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. 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.
For the following regions, pay will be set using the base salary plus the applicable locality adjustment noted:
- Region I in King of Prussia, PA- 28.99%
- Region II in Atlanta, GA- 23.79%
- Region III in Naperville, IL- 30.86%
- Region IV in Arlington, TX- 27.26%
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. (Examples include: Positions held as a licensed operator, certified operator, or licensed operator trainer which provided you the knowledge and understanding of the principles, theories and practices in commercial nuclear reactor engineering and design).
2. Knowledge of power plant systems, procedures, and integrated facility operations based on reactor operation or inspection experience at operating commercial nuclear reactor facilities. (Examples include: Specific experience and training in the operation and/or testing of nuclear power plants. Experience and training related to integrated facility operations during normal and accident conditions. Identification of current licensed operator qualification, instructor certification or current status of such a qualification).
3. Ability to apply regulations, regulatory guides and industry standards, reactor and operator licensing guidelines and procedures, and reactor operation, inspection and assessment techniques. (Examples include: Specific experience, education, training, and accomplishments demonstrating knowledge, skills, and abilities in reactor facility and licensed operator regulations. Examples could include specific training and/or experience as a senior reactor operator; reactor operator; or licensed operator instructor; Nuclear Safety Review auditor or inspector, etc.)
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 present technical information both orally and in writing. (Examples include: Education, training and/or experience that has enabled you to effectively communicate results of analysis and solutions to problems, i.e. those related to the training, testing, evaluation and qualification of commercial nuclear power plant operators and/or the operation of a commercial nuclear power plant facility. Making oral presentations and developing written communications to present technical information to a variety of audiences.)
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.
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. USAJOBS Help Center - Benefits and USAJOBS Help Center - Pay
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.
Required Documents
The following documents are required and must be provided with your application. All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.
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. This should not be an award SF-50.
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/.
If you are applying under the Schedule A Hiring Authority and wish to be considered, you must submit supporting documentation (i.e., Schedule A Letter). You may refer to the following link for additional information. USAJOBS Help Center - Individuals with disabilities
You must include an unofficial copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application. If you fail to submit transcripts with your application you will be considered ineligible and will not receive further consideration.
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.
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. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. If more than 2 pages are submitted, your resume will still be accepted, however only the first 2 pages will be reviewed and considered for qualifications and eligibility determination in whether or not the minimum qualifications for the position have been met. If you fail to provide the required 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).
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.) or other inappropriate material on your resume or cover letter. 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, links to social media such as LinkedIn, to determine your qualifications. Cover letters are optional.
You will be rated based on 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.
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.
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.
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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Region I - Human Resources contact - Joanne Challman
Region II - Human Resources contact - Denise Baker
Region III - Human Resources contact -Lindsey Spicer
Region IV - Human Resources contact - Keisa Lankford