Senior Resident Inspector (TL) Job in San Luis Obispo, CA

Vacancy No. IMP-13043539-26-LQ Department Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Salary $161,297.00 to $197,200.00 Grade 14 to 14
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 8/25/2026 Close Date 9/3/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
San Luis Obispo, CA


Senior Resident Inspector (TL)

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Summary

This position is located in CNRI, R4 Division of Reactor Projects, Reactor Projects Branch B, Diablo Canyon Resident Office.
The supervisor is Rayomand Kumana.
This position is subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. This position is subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

This job is open to

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from current employees of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on a permanent or competitive term appointment only.

Duties

The successful candidate will implement the agency's inspection program at a nuclear reactor site and serve as an onsite representative of the NRC to that licensee and the public. Such duties include but are not limited to:

  1. Managing, overseeing, and conducting inspections of nuclear facilities to assure compliance with design specifications.
  2. Initiating enforcement action with regional management approval when inspection findings indicate a violation of the license or NRC rules and regulations.
  3. Participating as a team leader on inspections of reported problems, incidents, abnormal conditions, or allegations involving or pertaining to nuclear facilities.
  4. Evaluating overall licensee performance and identifying areas which should receive additional attention.
  5. Managing, controlling, and directing the work of a small group of technical and administrative employees at the resident site for less than 25 percent of the time, and coordinating availability of the resident inspector staff for response to operating events, including accidents and incidents during off duty hours.
This position requires full qualification as an NRC inspector under Inspection Manual Chapter 1245 or the Resident Inspector Competency Based Qualification program. Applicants with significant experience in implementing the Reactor Oversight Process are preferred.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

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.

All information in your resume must be true and accurate.

Conditions of Employment:

  • Geographic mobility is a condition of employment for selection under this announcement. APPLICANTS SHOULD NOTE THAT THE TOUR LENGTH OF A RESIDENT INSPECTOR AT A SINGLE SITE IS LIMITED TO TEN (10) YEARS BY COMMISSION POLICY. Any applicant selected for this position must meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the Agency's resident inspector relocation incentive policy, including signing a mobility agreement.
  • This is a Drug Testing position
  • This position requires an LH security clearance

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.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as demonstrated knowledge and experience in nuclear plant operations, systems, integrated facility operations, and design. Such experience should have provided you with the full range of knowledge, skills, and abilities addressed in the rating factor questions that are associated with this vacancy announcement, specifically, your knowledge of and ability to apply nuclear industry standards, rules and regulations.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

  1. Knowledge of nuclear power plant operations, systems, integrated facility operations, and design consistent with that gained through assignment as a resident inspector.
  2. Demonstrated ability to observe, evaluate, and assess the operations of nuclear power plants including events.
  3. Demonstrated ability to apply NRC rules, regulations, policies, guides and review plans in the review or inspection of reactor operations, maintenance, engineering and plant support.
  4. Ability to lead, train, and assess performance of other assigned inspectors and administrative assistant.
  5. Demonstrated skills in communicating information, ideas and advice in a clear, concise, and logical manner, both orally and in writing.
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. The NRC encourages applicants to provide extensive job experience details in your resume.

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

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. Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree.

You must meet basic education and professional knowledge requirements that apply to Federal engineering and sciences positions for the grade levels to which you are applying. This knowledge is met by having a bachelor's or higher degree in a relevant professional engineering/science discipline from a school of engineering with at least one engineering curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) (or by documenting how you meet the minimum OPM qualification standards for the 0801 Occupational Series in addition to the specialized experience.

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 and sciences jobs is described in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards. Note: It is your responsibility to furnish documentation that verifies you meet the basic education and professional knowledge requirements; in the absence of such documentation, you would be rated not qualified.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation.

Additional information

This position may be eligible for telework in accordance with agency policy.

Retention Incentive: Resident/senior resident inspectors may be eligible for the Resident Inspector Program Group Retention Incentive as approved on December 1, 2023 and renewed on February 20, 2026. The amount of the retention incentive is 15 percent of adjusted basic pay, including any locality or special rate, to be paid annually and subject to annual review and approval.

Resident Office Relocation Incentive: Provided the employee meets all relocation incentive eligibility requirements, the employee may be eligible for a relocation incentive. The relocation incentive is a one-time payment in the amount of the employee's total pay, including special salary rate and applicable locality adjustment for the grade and step held at the time of the qualifying assignment, multiplied by the designated percentage as follows: 30% for Diablo Canyon. An additional 2% may be added for a senior resident inspector who is selected and accepts a lateral reassignment to this position.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

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.

When the application process is complete, your application will be reviewed to determine if you meet the job requirements. Your application will be evaluated based on the information provided in your resume and responses to any vacancy questions to determine your level of knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the job requirements. You must respond to all required application questions.

If you are among the top candidates for this position, your application will be referred to the hiring manager for possible interview and selection based upon the number of available vacancies to be filled in each office.

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 concise resume that directly relates to this position.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your application package to be complete. If you fail to provide any required documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

  • Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); and 4) other qualifications. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. See below for Additional Resume Information.
  • Transcripts: You must submit an official or unofficial copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application, if the position has a positive education requirement. Diplomas do not provide the information needed for determining qualifications and will not be accepted in lieu of transcripts.
  • SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action): You must submit a copy of your most recent non-award SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive/excepted status or reinstatement eligibility. Applicants who only submit an award SF-50 will not receive further consideration.
All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.Additional Resume Information:Your resume is crucial in our evaluation of your qualifications. Resumes should clearly demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Please limit your résumé to 2 pages. To ensure your resume contains all required information, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, please ensure it contains all the required information, and you organize it so we can associate the following information with each experience/position:
  • 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 pro-rate part-time employment in crediting experience.
  • Concise, results-focused language for 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 may 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.

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

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin an application. To be considered for this position, you must complete the online application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 09/03/2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. For a preview of the application questions, please see https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13043539.

Your complete application must include your resume, responses to all required vacancy questions, and any required documents that prove your eligibility to apply.

To begin your application, select the "Apply" button located on the right side of this screen. Follow the subsequent prompts to log in or register, submit all required documents, answer the questions, and complete the application process. You may either select your required documents within your USAJOBS profile to upload with your application or directly upload them during the application process. The following types of document types can be uploaded: .gif, jpg., .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, .doc, and .docx.

Important Considerations:

  • Paper Applications: Paper applications will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate hardship circumstances through the agency contact listed below.
  • Application Extensions: Requests for application extensions will not be granted.
  • Hardship Assistance: If you experience hardship applying online, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below for assistance. You must reach out during business hours before the announcement closing date and speak with someone who can provide support for your online submission.
  • 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) 415-5888 or TDD 240-482-3217. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Agency contact information

Lisa Quayle
Phone
817-200-1566
Email
Lisa.Quayle@nrc.gov
Address
Office of the Chief Nuclear Reactor Inspector
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
US

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." You will receive an email acknowledging that your submission was successful. We will review your resume, question responses, and transcript(s) (if appropriate) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and may interview the best-qualified applicants. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability and/or security background investigation.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

If you are curious, inspired, or interested in bringing your energy to a committed team in a dynamic science, engineering, technical, or administrative career, consider the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). We are professionals dedicated to protecting people and the environment by safeguarding the use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry, and research.

NRC is an independent agency established to protect public health and safety as nuclear energy fuels electrical power and a variety of industrial, medical, and research applications. We come from varied educational and experiential backgrounds-the military, industry, and academia.

The NRC prides itself on creating a work environment rich in opportunity, leadership, training, teamwork and work life balance. Help guide our nation into the next generation of nuclear safety by completing your USAJOBs profile and reviewing our job announcements! Begin a challenging career with the NRC where you can be a part of a select group of professionals who protect people and the environment with the peaceful use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry and research.

Agency contact information

Lisa Quayle
Phone
817-200-1566
Email
Lisa.Quayle@nrc.gov
Address
Office of the Chief Nuclear Reactor Inspector
11555 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852
US

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https://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/employment