Summary
These positions are located in Office of Public Affairs in Rockville, Maryland, Headquarters and in Arlington, Texas, Region IV.
The supervisor is Holly Harrington, Acting Office Director.
This position is Bargaining Unit with the National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 208
This position IS not subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements.
This position IS subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
All NRC Employees are encouraged to apply.
Based on the staffing needs of the agency/area of consideration, additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement.
Duties
The successful candidate will perform the full range of public affairs duties.
Such duties include but are not limited to:
- Assist in the administration of stakeholder outreach that contributes to the public understanding of NRC programs and policies related primarily to headquarters and national activities and issues. Coordinates closely with Office Director, Senior Advisor, headquarters colleagues and regional public affairs officers to ensure a cohesive, timely and accurate dissemination of information.
- Responds to telephone and written inquiries from external stakeholders, especially the public, traditional and social media representatives, writers of periodicals and radio and television media.
- Writes and edits public information statements, news releases, special reports, bulletins, social media posts etc., as required to meet mission requirements and as directed by the NRC OPA Office Director.
- Develops and maintains reference materials required in conducting a public information program. Arranges for photographic services as necessary in relation to the issuance of public information.
- Contributes to strategic communication plans that promote specific activities, programs, policies and practices of the agency.
- Establishes and maintains channels of communication through personal contacts with key personnel of information media (press, radio, television) as well as Federal, State and local government officials relevant to the Regional activities. Develops and maintains close professional business relationships with plant operators, licensees, owners and industry as deemed ethically appropriate per the direction of the NRC OPA Office Director.
- Obtains from NRC officials sufficient information to report promptly on incident or emergencies requiring immediate handling, communicating with Headquarters public affairs management, the Headquarters Operations Center, and the regional Incident Response Centers, responding consistent with the agency’s crisis communication strategy.
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
SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as the ability to and experience that demonstrates research and write materials for use in news stories and nonpromotional material on a regular basis that deal preferably with nuclear energy or other technical/scientific subjects; evaluate pertinent scientific/technical information quickly for newsworthiness.
In order to qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at GG-13 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 experience researching news reports analyzing news coverage and preparing appropriate responses/rebuttals, writing news releases, communicating via social media and preparation of other written materials intended for the general public on technical matters, mostly in the nuclear energy and materials field. Demonstrated ability to effectively translate complex technical information into plain English using various mediums, including social media platforms.
(Example: Describe specific experience, training and accomplishments in the area of reporting and writing about technical and/or regulatory matters, including examples of products of a scientific and highly technical nature that were translated into “plain language” consumable by the general public).
2. Demonstrated experience responding to oral or written media and general public inquiries whereby complex scientific, technical and/or regulatory information is translated into plain understandable language, appropriate to the level of expertise of the inquirer and/or their audience.
(Example: Describe specific experience, training and accomplishments in the area of responding to media and general public inquiries regarding scientific, highly technical and/or regulatory matters, including examples of successfully transmitting plain language responses).
3. Demonstrated ability to develop timely and effective communication strategies for managing announcements and issues of interest to the media and general public, and emergent events or incidents. In-depth knowledge of current nuclear energy and materials issues and programs.
(Example: Describe training and experience which demonstrate ability to consolidate complex and diverse views into a concise, balanced and well-founded recommended communication strategy. Indicate experience working with technical and/or scientific staff in the preparation of strategic communication initiatives).
4. Demonstrated ability to interact and work effectively with colleagues, as well as managers and technical staff to obtain information necessary to support public affairs objectives. Demonstrated skills to search and generate stories and information electronically from various print and online information sources.
(Example: Describe instances that required the use of tact, diplomacy and negotiation skills to achieve cooperation and develop consensus, and techniques used to develop and maintain effective working relationships. Describe specific accomplishments when interfacing with various professional/technical staff members in order to obtain relevant information).
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. Additionally, you must also submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action).
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.
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 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.
- 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).
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. 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.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.
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 three 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; or
3. use the "Fax" feature to print the Fax Cover Sheet and fax it, along with your supplemental documents to 1-571-258-4052.
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.
The NRC requires that applicants submit resumes built using the USAJOBS Resume Builder tool. The Resume Builder tool is activated upon selecting "Build New Resume" under the "Resumes" section of your USAJOBS account.
Resumes uploaded to your USAJOBS jobseeker account that have not been built using the USAJOBS Resume Builder tool WILL NOT be accepted and you WILL NOT be allowed to further advance through the NRC application process.
To ensure you are using the correct resume type when applying to our vacancies, please make sure that the resume you are using during the application process is listed with a format type of "USAJOBS Resume" and a source type of "Built with USAJOBS Resume Builder. Verifying this information on your USAJOBS resume before applying will ensure the successful submission of your application to the NRC job vacancy.
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.
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.
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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