Background

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proud to be ranked among the best places to work for compensation, work-life balance, and performance for mid-sized agencies in the Federal Government. We've earned our top ratings by creating a work environment rich in opportunity, diversity, leadership training, teamwork, and work life balance. Help guide our nation into the next generation of nuclear safety! Begin a challenging career with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission where you can be 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.

This Geologist position is located in Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Division of Engineering and External Hazards, External Hazards Branch, NRC Headquarters, Rockville, MD.
The exact duty station for this position will be negotiated at the time of selection, as determined by the hiring manager.

Duties

The GG-14 grade level Geologist provides technical, programmatic, and project support in the area of geology to the agency.

The incumbent serves as a Geologist with special emphasis in applying geological evaluations to the safety review of nuclear power plant licensing activities including design certifications, early site permits, combined licenses, limited work authorizations, construction permits, and operating licenses, license renewals, material facilities, spent nuclear fuel transportation and storage licenses, decommissioning reviews, and other licensing actions.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Manages the safety and environmental review process for siting, licensing, and decommissioning activities for reactor and material facilities.
Takes a lead role in in development of new regulations and guidance.
Serves as a technical witness at public hearings representing the NRC in the area of geology.
As assigned, manages technical evaluations associated with new reactor applications, license renewal or amendment applications for operating nuclear power plants, and material facilities and decommissioning applications that may be complex or controversial.
Relies on the management directives, office instructions, rules, regulations, and procedures in carrying out assigned duties.
Ensures that NRC's strategic objectives of protecting public health and safety and the environment, promoting national security, and providing for regulatory actions that are effective, efficient, and open are considered in all efforts.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this GG-14 grade level Geologist 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 and meet the basic education requirements.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as: experience with the principles, theory, and application of geology sufficient to conduct studies leading to the development and evaluation of regulatory criteria, technical positions, and application and license reviews for nuclear power plants. A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate (see below) should be addressed in your resume.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

1. Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the field of geology as related to site characterization relevant to siting nuclear facilities. (Describe work experience, education, and training which demonstrate your abilities and your knowledge related to site characterization relevant to siting nuclear facilities).
2. Demonstrated knowledge and experience evaluating geologic hazards including volcanic hazards, instability due to karst conditions, and surface deformation due to faulting. (Describe work experience, education, and training which demonstrate your abilities and your knowledge related to characterizing volcanic and other geologic hazards such as instability due to karst conditions and assessing the potential for surface deformation due to faulting).
3. Demonstrated knowledge with NRC regulations, regulatory guides, ANS and ASCE guidance, and other industry codes and standards applicable to geologic site characterization and hazard evaluation including familiarity with expert elicitation methods such as the Senior Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee (SSHAC) process, and other documented processed used by NRC Staff. (Describe specific experience, training, and accomplishments which demonstrate your knowledge of NRC safety related regulations, NRC related processes (e.g. SSHAC), industry standards, and NRC rules, regulations and guidance governing siting of nuclear facilities. Include several examples of such work and describe the complexity of the issue.)
4. Demonstrated ability to prioritize, plan, schedule, and manage complex technical projects involving interdisciplinary teamwork with technical experts in the fields of geophysics and geotechnical engineering. (Describe specific experience and accomplishments which demonstrate your ability prioritize, plan, schedule and manage complex technical projects involving interdisciplinary teams with expertise relevant to geologic characterization and hazard evaluation. Include several specific examples of projects performed and describe the complexity of the work, and your role in organizing and accomplishing the work, and the nature of the interdisciplinary interactions.)
5. Demonstrated ability and significant history presenting geologic characterization and hazard information both orally and in writing on complex technical issues. Work assignments demonstrate ability to lead technical discussions, develop resolution of challenging technical issues, document and provide recommendations to management. Describe experience interacting with management, staff, technical advisory bodies (e.g. NRC’s Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards) and representatives of industry. (Describe volume and complexity of specific experience as well as training, and accomplishments which demonstrate your ability to effectively communicate complex technical issues related to geologic characterization and hazards. Describe your ability to prepare written documents such as safety evaluations, significant event briefings, or input to inspection related reports. Provide several specific examples of both written and oral communication and describe the audience, the nature and complexity of the issue, and the outcome of such communication.)

Education

Basic Requirements:

A. Degree: geology, plus 20 additional semester hours in any combination of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, structural, chemical, civil, mining or petroleum engineering, computer science, planetary geology, comparative planetology, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical geography, marine geology, and cartography.
or
B. Combination of education and experience -- course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.

Evaluation of Experience:

Acceptable experience may have been gained through geological field or laboratory work that provided a means of obtaining professional knowledge of the theory and application of the principles of geology and closely related sciences, e.g., geophysics, geochemistry, or hydrology. Such work generally must have involved making close observations, taking samples, handling various types of instruments and equipment, assembling geologic data from source materials, and analyzing and reporting findings orally and in writing.
Experience that involved only one phase of geology work, e.g., collecting samples, would not be acceptable as providing the required professional knowledge of the theory and principles of geology. In some situations, professional scientific experience in other fields may be accepted in part as professional geological experience. Such experience must have been preceded by appropriate education in geology or by professional geological experience and must have contributed directly and significantly to the applicant's professional geological competence. Examples include some positions in geophysics, mining engineering, soils science, physical oceanography, hydrology, climatology, biology, analytic or experimental chemistry, metallurgy, and comparable fields where the normal duties or results of investigations have been extended to the solution of geologic problems by the applicant. Ordinary functions of positions such as seismic, computer, petroleum, or mining engineer, mine superintendent, or metallurgist generally are not considered professional geological experience.
To receive credit for geological experience obtained in positions that are not full-time professional geological positions, the applicant is responsible for clearly indicating the actual time or percentage of time devoted to geologic duties within such positions, and for giving adequate descriptions of the geologic functions.

How to Apply

Visit www.nrc.gov Review the NRC Opportunities page and click on “view a list of current NRC vacancies, please visit USAJobs EXIT.” Find the Geologist Job Announcement Number NRR/DEX-2024-0002 and apply on-line by February 23, 2024.

We strongly encourage you to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position so that you correctly submit all necessary materials and documentation. 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 viewing this opportunity after February 23rd please visit NRC’s website and discover additional opportunities for which you might be interested.