Nuclear Engineer (Director, US/UK Technology Exchange) Job in Washington, DC

Vacancy No. 25-NA30-17-12661523-EN Department National Nuclear Security Administration
Salary $201,124.00 to $207,500.00 Grade 5 to 5
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/15/2025 Close Date 1/28/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Washington, DC


Summary

This position is part of the Deputy Administrator for Naval Reactors, Department of Energy.

The Deputy Administrator for Naval Reactors is also the Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and the Deputy Commander, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Directorate, Naval Sea Systems Command. Responsibilities for this Program area are contained in Executive Order 12344 of 1 February 1982, which is codified in 42 U.S.C. §7158 and 50 U.S.C. §§ 2401 and 2406.

Duties

As a Nuclear Engineer (Director, US/UK Technology Exchange), you will:

  • Serves as a principal advisor to the Director, External and Public Affairs Division for Naval Reactors on policy issues affecting major program planning, budget, and priority objectives. Advises on a wide variety of important, complex, and difficult problems affecting nuclear-powered warships.
  • Applies fiscal, contracting, security, and administrative policies, procedures, and practices necessary to manage the budget and US prime contractor workforce to execute the nuclear propulsion plant technology exchange program between Naval Reactors and the UK Ministry of Defense in a timely manner within agreed to funding levels. Also directs and oversees procurement, manufacture, and transportation of all reactor plant GFE components procured for the UK that are manufactured by the US, including any industrial base development reimbursable to the UK.
  • Coordinates Naval Reactors and prime contractor efforts to support UK submarine shipbuilding and maintenance programs, including the design of the new SSN-AUKUS Class in support of the AUKUS optimal pathway. This includes overseeing technology transfer efforts in support of SSN- AUKUS, including US embed management, to enable timely and cost-effective technology insertion.
  • Provides technical guidance and leadership to the engineers/project managers under his/her supervision and coordinates the efforts of associated technical personnel to ensure that they are aware of and understand the most recent technological changes in her/his programs as well as the scheduling and administrative changes as they occur.
  • Applies technical expertise on submarine nuclear propulsion plant design and operations to advise senior government and industry officials (both domestic and foreign) in submarine nuclear propulsion plant design, construction, operation, safety, regulation, maintenance, and disposal.
  • Coordinates and promote the efforts of technical personnel in the US and the UK to execute mutually beneficial propulsion plant research and development projects.
  • Coordinates with the Naval Reactors AUKUS Technical Director to align strategic priorities and messaging with the UK in support of the AUKUS initiative.
  • Coordinates external correspondence and engagements pertaining to US/UK Technology Exchange, including Congressional briefings and requests for information.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
  • Males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered for Selective Service.
  • You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final DOE Q level security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of job offer or removal.
  • May be required to successfully complete a probationary period.
  • May be required to successfully complete a supervisory probationary period.
  • The position is covered under the DOE Drug-Free Workplace Order 343.1. The tentative selectee must test negative prior to final selection for this position and will be subject to random testing thereafter.
  • Subject to Financial Disclosure OGE Form 450.

Qualifications

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

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 grade level (GS-15) in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as:

  1. Extensive knowledge of advanced principles of nuclear engineering.
  2. Knowledge of application of nuclear propulsion to the design, construction, repair, maintenance, modernization, testing and operation of naval nuclear reactor plants; knowledge of nuclear safety regulations, practices, and procedures to ensure health and safety.
  3. Knowledge and ability to coordinate external correspondence and engagement pertaining to technology exchange.
Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: Professional and Scientific Positions: General Schedule Qualification Standards

AND Additional positive education requirement can be found from the following: IOR: All Professional Engineering Positions: all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information:
- Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job)
- Duties (be specific in describing your duties, we cannot make assumptions regarding your experience)
- Employer's name and address
- Supervisor name and phone number
- Start and end dates including month, day and year (e.g., June 18 2007 to April 05 2008)
- Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you've held a federal position.
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
- Salary

Education

There is no substitution of education for experience at the EN-5 level.

You MUST provide transcripts to support your education claims. Education must be obtained from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGINEER:

  • Bachelor's Degree (or higher) in Engineering OR
  • Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate professional field, provided you have had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. OR
  • Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum. OR
  • Current registration as a Professional Engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico allows eligibility only if your registration is within or closely related to nuclear engineering
Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Additional information

  • The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
  • This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE.
  • For general information on government-wide Telework polices visit: www.telework.gov
  • As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement.

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.

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

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

Once the application process is complete, your resume and supporting documentation will be used to determine whether you meet the job qualifications. If you are minimally qualified for this job, your responses to the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) will be evaluated and you will be placed into one of three pre-defined quality categories under Category Rating procedures. These categories are "Best Qualified", "Well Qualified", and "Qualified. If you rate yourself higher than is supported by your application materials, your responses may be adjusted and/or you may be excluded from consideration for this job.

Your qualifications will be evaluated on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics):

  • Communication
  • Nuclear Engineering
  • Project Management
  • Technical Competence


Application of Veterans' Preference: If you are a preference eligible candidate, you will be listed at the top of whichever quality category your rating places you in. CP/CPS veterans are placed at the top of the highest category for all positions except professional and scientific positions at GS-9 and higher.

Career Transition Assistance Programs: To receive selection priority for this position, you must: 1) meet the eligibility criteria; and 2) be rated "well-qualified", which is defined as scoring in the Well Qualified category (or higher).

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (01/28/2025) of this announcement.

To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12661523

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you MUST provide a complete application package which includes:

  • Your RESUME showing all relevant work experience (paid and unpaid) including: duties performed; full name and address of the each employer; start and end dates (month/day/year); work schedule (part-time, full-time, number of hours if intermittent); salary; and any completed education and training (program title, subject area, number of hours completed, and completion date).
  • Cover Letter, optional, expressing additional information not covered in your resume.
  • Transcripts, if specific educational requirements are indicated in this job announcement.Unofficial transcripts or any report listing institution, course title, credits earned (semester or quarter hour) and final grade is acceptable. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the educational requirements.
  • Veterans' Preference documentation,if applicable, DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; current active duty members- certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter. For more information visit the USAJOBS Help Center & OPM CHCOC website for VOW information.
  • Career Transition Assistance Program/Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program documentation, if applicable(e.g., Certification of Expected Separation, Reduction-In-Force Separation Notice, or Notice of Proposed Removal; SF-50 that documents the RIF separation action; and most recent performance appraisal.) For more information see the OPM Guide to Career Transition.

Failure to submit any of the above mentioned required documents may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application package. It is your responsibility to ensure all required documents have been submitted.

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.

The application process is as follows:

  1. You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/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: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. 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: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.

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

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

Roberta Duff
Address
Deputy Administrator for Naval Reactors
814 Pittsburgh-McKeesport Boulevard
West Mifflin, PA 15122
US
Learn more about this agency

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. The status of your application will be updated in USAJOBS as it is evaluated.

You can check the status by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application changes by logging into your USAJobs Account and editing the Notification Settings.

You will be contacted directly if an interview is required.


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


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