Nuclear Engineer Job in Aiken, SC

Vacancy No. 25-XE-01319-12644116-EN-NAT Department National Nuclear Security Administration
Salary $122,198.00 to $195,482.00 Grade 4 to 4
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 12/26/2024 Close Date 1/9/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Aiken, SC


Summary

A successful candidate in this position will serve as a Nuclear Engineer (Criticality Safety Engineer), serving as a lead for safety basis review teams or as a technical team member performing a complex analysis resulting in safety evaluation reports that authorize facility operations with appropriate controls supporting NNSA mission objectives.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to United States Citizens.

Duties

As a Nuclear Engineer, you will:

  • Serve as the lead for safety basis review teams or as a technical team member performing a complex analysis resulting in safety evaluation reports that authorize facility operations with appropriate controls supporting NNSA mission objectives.
  • Provide technical analysis of the Document Safety Analyses for Hazard Category 2 & 3 nuclear facilities at the Savannah River Site.
  • Support integrated project teams as a safety analyst ensuring safety in design is integrated at all stages of the project lifecycle.
  • Obtain and exercise a working level knowledge of the M&O contractor assurance system implementation relative to safety basis activities.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Subject to Random Drug Testing
  • Must pass a pre-employment drug test.
  • Favorable suitability determination required.
  • Financial Disclosure is required.
  • Must be able to obtain/maintain a Q level Security Clearance.
  • You must be a United States Citizen.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males must abide by Selective Service registration requirements.
  • Compliance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive (HSPD-12) governing personal identity which will require that you provide two forms of identification.
  • A two year trial period may be required.
  • More than one position may be filled from this vacancy announcement.
  • Must be able to obtain certification in the DOE's Technical Qualification Program (TQP) within 18 months of start date. This position is covered by the Technical Qualification Program (TQP), which requires the incumbent to acquire and demonstrate competencies identified in the TQP Functional Area Qualification and Field Office specific standards and requires certification of the competencies by NNSA supervision and TQP qualifying officials. https://ntc.doe.gov/student/stp/techqualprogram

Qualifications

All applicants must meet the specialized experience listed below AND the basic requirements of the General Engineer occupational series listed under "Education."

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower NNSA Demonstration Project pay band or GS grade level in the Federal service, i.e., NN/EN-03, or GS-13.

Specialized experience for this position is defined as: The candidate must demonstrate experience evaluating overall performance of a Nuclear Criticality Safety program, either in a management or oversight role.

Examples of Specialized Experience:
1. Experience leading a team that evaluates or is responsible for performing oversight assessments focused on nuclear criticality safety.
2. Experience applying and/or evaluating compliance with Nuclear Criticality Safety regulatory requirements.
3. Experience evaluating the overall health of safety management programs or key aspects of safety management programs, either as a manager or in an oversight role.
Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies. 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.

  • Oral Communication
  • Safety Engineering
  • Technical Credibility


"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.

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

Education

BASIC REQUIREMENTS
For Professional, Scientific and Engineering Positions: Transcripts or other proof of required education MUST be included in application package, including if qualifying on the basis of an alternate method, i.e., professional license, you must submit official documentation to support your claim with your application package. You must meet one of the following:

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 the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (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), 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).

EDUCATION: Education must be obtained from an accredited 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.


**FOREIGN EDUCATION: Applicants who have completed part or all of their education outside of the U.S. must have their foreign education evaluated by an accredited organization to ensure that the foreign education is comparable to education received in accredited educational institutions in the U.S. A written evaluation of any foreign education must be provided with your application in response to this vacancy announcement or be received by the closing date of this announcement. Failure to provide this evaluation will result in you being found unqualified for the position. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education, see the Department of Education website, and for a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, visit The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Please Note: If your foreign education has already been accepted by an accredited U.S. educational institution as part of a degree program with that institution, you do not need to provide an evaluation of foreign education but must submit a copy of the transcripts listing the degree from the U.S. accredited institution that accepted your foreign 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.

**If you are selected, official transcripts will be required.

Additional information

  • The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
  • 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: Click HERE.
  • More than one selection may be made from this vacancy announcement.
  • 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.
  • A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be authorized for a highly qualified applicant in accordance with Agency policy.

EEO Policy: Click HERE.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Click HERE.
Veterans Information: Click HERE.
Telework: Click HERE.
Selective Service Registration: Click HERE
Information about the NNSA Demonstration project can be found by clicking HERE.

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.

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.

We will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements. If you meet the qualifications requirements, your application will be referred to the selecting official for further review.

If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated "ineligible" or "not qualified".

To preview the application questionnaire, click the link below.
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12644116

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 resume supporting your specialized experience and responses to the online questionnaire.

  • Your resume shall 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 shall 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, you shall indicate your starting salary for each position and the highest 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).
  • You may list all incentive awards on your resume.
  • 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 the USAJOBS resume format. You will be notified at the time you click 'Apply Online' which is required. 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.
  • Please limit your resume to 5 pages. If more than 5 pages are submitted, only the first 5 pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility/qualifications.
  • For more information about what to include in your resume, please view this USAJOBS Resume Tutorial video on YouTube.
Current and former Federal employees: Most recent SF-50 (Standard Form 50 - Notice of Personnel Action). 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!
  1. Full position title;
  2. appointment type;
  3. occupational series;
  4. pay plan, grade, and step;
  5. tenure code; and
  6. service computation date (SCD).

If your current position SF-50 does not indicate you have competitive/excepted service status or does not reflect the pay plan and grade of the highest position you have held in the competitive/excepted service, in addition to your current SF50, you must provide your previous SF-50s that provide the proof of competitive/excepted status and highest grade held on a permanent basis.

For Professional, Scientific and Engineering Positions: If qualifying on the basis of an alternate method, i.e., professional license, you must submit official documentation to support your claim with your application package.

Applicants using education to qualify (if allowed): Documentation verifying your educational claims which can include unofficial transcripts. Education cannot be substituted for experience in some positions at higher grade levels. Please see the Education section for more information.

Positive Education requirement: For those positions that have a positive education requirement, you must provide an unofficial transcript to show proof. See the Education section for more information.

Veterans: 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.

Performance Appraisals: Submit your two (2) most recent performance appraisals. Your performance appraisals and incentive awards will be given due consideration in the selection process based on their relation to the duties of the position and the consistency with which they may be considered in evaluating you against other applicants. If the performance appraisals are not available, please provide a written statement of explanation and upload as a separate document.

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.

How to Apply

To be considered for this position, you must submit your complete application no later than 11:59 pm U.S. Eastern Time on the closing date of this announcement. If you do not submit a complete application prior to the closing time (regardless of when you started) the online application system will not allow you to finish! Requests for extensions will not be granted, so please begin the application process allowing yourself enough time to finish before the deadline. Our online application system displays a countdown timer at the top of the screen for your reference. For your security, your session in our online application system will "time-out" if you are inactive for a certain period of time. We recommend that you preview the assessment questions before you apply and prepare all of your information prior to beginning the application. If you do get "timed-out" you will have to log back in to USAJOBS and re-visit the vacancy announcement, you can then click "Update Application" to finish where you left off. Steps to submit a complete application:

  1. Click the "Apply Online" button. If you are not already logged in, you will need to do so.
  2. You must have a complete resume associated with your USAJOBS account. Please note that some DOE offices do not accept uploaded resumes and instead require that you submit a USAJOBS-formatted resume using the Resume Builder.
  3. You will be prompted to select a resume and any documentation you have attached to your USAJOBS account before you are transferred to the Department of Energy's online application system. Please be aware that any document you select before being transferred to our system, will not automatically be received. You must take steps to download your documents from USAJOBS during the "Documents" step within our online application system (see Step 6).
  4. If you are a first-time applicant to the Department of Energy, you'll be asked to register an account first. If you are a returning applicant, you will skip this step and go straight to the application portion.
  5. You must respond to all applicant assessment questions, carefully following all instructions provided.
  6. You will then be asked to upload additional supporting documentation. If you selected documents from USAJOBS prior to being transferred to our application system (Step 3), you will need to click the "USAJOBS" link to complete the transfer process. These documents ARE NOT automatically transferred! It is ultimately your responsibility to make sure all required documents are either faxed, uploaded, or transferred from USAJOBS successfully. If you are unsure that your documents went through, please contact the HR Specialist listed on the announcement BEFORE the vacancy closes.
  7. After reviewing your submission in the final step, you must click "Submit Application" at the bottom of the page. If you leave the application before clicking Submit, your application will not be received.

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', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly.

NEED HELP?

  • If you experience any difficulties with the online application process (anything after you have clicked the 'Apply Online' button): contact the HR Office listed on this announcement between normal business hours. If you are receiving any kind of error message, please be ready to provide a screenshot or at a minimum, the error message text and number. If necessary, we will put you in touch with the technical support number if we are unable to assist you personally.
  • If you need help with USAJOBS (searching for jobs, account password/profile issues, or Resume Builder): please visit the USAJOBS Resource Center and select a topic of inquiry. Or, you may reach out to USAJOBS directly for support, by visiting the USAJOBS Contact Us page. We regret that we are unable to support any issues with USAJOBS, as this service is not maintained by the Department of Energy.

Agency contact information

Crystal Wells
Address
NNSA - Savannah River Field Office
24600 20th St SE
Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5507
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

After each step in the recruitment process, your status will be updated in our application tracking system. Once this happens, if you have elected to receive e-mail updates, you will be notified through your USAJOBS registered e-mail address. If you have not elected for e-mail updates, you can review your current application status in USAJOBS at any time. Please check that your USAJOBS profile contact information is current and correct each time you apply to a job--this will ensure we are able to contact you as quickly as possible. In addition to changing your status online, the system will send you e-mail notifications at each major step in the process, to include: application received, eligible or not eligible, referred or not referred, selected or not selected.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.