and administrative support personnel, and for providing guidance and advice; integrating team efforts to assure systematic, thorough, and professional performance of inspections, assessments, and special studies; assuring that team members validate findings and that assessment conclusions are sound and based on facts.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

As a Nuclear Engineer, you will:
  • Lead teams of DOE and contractor technical experts in the conduct of, and/or conducts personally inspections, assessments, and special technical analyses and studies at DOE's nuclear facilities and laboratories. Teams consists of one or more DOE employees, one or more contractor personnel, and represent such occupations as nuclear engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, seismic engineers, health physicists, physical scientists, safety managers and specialists, etc., concentrating on nuclear facility design, analysis, accident analysis, construction, operations, maintenance, testing and decommissioning programs for all DOE operations involving radioactive materials.
  • Serves as an expert professional advisor to Headquarters and field management officials on issues related to nuclear facility design, accident analysis, construction, operations and decommissioning, including the identification and evaluation of operations and/or conditions which represent a systems safety risk to employees or the citizens of the adjacent community and he formulation and recommendation of measures to eliminate or control such risks and hazards.
  • Develop, manage, and support the incorporation of appropriate nuclear facility engineered safety systems, maintenance and testing programs, safety basis documents, engineering and quality assurance programs, and operations data collection into REA oversight activities. Conceive, formulate, establish, and coordinate the requirements for systems safety data in the comprehensive agency-wide EA oversight program.
  • Develop measurement methodologies, approaches, and analytical tools, which expand the state-of-the-art for applications to the scientific and practical needs of the Department's long-term safety oversight program for nuclear facilities and operations. Ensure the implementation of these processes and procedures into existing and future long-term nuclear safety systems studies sponsored by the Department.
  • Evaluate the adequacy of agency-wide objectives, policies, standards, and practices for the measurement of nuclear facility design and operations, and integrates these with other agency disciplines. Coordinate safety requirements with the other Headquarters organizations.
  • Maintain state-of-the-art awareness of nuclear facility design and operations techniques in related research programs outside DOE. Contact a variety of senior investigators at DOE laboratories, as well as universities, medical schools, and other off-site institutions; senior health officials at other Federal agencies; and other eminent scientists in the national and international scientific community. Represent the Department as an eminent expert on nuclear systems safety in meetings, conferences, and committees.


Travel Required

50% or less - 30% overnight travel is required to perform inspection activities, visit sites and attend meetings and training. Activities normally result in being away from home for approximately 2 to 4 weeks over a 3-month period.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
  • Resume and question responses must be submitted online.
  • May be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
  • Must successfully pass a drug test.


OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

You must submit an unofficial or official transcripts by the closing date of this vacancy announcement. NOTE: Failure to provide transcripts will result in you being rated ineligible for this position.

If selected, an official transcript will be required prior to entering on duty.

You must meet both the positive education requirement known as "Basic Requirements" and Specialized Experience as described in the "Qualification" section of the vacancy announcement.

May be required to complete a one-year probationary period, if not previously completed in a Competitive or Excepted Service position.

Eligible candidates for this position must be able to obtain and maintain a Department of Energy "Q" level security clearance. Position requires the incumbent have access to highly classified/restricted data documents and/or materials, thus the position demands the highest degree of public trust.

This position has also been designated as a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to testing for illegal drug use. The selectee must test negative prior to being appointed to this position and will be subject to random testing thereafter. Failure to pass or refusal to take subsequent tests could result in non-selection or disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the Federal service.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS:

For the GS-0840, Nuclear Engineer, you must possess the following Basic Requirements:

A. 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

B. 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), 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) 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.

  • In addition to meeting the "Basic Requirements" described above, you must also meet the "Specialized Experience Requirements" described below.

    SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: Specialized Experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled.

    A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next GS-14 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:
    Experience in managing or leading teams in inspections, evaluations and assessments of a radiological control programs at nuclear facilities; overseeing nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction or operation practices that may violate safety regulations and laws; and preparing briefings to be presented to management for decision making.

    Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs). Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the KSAs identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application!
  • Knowledge of nuclear engineering concepts, principles, and practices, as evidenced by an advanced degree or equivalent, enabling the incumbent to serve as a recognized expert in nuclear facility design and related areas.
  • Skill in coordinating projects with other oversight professionals and specialists in order to ensure the successful development and operation of a comprehensive nuclear facility safety oversight program.
  • Knowledge of OSHA, EPA, NRC and other agency or organization safety regulations, policies, procedures in order to determine and measure conformance with required and accepted nuclear engineering and systems safety practices and procedures applicable to the design, construction, and operations of facilities.
  • Ability to lead, guide, direct, and advise multidisciplinary teams engaged in the conduct of assessments and inspections and in the analysis and study of nuclear facility engineered safety system, engineering and design processes, safety basis, operations and related issues.
  • Skill to develop new and innovative approaches to the oversight of nuclear facility safety facilities programs, and to apply new developments and experienced judgment to such oversight programs.

  • "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

    Time-in-Grade: Current Federal employees must meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement to receive consideration.

    CTAP/ICTAP candidates: To be considered "well qualified" you must meet all of the requirements as described in this section.

    You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

    Education

    EDUCATION:

    This position has a positive educational requirements.

    Education requirements described in the "Qualifications" section for the Nuclear Engineering series, 0800 can be found on U.S. Office of Personnel Management website at: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf

    Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

    Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website.

    Additional information

    The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
    • New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify .
    • Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the links at the bottom of this page or visit the FedsHireVets website.
    • If you believe that you are eligible for the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP), please visit the OPM ICTAP/CTAP website for more information. In order to be considered under the ICTAP program, your application must score within the pre-established "well qualified" category as stated in the Qualifications section.
    • More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
    • This position is covered under a Bargaining Unit.
    • Some positions may require completion of a probationary period of up to 1 (one) year.
    • Many positions require successful completion of a background investigation.
    • All males born after December 31st 1959 must abide by laws regarding Selective Service registration. To learn more about this law, visit the Selective Service web page, Who Must Register . If you are not registered and don't have an approved exemption, you will not be eligible for employment with the Federal government.

    EEO Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/EEO_Policy_Statement
    Reasonable Accommodation Policy: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Reasonable_Accommodation_Policy_Statement
    Veterans Information: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Veterans_Information
    Telework: www.telework.gov
    Selective Service Registration: http://www.sss.gov/

    How You Will Be Evaluated

    You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

    The Department of Energy uses an application tracking system to evaluate the responses you provide in the applicant assessment questionnaire to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications necessary for this position. Then, the HR Office and/or Subject Matter Expert (SME) will conduct a quality review of your application and supporting documentation to determine if your qualifications meet the criteria for referral to the selecting official.

    We will also verify that you are eligible for Merit Promotion positions by reviewing your previous Federal employment to ensure you meet Time-in-Grade requirements. If you are eligible to apply to Merit Promotion announcements based on Veteran or other non-competitive statuses, we will verify your supporting documentation prior to referral.

    If you are eligible for career transition assistance plans such as ICTAP or CTAP, you must meet the definition of "well qualified" which is defined as having a score of 85 or better.

    If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.
    To preview questions please click here .

    Background checks and security clearance

    Security clearance
    Q Access Authorization

    Drug test required
    Yes

    Required Documents

    Please carefully review the following list to determine what documentation you need to submit. Some documents may not apply to all applicants. If you are unsure, click the link for each document type to read more.

    ALL APPLICANTS: You must submit a about what is expected in your resume." href="https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/How_to_create_your_resume" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.
    • Your resume should list all work experience (paid and unpaid); you must list the full name and address of the each employer.
    • For all types of work experience, you should indicate the start and end dates (include month, day, and year); you must also list the average number of hours per week that you worked.
    • For paid work experience, please indicate your starting grade/salary for each position and the highest grade/salary you earned (if different).
    • Your resume should also include any education and training you have completed (list the program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
    • For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.

    Most DOE offices will allow you to submit a resume in the format of your choice (as an attached document or as a USAJOBS Resume Builder format). However, some offices may require one specific format. You will be notified at the time you click 'Apply Online' which type of resume is acceptable. It is important that you are complete and thorough in your resume. If any of the above information is not included in your resume, we may not be able to fully credit you for your experience.

    Current and former Federal employees: Most recent SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action). DO NOT SUBMIT AN AWARDS SF-50.

    To properly verify status eligibility, your SF-50 must show the following. If you do not submit an appropriate SF-50, we cannot verify your status eligibility!
  • Full position title;
  • appointment type;
  • occupational series;
  • pay plan, grade, and step;
  • tenure code; and
  • service computation date (SCD).

  • Specific educational requirements are indicated for this vacancy: experience." href="https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Education" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned and final grade. Please see the Education section for more information.

    Veterans: authorities and the documentation you need to submit" href="http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/shav/index.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">veteran eligibility documentation (DD-214 Member #4 Copy, VA Letter, Standard Form (SF) 15 as applicable). Please note: If you are a veteran who has not yet been discharged, you may provide a statement of intent to discharge from your agency to receive Veterans Preference under the VOW (Veterans Opportunity to Work) to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.

    Persons with Disabilities: Individuals with intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities may apply for appointment through the Schedule A hiring authority. flexibilities for persons with disabilities" href="https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Certified verification of a disability from a licensed medical professional; a licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist; or any Federal, state, or District of Columbia agency or U.S. territory that issues or provides disability benefits will be required.

    Displaced Federal employees who qualify for CTAP/ICTAP: If you are a former Federal employee who was displaced due to a Reduction-in-Force (RIF) or surplused by some other means, please submit a copy of the separation letter or RIF notice from your agency. To be selected under I/CTAP, you must still be found well-qualified for this position. Please see the OPM Guide to Career Transition for more information.

    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

    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.

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