Project Manager - Direct Hire Notice Job in Rockville, MD

Vacancy No. NRR/DANU-2025-0009 Department Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Salary $142,488.00 to $185,234.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 6/25/2025 Close Date 7/9/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Rockville, MD


Summary

This position is located in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), Division of Advanced Reactors and Non-Power
Production and Utilization Facilities, Advanced Reactor Policy Branch (UARP)

The supervisor is Michael Wentzel

These positions are being filled via Direct Hire Authority.

This position IS subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements & subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Please read this Public Notice for Direct Hire in its entirety prior to submitting your application for consideration. You are applying to a resume database. Your resume and any documents submitted will be retained and may be used at any time during the open period of this Public Notice. U.S. Citizenship is REQUIRED. DHA is not permitted for internal NRC promotion actions.

Duties

The successful candidate provides leadership and manages the processing and review of all matters associated with assigned projects and licensing actions. Serves as the headquarters focal point for oversight of assigned industry groups, owner's groups, or vendors. Utilizes and/or develops proposals for changes to management directives, office instructions, rules, regulations, and procedures in carrying out complex projects. Oversee the use and consideration of safety and security goals in all efforts. Provides senior-level technical and staff expertise in the areas of licensing actions, interfaces, and regulatory improvements.

Duties include but are not limited to:


Serves as project manager for one or multiple projects or liaison relationships involving licensees, one or more industry groups, owner groups, or vendors as well as agency stakeholders. Manages and resolves unusual and/or highly complex technical problems and regulatory/licensing issues that may include complicated and precedent-setting tasks. Intervenes as an NRC representative in matters of public and managerial interest to include those demonstrated by occasional public meetings, average ticketed correspondence, and occasional 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) questions. Maintains an awareness of the most up-to-date regulatory issues affecting assignments.

Manages, coordinates, and performs safety and environmental reviews of licensing actions. Determines requirements for additional information, studies, reviews and documentation. Coordinates the development of generic communications. Recommends agency action for licensing actions consistent with NRC policies and regulations, precedents, safety evaluations, environmental reports, and other documentation. Independently manages the resolution of unique, first-of-a-kind technical issues identified in the review.

Performs complex technical reviews within areas of expertise, to include those that are unprecedented. Independently develops, or with input from the technical staff, requests for additional information and coordinates with the industry group, owner's group, or vendor to ensure completeness. Prepares work requests and integrates technical inputs into a single safety evaluation. Ensures that actions are completed within prescribed time periods in accordance with office goals and objectives. Resolves inconsistencies and differences of opinion among NRC organizations and the industry group, owner's group, or vendor.

Prepares work requests and integrates technical inputs into a single safety evaluation. Ensures that actions are completed within prescribed time periods in accordance with office goals and objectives. Assists in the resolution of inconsistencies and differences of opinion among NRC technical organizations, NRR staff, licensees, and the industry group, owner's group, or vendor.

Performs a wide variety of project management administration duties: Processes submittals in accordance with office and division policy (e.g., Office Instruction LIC-500, “Processing Requests for Reviews of Topical Reports,” LIC-101, “License Amendment Review Procedures”, RNWL-100, “Application Review Process for License Renewal and Subsequent License Renewal”); supports acceptance reviews, screens licensee, industry group, owner's group, or vendor submittals for technical adequacy, assigns priority, enters tracking information in databases, and plans and schedules work activities based on program goals; develops and maintains review schedules for assignments by coordinating with the assigned NRC review personnel and with licensees, industry group, owner's group, or vendor staff, and keeps the status of the projects updated in appropriate databases. Ensures that actions are completed within prescribed time periods in accordance with office goals and objectives. Independently evaluates significant operational events related to assignments. Supports the staffing of the headquarters or regional incident response center as required in response to events.

Prepares safety evaluations, public notices, routine correspondence, etc., for final processing by administrative staff. In response to requests from licensees, industry groups, owner's groups, or vendors, manages, coordinates, and routinely performs safety reviews of applications for review and endorsement of Topical Reports, Task Interface Agreements, and changes to the technical specifications (TSs).

Prepares briefing packages for drop-in visits by senior management of licensees, industry group, owner's group, or vendor officials with Commissioners and senior NRC management and provides input to regional briefing packages for site visits by Commissioners and senior NRC management. Briefs Commissioners and senior management before these visits, as requested.





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.

Selectees may be required to serve a trial period to assess their overall fitness and qualifications for continued employment. The
trial period for new employees is two years. New employees who are preference eligible veterans serve a one-year trial period.

All information in your resume must be true and accurate.

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.  

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

1. Demonstrated knowledge of the principles, theory, practices and/or rules and regulations in the field of engineering, science, nuclear and/or byproduct materials (nuclear facilities, such as, operating reactors, new reactors, advanced reactors, and/or fuel facilities, etc.) to identify, analyze, and develop conclusions regarding assessments of regulatory programs.

(Example: Describe specific training, education, and work experience that demonstrate knowledge and skills in the areas of engineering, science, byproduct and/or nuclear facility regulation and demonstrated ability to identify safety or security issues and recommend sound regulatory approaches as they relate to regulatory programs or licensee activities or operations.).

2. Demonstrated ability to prioritize and perform independent evaluations and reviews of unique technical issues, programs, or problems which document program performance, set precedent, or establish policy.

(Example: Describe the breadth and depth of experience in the areas of independent reviews or development of safety, security, programmatic, and/or policy issues. Candidates should describe their experience in performing special, time-sensitive projects which resulted in high-quality products.).

3. Demonstrated ability to develop and implement successful approaches to problem solving and conflict resolution.

(Example: Describe education, training, and experience which demonstrates ability to prioritize, plan, schedule, manage, and resolve issues relative to complex projects. Candidates should describe specific experiences, including the audience where they represented their organization on complex issues to diverse groups with competing goals and the outcome of problem solving or conflict resolution efforts.)

4. Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing; demonstrated ability to establish effective working relationships with managers, coworkers, professional committees, and Federal, State, and local government agencies.

(Example: Describe specific experience, training, and accomplishments that demonstrate communication skills. Candidates should describe in detail their ability to: (1) use formal and informal networks to build support for programs; (2) lead complex technical discussions and consolidate complex and diverse opinions into concise presentations; (3) work in a team or group atmosphere; (4) formulate balanced and well-founded recommendations; (5) establish effective work-relationships with colleagues, managers, and other government and industry officials of diverse backgrounds. Candidates should describe the kinds of oral and written presentations they have made within the Agency and outside the Agency, including published technical documents they have authored and presentations they have made to the public.)

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as: experience with the licensing, design, operation, regulation, or inspection of commercial power nuclear plants, related vendors, or other nuclear facilities.


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

Education

GG-0801 (General Engineering Series):


Basic Requirements:
• 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 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
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)1, 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.)


GG-1301, (General Physical Science Series):


Basic requirements:
• Degree: physical science, engineering, or mathematics that included 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science such as mechanics, dynamics, properties of materials, and electronics.
OR
• Combination of education and experience -- education equivalent to one of the majors shown in A above that included at least 24 semester hours in physical science and/or related engineering science, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application.  Transcript must include the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of credibility of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency.  If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree.  Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation.

Additional information

The duty location of this position is (Rockville, MD). This position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with the agency policy.

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:  FedsHireVets

The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the coordinator at (301) 287-0745 or TDD 240-482-3217. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

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.

The NRC is a zero-tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for these positions will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing.

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.

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

Applications will be evaluated in the order in which they are received based upon the information provided in your resume and your responses to the vacancy questions to determine your qualification for these positions. Qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager(s) for possible interview and selection based upon the number of available vacancies to be filled in each office. Please keep in mind your resume is of key importance for evaluating your skills, knowledge, and abilities as they relate to this position. 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 must respond to all required vacancy questions.  


You may preview questions for this vacancy.

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. Additionally, you must also submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action). This SF-50 should not be an award SF-50.

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 SF-50 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 htts://www.fedshirevets.gQYL.

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 Helg 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 .docx.

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 read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.

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. 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 will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.
  5. Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable).
  6. 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, one of the Human Resources Specialists listed on the announcement will provide assistance to ensure that applications are submitted online by the closing date. Applicants must contact the one of the Human Resources Specialists during business hours BEFORE the closing date of the announcement and speak to someone who can provide assistance for your online submission.

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

Natasha Thomas
Phone
301-415-7000
TDD
240-428-3217
Fax
000-000-0000
Email
Natasha.thomas@nrc.gov
Website
https://www.nrc.gov
Address
NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION
US Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Office of Human Resources
Attn: Natasha Thomas
Washington, District of Columbia 20555
United States

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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