Summary
This position is located in the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES).
The supervisor is Laurel Bauer.
This position is Bargaining Unit with the National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 208
This position IS subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements.
This position IS subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.
Clarification from the agency
All NRC Employees are encouraged to apply.
Based on the staffing needs of the agency/area of consideration, additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement.
Duties
As a Senior Seismologist, you will serve as an NRC expert in the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research responsible for the technical and programmatic functions associated with the conduct of research programs and development of technical positions for national standards, regulatory guides, rules, and regulations related to protection of nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facilities against earthquake hazards.
Specific duties include but are not limited to:
- Develop and direct research programs in areas of seismology, strong earthquake ground motion, seismic hazard, tectonics, seismic site response, and structural dynamic analyses as applied to nuclear facility siting and analysis. Participate in the development of standards including coordinating and interfacing activities associated with industry codes and standards groups such as ANS.
- Provide thorough technical assessments of seismic hazard calculations, process strong earthquake ground motion records, study and analyze seismic source characterization models, conduct seismic site response analyses, review structural dynamic analyses, as applied to nuclear facility siting and protection against earthquake hazards. Provide studies and analyses of technical issues within the Branch's area of review, including analytical evaluations, data analytics, modeling and simulation to the senior technical staff and the branch chief relating to new and existing nuclear reactors’ seismic safety assessments.
- Develop plans and objectives for and directs highly complex analytic and experimental research programs to perform/support modeling and simulation, analytical evaluations, testing and evaluation, and data analytics related to siting and safe operation of nuclear facilities. Contribute to the development of regulatory guidance. Communicates research findings to management, the Commissioners, the Advisory Committee for Reactor Safeguards, and other relevant agency groups. Represents the agency in interactions with the public and the domestic and international technical communities. Mentors junior staff and assists in their professional development.
- Interpret and consolidate complex and diverse technical data, views and recommendations into concise technical bases and positions to be developed into an overall technical resolution.
Lead the technical development and administrative processing of research programs, contracts and regulatory guides, standards, reports, regulations, and value/impact statements. Review and evaluate plans and proposals submitted by laboratories, universities, or other organizations for undertaking research efforts under contract and recommends program scope and awarding of contracts.
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship Required
- This is a Drug Testing position.
- Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires.
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 (GG-14) in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector.
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:
1. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the field of geophysics/seismology as related to nuclear power plant siting and seismic hazard estimates. Experience includes key specialized areas utilized by the branch: seismic source characterization; ground motion models; seismic site response calculations, and probabilistic seismic hazard assessments.
2. Demonstrated knowledge of NRC’s regulations, principles and procedures, regulatory guides, and/or industry codes and standards applicable to the safety of reactor systems, structures, and components.
3. Ability to prioritize, plan, schedule, and manage complex technical projects.
4. Ability to use interpersonal skills to interact effectively with peers, management, representatives of the industry and the scientific and technical community. Experience with using tact, diplomacy, and negotiation skills to develop and implement successful approaches to problem solving and conflict resolution.
5. Demonstrated ability to present technical information both orally and in writing to resolve technical issues, including writing documents or reports and making presentations at technical meetings, conferences, or symposia, nationally and/or internationally. Work assignments demonstrate ability to lead technical discussions, develop resolution of challenging technical issues, and provide recommendations to management.
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as expert experience that demonstrates knowledge of the technical and programmatic functions associated with the conduct of research programs and development of technical positions for national standards, regulatory guides, rules, and regulations related to protection of nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facilities against earthquake hazards.
Education
Degree: that included at least 30 semester hours in mathematics (including calculus) and the physical sciences (geophysics, physics, engineering, geology, astronomy, meteorology, electronics, etc.).
or
Combination of education and experience -- courses as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
More detailed information about these alternatives are described in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards Operating Manual which may be accessed at the following website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general- schedule-qualification-standards/#url=List-by-Occupational-Series.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal 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.
This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees. https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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 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 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 thorough resume that directly relates to this position. You may preview questions for this vacancy.
List of supplemental material that may be applicable:
If you are an NRC employee, you are required to submit your most recent Rating of Record (Performance Appraisal) or a statement saying that one is not available. Additionally, you must also submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).
If you are a current/reinstatement eligible Federal employee with status (Tenure Group 1 or 2), you will be considered under our merit promotion procedures and must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive status or reinstatement eligibility.
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g. DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.) You can find additional information about Veterans' Preference at http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.
NOTE: Your complete application includes your resume, your responses to any vacancy questions, and if necessary, documents which prove your eligibility to apply. To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, please ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position. If you fail to provide these documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.
- 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 prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
- Detailed description of 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).
If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, please submit your transcript OR list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses along with the course credits in your resume. 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.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
You are applying for a position that requires a college degree, you must submit your College Transcripts.
All supplemental documents will 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.
We strongly encourage you to complete your USAJOBS profile before you submit your application for this position.
Please read the entire announcement. Your application for this vacancy must be received online via the USAJOBS application system BEFORE 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. If you fail to submit a complete online application, you will not be considered for this position.
The NRC requires that applicants submit resumes built using the USAJOBS Resume Builder tool. The Resume Builder tool is activated upon selecting "Build New Resume" under the "Resumes" section of your USAJOBS account.
Resumes uploaded to your USAJOBS jobseeker account that have not been built using the USAJOBS Resume Builder tool WILL NOT be accepted and you WILL NOT be allowed to further advance through the NRC application process.
To ensure you are using the correct resume type when applying to our vacancies, please make sure that the resume you are using during the application process is listed with a format type of "USAJOBS Resume" and a source type of "Built with USAJOBS Resume Builder. Verifying this information on your USAJOBS resume before applying will ensure the successful submission of your application to the NRC job vacancy.
Paper applications will not be accepted unless hardship circumstances can be demonstrated. Requests for extensions WILL NOT be granted. If applying online poses a hardship for you, the Human Resources Specialist listed on the announcement will provide assistance to ensure that applications are submitted online by the closing date. Applicants must contact the Human Resources Specialist during business hours BEFORE the closing date of the announcement and speak to someone who can provide assistance for your online submission.
You must answer any job specific vacancy questions. You will be rated based on your responses to any vacancy questions and especially the information provided in your resume. Breadth, recency, and length of experience in the field; training, awards, and commendations; past and current performance; and community or outside professional activities will be considered to determine your level of knowledge, skill or ability for this position. Abbreviated responses to the vacancy questions, such as “significant experience” or “see resume” do not provide enough information and should not be used. You will not be considered for this position if you leave any of the vacancy questions unanswered.
To begin the application process, select the "Apply On-line" button to the right on this screen. Then follow the prompts to login/register, submit all required supplemental documents, and complete the application process.
Next steps
- You may check the status of your application at any time after the announcement closes by logging onto USAJOBs and selecting "Application Status."
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