Duties

Summary

A Branch Chief vacancy currently exists in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) in the Division of Reactor Oversight, Operator Licensing and Human Factors Branch. The supervisor is Russ Felts. This position is Non-Bargaining Unit.

This position is subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements, and is subject to the security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

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Responsibilities

As the Branch Chief, you will support the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) mission to protect public health, safety and the environment by providing the infrastructure for inspecting and evaluating licensee compliance with regulatory requirements and other standards in an open manner that is risk-informed, objective, predictable and understandable. You will be responsible for implementing organizational change, supervising people, facilitating resolution of policy, technical, and administrative issues, and planning and executing activities within the Branch's scope of responsibilities. You will be responsible for coordination and leadership of international engagements with the NEA and IAEA and other international regulatory bodies responsible for operating reactor inspection and oversight activities. You will also be responsible for the administration of NRC human resources programs relative to employees under your supervision. You will assist the Division Director in the development and maintenance of operating plans, infrastructure documents, and policies. You will act as a change agent in the organization.

Your Branch's scope of responsibility would include: • Provide overall management for the Operator Licensing (OL) program • Develop policies, practices, procedures and the necessary infrastructure to support implementation and continuous enhancement in the areas of operator licensing and human factors engineering • Respond to external policy related inquiries and requests • Work with our external stakeholders to gain their perspectives and feedback, discuss changes to the inspection process, and evaluate new operator licensing and human factors-related proposals • Work with international regulatory body counterparts including the IAEA and NEA to gain and provide perspectives on operator licensing and human factors issues.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - 25%

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• This is a Drug Testing position.

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 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as experience that demonstrates a thorough knowledge of NRC programs with emphasis in one or more of the following areas: Operator Licensing (OL) program; NRC operating new or advanced licensing standards and processes and human factors analyses; Regional inspection, allegations, and enforcement.

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.

Education

GG-0801 (General Engineering Series):

Basic Requirements:

• 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 meeting additional OPM requirements.

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

Following the agency's re-entry date of November 7, 2021, the position advertised in this vacancy announcement is not approved for full-time remote or full-time fixed telework. However, most NRC positions are eligible for some type of telework, in accordance with agency policy.

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. You will be rated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to any vacancy questions to determine your level of knowledge, skill and ability (KSA) related to the job requirements. If you are among the top candidates for this position, your application will be referred to the hiring manager.

Your responses to the questions and your resume are the key means we have for evaluating your qualifications as they relate to this position. Therefore, we encourage you to submit a thorough application package that directly relates to this position.
To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
L Access Authorization

Drug test required
No

Required Documents

As a NRC employee you are required to submit your most recent Rating of Record (Performance Appraisal) or a statement saying that one is not available. You may do so either electronically, following the instructions below, or by sending one copy by mail to:

Lindsey Redden, HR Specialist
Mail Stop T2-A77M

All supplemental documents can now be collected electronically and should be submitted before the closing date of this vacancy announcement. You have three choices for submitting your supplemental documents:

1. Use the "USAJOBs" feature to download documents from your USAJOBs portfolio; or
2. use the "Upload" feature to upload documents directly from your computer. The following types of documents can be uploaded:
.gif, .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, and .doc; or
3. use the "Fax" feature to print the Fax Cover Sheet and fax it, along with your supplemental documents to 1-571-258-4052.

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.