Senior Technical Advisor for Risk Assessment and Analysis

About the role

This position is located in Division of Risk Assessment and Safety Systems, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation. The supervisor is Jennifer Whitman. This position is subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements.

This position is subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

What you will do

• The successful candidate will provide authoritative technical advice and assistance to the Director, Division of Risk Assessment and Safety Systems (DRSS), Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), as a Senior Level Advisor on a broad variety of technical, regulatory and safety matters.
• Serves as the agency's authority in performing and coordinating the evaluations and resolution of technical and regulatory issues related to reliability and risk assessment of the design and operation of nuclear facilities.
• Such duties include but are not limited to: Serves as NRR's senior technical expert for risk assessment and analysis.
• Advises senior management on highly complex safety issues associated with all aspects of the design and operation of nuclear facilities.
• Develops guidance on and provides independent and expert evaluation of the NRC and industry's utility of risk assessment in regulatory matters.
• Performs independent risk assessment studies of, or leads and directs teams charged with resolving, significant and complex technical issues associated with the design and operation of nuclear facilities.
• Independently pursues resolution of highly complex issues of safety significance which involve coordination and communication within many parts of the agency.
• Coordinates crucial agency interactions with external entities, both government and industry, relating to risk assessment, and presents and defends NRC technical positions, concerns, objectives, and requirements.
• Represents the office at government, academic, and industry conferences, seminars, and meetings.
• Reviews proposed regulations, policies, reports, memoranda, and other agency documentation relating to or potentially impacting activities in the area of risk assessment, and provides comments, analysis, or suggestions as appropriate that will improve the agency's safety focus.
• Counsels office and agency management regarding the likely effect of regulatory or policy actions in or related to risk assessment.
• Reviews NRC regulations, information notices, research studies, etc, and identifies those with potential for significant impact on the organization's use and application of risk assessments, based on broad knowledge and in-depth understanding of reactor safety and the office's mission, functions, technical resources, and capabilities.
• Independently consults with senior engineering management and staff in both assigned and originating organizations regarding issues identified, develops authoritative analyses and recommendations, and counsels senior management regarding needed changes in office level technical activities, priorities, or resource allocations to ensure the office maintains proper focus on the most safety significant issues.

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.
• All information in your resume must be true and accurate.
• Conditions of Employment: U.S. Citizenship Required This is a Drug Testing position Must be able to meet and maintain security & suitability requirements As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Education

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: 1. 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. 2.

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. 3.

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. 4.

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.) Note: An applicant who meets the basic requirements as specified in A or B above, except as noted under B.1., may qualify for positions in any branch of engineering unless selective factors indicate otherwise.

You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application.

Transcript must include the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements.

You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program.

It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency.

Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

How you will be evaluated

When the application process is complete, your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the job requirements. Your application will be evaluated based on the information provided in your resume to determine your level of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job requirements.

You must respond to all required application questions.

If you are among the top candidates for this position, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for possible interview and selection based upon the number of available vacancies to be filled in each office. Your resume is the key means we have for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position.

Therefore, we encourage you to submit a resume that directly relates to this position.

Documents you must provide

• The following documents are required for your application package to be complete.
• If you fail to provide any required documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, title, series, grade (if applicable); and 4) other qualifications.
• Please limit your resume to 2 pages.
• See below for Additional Resume Information.
• Transcripts: You must submit an official or unofficial copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application, if the position has a positive education requirement.
• Failure to submit transcripts will result in loss of consideration.
• Diplomas do not provide the information needed for determining qualifications and will not be accepted in lieu of transcripts.
• In addition to the above, you must submit the documents below if you claim the following eligibilities: Current Federal Employees/Reinstatement Eligibles: You must submit a copy of your most recent non-award SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive/excepted status or reinstatement eligibility.
• Applicants who only submit an award SF-50 will not receive further consideration.
• Veteran Preference Eligibles: You must submit DD-214 showing type of discharge/character of service (e.g. DD-214 Member 4 Copy); SF-15 Form; and related documentation such as a VA letter showing disability percentage.
• If currently on active duty, you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active-duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted.
• Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment.
• You can find additional information about Veterans' Preference at ***
• Individuals with Disabilities: If you are applying under the Schedule A Hiring Authority, you must submit supporting documentation (i.e., Schedule A Letter).
• You may refer to the following link for additional information.
• USAJOBS Help Center - Individuals with disabilities.
• Military Spouse: All military spouses must submit documentation verifying marriage to the service member (e.g., marriage certificate); AND Current military orders (e.g., statement of service) to support active-duty service for more than 180 consecutive days; OR If you are a spouse of a 100% disabled service member, documentation must include service member's DD-214 and 100% service disability (e.g., VA Letter); OR If you are an un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while on active duty, documentation must include verification of service member's death while on active duty (e.g., DD-1300).
• Peace Corps: You must submit a copy of your description of service or other proof of non-competitive eligibility.
• All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.
• Additional Resume Information: Your resume is crucial in our evaluation of your qualifications.
• Resumes should clearly demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities.
• Please limit your résumé to 2 pages.
• To ensure your resume contains all required information, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder.
• If you choose to use your own resume, please ensure it contains all the required information, and you organize it so we can associate the following information with each experience/position: Job title Name of employer Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year) format Hours worked per week.
• We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated.
• We will pro-rate part-time employment in crediting experience.
• Concise, results-focused language for job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable).
• Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position).
• Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) or other inappropriate material on your resume or cover letter.
• If your resume contains prohibited information as listed above, your application may be determined ineligible, and you will not receive consideration for this position.
• We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter, links to social media such as LinkedIn, to determine your qualifications.
• Cover letters are optional.

Benefits

As an NRC employee you will enjoy excellent Federal Benefits, including: comprehensive health and life insurance plans; Flexible Spending Account Program for health and dependent care; Dental and Vision Insurance; retirement savings and investment plan similar to 401(k) (Thrift Savings Plan); annual (vacation) and paid sick leave; family friendly leave policies; 11 paid holidays per year; transit benefits.

The benefits link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees.

What to expect next

You may check the status of your application at any time after the announcement closes by logging onto USAJOBs and selecting "Application Status." You will receive an acknowledgement email that your submission was successful. We will review your resume and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements.

We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and/or security background investigation.

Additional information

This position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with the agency policy. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies within the agency.

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. The NRC is a zero-tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for these positions will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing.

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 waiver 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.