Director Human Resources Job

Vacancy No. 26-CBYU-NA-ES-025 Department National Nuclear Security Administration
Salary $199,172.00 to $228,000.00 Grade 00 to 00
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 3/30/2026 Close Date 4/13/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DCAlbuquerque, NM


Summary

NNSA - building careers while securing the future through engineering, science, and national security in an environment where your contributions make a difference.

Human Resources (HR) works as strategic partner with component leaders across NNSA and DOE to ensure that human resources policies, procedures, and practices, including workforce planning strategies, foster sound human resources management, and provide for an accountability system that adheres to merit system principles.

This job is open to

The public

U.S. Citizens, Nationals or those who owe allegiance to the U.S.

Senior executives

Individuals looking for an executive-level job and who meet the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs).

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from all United States citizens. You do not need to be a current or former federal employee to apply.

Duties

As the Director, Human Resources, you will have the following duties:

  • The Director, Human Resources carries out specific authorities under delegation form the Administrator and Associate Administrator, directing and overseeing a Human Resources program; workforce analysis and planning, and executive resources management across NNSA, encompassing competitive and excepted service HR systems.
  • The Director, Human Resources is responsible for managing and overseeing development and implementation of the NNSA Demonstration Project on pay-banding and pay-for-performance that waives parts of Title 5 to provide NNSA the tools and flexibilities needed to gain and maintain a competitive edge in the current and future marketplace.
  • Provides leadership and management oversight of four divisions, the Policy and Initiatives, Employee Management Relations Division, Employment and Workforce Planning Division headed by subordinate supervisors and is responsible for managing a sizeable workforce with substantial program responsibility.
  • As the NNSA Director of Human Resources and principal advisor on management and HR to the Administrator, the Associate Administrator for Management, and Budget, and other top agency officials, the incumbent provides proactive, energetic, cohesive, and sensitive leadership on all matters involving HR and workforce management across NNSA. This includes all specialized human resources programs, including personnel operations, employee relations, personnel policy development, workforce planning, performance management, information systems and benefits. Oversees development of information systems that are used to automate various human resources functions and to obtain data more effectively.
  • Oversees and directs Executive Resources services for NNSA, including staffing of SES, Political, Senior Level, Scientific and Professional, and Excepted Service positions, managing the NNSA Executive Resources Board (ERB) process and implementing actions approved by the ERB. Manages the Executive performance management and awards systems such as SES performance awards, Presidential Rank Awards; and provides advisory services and support to Headquarter and Field Offices on Executive Resources matters.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR THIS VACANCY: This is a career position in the SES. Unless the selectee is already a member of the SES with career status or are a graduate of an Office of Personnel Management (OPM) certified SES Candidate Development Program, your executive qualifications must be assessed and approved by OPM before you can be hired.

HOMELAND SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE (HSPD-12): A selectee's appointment is contingent upon compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity. May be required to pass a pre-employment drug test, random testing after appointment.


PUBLIC FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORT (OGE 278): If you are selected for this position, will be required to file this report prior to entry on duty in accordance with the Ethics of Government Act of 1978.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD: You may be required to complete a one-year SES probationary period. Probationary periods are required for new employees appointed to a Senior Executive Service (SES) position for the first time. Employees serving on probationary period may be terminated at any time during the probationary for performance, conduct, or business-related reasons in the interest of Federal service.

SELECTIVE SERVICE: If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so.

SECURITY CLEARANCE: Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q security clearance.

DRUG TESTING: Subject to pre-employment/pre-appointment testing for illegal drug use under the U.S. Department of Energy Employee Drug Plan. If you are selected you will be provided information regarding drug testing. Failure to undergo testing or positive findings resulting from the test will eliminate you from further consideration for this position. If selected for and appointed to this position you will be subject to random drug testing while employed.

MOBILITY: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and will be required to abide by NNSA's mobility policy.

E-VERIFY: New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify.

Qualifications

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQ) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

Please DO NOT submit separate documents addressing the ECQs or MTQs. Only your resume capped at two (2) pages will be accepted and considered. Any additional documents submitted will not be accepted.

MANDATORY TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (MTQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.

There are two MTQs.

MTQ 1: Demonstrated experience leading and guiding the development of policies, procedures, standards, and objectives for a federal government agency, state or local government and private sector organization-wide human capital management programs to ensure that these programs comply with legal, regulatory and policy requirements, while providing innovative human capital strategies and solutions in support of short, mid, and long term mission objectives.

MTQ 2: Proven demonstrated senior level experience in motivating employees who are geographically dispersed, assessing employee engagement levels, and creating a culture that encourages collaboration, flexibility and fairness while enabling individuals to participate to their full work performance capability.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Mandatory Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and MTQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

There are five ECQs:

1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding: Demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.

2: Driving Efficiency: Demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.

3: Merit and Competence: Demonstrated knowledge, ability, and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.

4: Leading People: Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.

5: Achieving Results: Demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Education

This position does not have a positive education requirement.


Additional information

Veteran's Preference does not apply to the Senior Executive service (SES).

OF-306: You may be required to complete an OF-306, "Declaration for Federal Employment" form used to (a) determine your suitability for Federal Employment and/or (b) in conducting an investigation to determine your suitability or ability to hold a security clearance.

The U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm

Applications contain information subject to the Privacy Act (PL 93 579, 5 USC 552a). The information is used to determine qualifications for employment and is authorized under Title 5, USC, Section 3302 and 3361.

The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged non-compliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at AdministrativeInvestigations@hq.doe.gov.

The selecting official may need to consult Departmental ethics counsel to determine whether any of your former or current employers, affiliations, or financial holdings conflict with your ability to perform the duties of this position. If necessary, ethics counsel will work with you and the hiring office regarding potential mitigation strategies, if available.

Hiring incentives may be authorized in accordance with agency policy and if funding is available.

This is a non-bargaining unit position.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Review our 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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Mandatory Technical Qualifications (MTQ) listed above. ECQs and MTQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Highly Qualified applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.

Required Documents

The new SES hiring process requires applicants to submit a two (2)-page resume (only the first 2 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications), which includes information regarding your professional experience and accomplishments that demonstrate you meet the ECQs and required MTQs. If you submit more than two pages, the remainder of the pages will not be reviewed nor considered. Note: Applications must be presented in a font size and font style that is legible, preferably Times New Roman font, no less than 11-point size with no less than half an inch margin all around. Reviewers of your application must be able to read your resume, or your application will be disqualified.

Thoroughly review the following list to determine the documentation you need to submit. If you fail to submit required documentation before the announcement closes, you will be rated "ineligible." Some documents may not apply to all applicants.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. ALL APPLICANTS - Two (2) page ECQ-based Resume including the following:
  • Full name, mailing and email addresses, day & evening telephone numbers
  • Education information including:
    • Name, city, state of colleges/universities attended, major & type of degree received.
    • Report only schools accredited by the accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
  • All work experience (paid and unpaid) including:
    • Job title, duties/accomplishments, employer's name/city and state, start/end dates (include month, day, and year), average hours per week worked, salary
  • Honors, awards, special accomplishments
  • If you are currently serving under a career SES appointment, are eligible for reinstatement into the SES (this means you were previously employed as a Career SES employee and you successfully completed a one-year probationary period) or have successfully completed a SES Candidate Development Program and been certified by OPM, your resume must clearly state that you are a current career SES, eligible for reinstatement, or SES CDP certified and year of certification.
We recommend that your resume emphasize your level of responsibilities, the scope and complexity of the programs managed, and your program accomplishments, including the results of your actions.

2. Current or former career SES members must provide a SES appointment SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action), and an SF-50 showing current career SES status or career SES reinstatement eligibility.

3. Applicants who have successfully completed an OPM-approved SES Candidate Development Program must submit a copy of their certification.

4. Current or former Federal Civilian employees must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (non-award) documenting the following: 1) Full position title; 2) appointment type; 3) occupational series; 4) pay plan, grade, and step; 5) tenure code; 6) service computation date (SCD).

5. ALL APPLICANTS - If positive education requirement: you must submit a copy of your transcript(s) or a separate course listing showing the course title, department, hours earned (quarters or semester), and grade. If you have completed any part of your education outside of the U.S., you must submit the evaluation of your foreign education that has been prepared by an accredited organization. The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) can provide a list of who can evaluate your foreign education. For additional information, visit Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | U.S. Department of Education.

6. Optional - cover letter (one page maximum).

NOTE:
  • All documents must be uploaded into the system; USAJobs Resume Builder resumes will not be accepted.
  • Pages submitted in excess of the limits described above will not be considered. Substituting pages for other required documents in the application is not acceptable.
  • Do not use borders, provide photos or list a Social Security Number or date of birth on any attachment.
  • If you are selected for this position, you may be asked to provide additional documentation to verify your responses.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration. Faxed or e-mailed applications and/or resumes will not be accepted. Requests for extensions will not be granted.

All statements made in this application are subject to investigation and any false or dishonest answer to any question may be grounds for disqualification and loss of consideration. If your resume does not support the responses in your application questionnaire, or if you fail to submit required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible' or 'not qualified'.

The application process is as follows:

  1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: USAJOBS Help Center - How to create a login.gov account
  2. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button.
  3. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation.
  4. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date.
You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: USAJOBS - Login Gov Acknowledgement. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: USAJOBS Help Center - How to see your application and job status.

If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center.

If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots, if possible, to aid technical support.

Agency contact information

Michele James
Phone
202-287-6364
Email
Michele.James@nnsa.doe.gov
Address
National Nuclear Security Administration
24600 20th St SE
Kirkland AFB, NM 87117-5507
US

Next steps

You will receive a confirmation notification after you submit your application package. We will continue to update your status and send you additional notifications throughout the recruitment process. You will receive a final disposition notification if you are not selected for the position. To check the status of your application or return to a previous or incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account, select My Applications, and click on the more information link under the application status for this position.

National Nuclear Security Administration

The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is a separately organized agency of the Department of Energy. We manage highly visible U.S. National Security Programs, enhance U.S. national security through research, development, production, assembly, disassembly, and maintenance of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile, promote international nuclear non-proliferation and safety, reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction, provide the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion, and oversee national laboratories and other production facilities to maintain U.S. leadership in science and technology.

Please view the following links for additional information:
Explore a world of opportunities at NNSA
Working at NNSA.pdf

Agency contact information

Michele James
Phone
202-287-6364
Email
Michele.James@nnsa.doe.gov
Address
National Nuclear Security Administration
24600 20th St SE
Kirkland AFB, NM 87117-5507
US

Visit our careers page

Learn more about what it's like to work at National Nuclear Security Administration, what the agency does, and about the types of careers this agency offers.

https://www.energy.gov/mission