Operations Engineer Job in Arlington, TX

Vacancy No. R-IV/DORS-2025-0004 Department Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Salary $114,566.00 to $148,937.00 Grade 13 to 13
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 1/16/2025 Close Date 1/27/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Arlington, TX


Summary

This position is located in the Division of Operating Reactor Safety, Operations Branch, in the Region IV Office, Arlington, Texas.
The supervisor is Dr. Heather Gepford, Branch Chief.
This  position is in the Bargaining Unit with the National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 208.
This position IS NOT subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements.
This position IS NOT subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

Duties

The successful candidate will perform the full range of duties as an Operations Engineer. As a region-based inspector and examiner, you will develop, prepare and administer examinations to applicants for operator and senior operator licenses for nuclear reactors. You will plan, conduct, report, and coordinate findings associated with inspections of light-water reactors, in accordance with the NRC Inspection Manual. You will Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

1. Preparing, reviewing, and administering written and operating examinations for operator license applicants.
2. Planning and preparing for the scope of an assigned inspection to obtain sufficient information through direct observation and verification of licensee activities, including licensed operator re-qualification training.
3. Performing routine and complex inspections of reactor facilities to observe and assure conformance to NRC rules and regulations, inspection procedures, and orders.
4. Writing reports of inspection findings to ascertain whether the facility is being operated safely, the licensee's management control programs are effective and regulatory requirements are being satisfied.
5. Coordinating inspection findings into overall licensee assessment.

Requirements

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 in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. In addition to meeting the basic education requirements for professional engineering positions, as described in the Education section, to qualify for this position at the advertised grade level, you must meet the following:

For GG-13: Generally, five+ years of post-bachelor's degree specialized experience or at least 3+ years of post-master's degree professional engineering experience, one year of which is equivalent to the GG-12 level, where you applied relevant professional engineering disciplines.  

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

1. Knowledge of the principles, theories and practices of nuclear reactor and commercial nuclear power plant engineering. 

2. Knowledge of power plant systems, procedures, and integrated facility operations based on reactor operation or inspection experience at operating commercial nuclear reactor facilities.

3. Knowledge of industry codes, standards, and practices as applied to the training, evaluation and licensing of applicants for reactor operators’ licenses.

4. Knowledge of current NRC rules, regulations, policies, reactor license requirements, and inspection procedures as applied to the normal and accident operation of a commercial nuclear power facility

5. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as work experience applying any of a variety of relevant professional engineering disciplines (e.g., nuclear, electrical, mechanical, metallurgical, structural, chemical) in the industry of commercial or military nuclear power. Such experience must have provided you with the full range of knowledge, skills and abilities identified for what is considered an “Ideal Candidate” for this position.

A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate should be addressed in your resume.

Education

To qualify for these positions, you must meet BOTH basic education/professional knowledge requirements that apply to Federal engineering positions at all grade levels AND the specialized experience requirements outlined above no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.  

Candidates for Federal Government professional engineering positions must meet certain basic professional knowledge requirements. Generally these knowledge requirements are met by having a bachelor's or higher degree in a relevant professional engineering discipline (e.g., mechanical, metallurgical, materials, nuclear, structural, chemical, electrical) from a school of engineering with at least one professional engineering curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). However, if you do not possess such a professional engineering degree, you may still satisfy the professional knowledge requirements if you have current Professional Engineer (P.E.) registration in one of the relevant disciplines from any U.S. State or Territory; or if you successfully passed an Engineer-in-Training (EIT) written examination administered by a State Board of Engineering Examiners; or if you have either a related professional degree or at least 60 semester hours of specified engineering-related college courses COMBINED WITH at least a year of professional engineering work experience performed under professional engineer supervision and guidance.

Note: Engineering technology degrees are not generally qualifying unless supplemented by other evidence of the individual's professional knowledge (e.g., current P.E. license or EIT examination results, as discussed above).

More detailed information about these alternatives for meeting the knowledge requirements for Federal professional engineering jobs are described in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards Operating Manual which may be accessed at the following Web site: 

OPM Qualification Standards for 0800 Professional Engineering Positions

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

Additional information

The duty location of this position is Arlington, TX. In general, employees are expected to be in the office at a minimum of 4 days per pay period**.  Telework schedules, including full-time telework, are approved, on a case-by-case basis. If selected, telework will be determined in accordance with Agency policy and the Collective Bargaining Agreement, if applicable. This is NOT a full-time remote position. 

The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate.  Individuals with disabilities may contact the Selective Placement Coordinator for assistance with the application or hiring process via  Disability.Resource@nrc.gov.  Deaf applicants may contact the Disability Program Manager by calling the NRC videophone at 240-428-3217.

Individuals who are eligible for non-competitive appointment under an OPM special appointing authority may apply for consideration under a comparable NRC non-competitive appointing authority. Veterans, please visit:  http://www.fedshirevets.gov/

Selectee's 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.

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 wavier 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.

The NRC is a zero tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use.  Individuals selected for this position will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing unless currently in a NRC position subject to random drug testing AND will be subject to random drug testing upon appointment to the NRC.

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.

How You Will Be Evaluated

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.

Required Documents

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. If you fail to provide this information, with your application you will be considered ineligible and will not receive further consideration. 

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.  Do not provide an SF-50 for an award.  

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 response to any vacancy questions, and if necessary, documents which provide 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. 

1. Job title

2. Name of employer

3. Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year) format

4. Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We prorate part-time employment in crediting experience. 

5. Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities adn number of staff supervised (if applicable). 

6. 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.

Your resume must NOT include photographs, classified or government sensitive information, social security number (SSN), encrypted/digitally signed documents, or links to social media such as LinkedIn, or other inappropriate material or content (gender, age, race, date of birth, disability, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, etc.). If your resume contains prohibited information as listed above, your application will 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 to determine your qualifications. Cover letters are optional.

If 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 two 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

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

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.

Paper application 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. 

All information in your resume and responses to the vacancy questions must be true and accurate. Your resume will be used to validate your responses to the vacancy questions. If we are unable to validate your responses, you will not be considered.

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.

Agency contact information

Keisa D. Lankford
Phone
817-200-1551
TDD
240-428-3217
Fax
817-200-1585
Email
Keisa.Lankford@nrc.gov
Website
https://www.nrc.gov
Address
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
1600 E. Lamar Blvd.
Region IV - Human Resources Staff
Arlington, Texas 76011
United States
Learn more about this agency

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."


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


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