This position is located in the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, Division of Systems Analysis, Code and Reactor Analysis Branch I The supervisor is Chris Hoxie This  position is in the Bargaining Unit with the National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 208. This position is subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements and security ownership restriction reporting requirements

Duties

As a Senior Reactor Systems Engineer (Thermal Hydraulics), you will conduct highly specialized research and analysis in the development, maintenance, and application of thermal-hydraulic computer codes to support the resolution of relevant technical issues in nuclear power plants. You will provide coordination, planning (e.g., near, mid, and long-term), development, and technical direction of relevant code development and safety research programs. Work involves expert use and development of thermal hydraulics codes as well as neutronics and fuels computer codes (as applicable) to support risk-informing and resolution of relevant safety and technical issues of Agency interest. Duties include but not limited to:

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• This is a Drug Testing position.
• Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires.

Qualifications

In order to qualify for this position, you must have at least one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level (14) in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector.   SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as experience that demonstrates the knowledge of reactor and nuclear power plant systems design and analysis, particularly relating to thermal-hydraulics and experience developing computer codes in various languages (e.g., Fortran, C++, Java, and PYTHON).   The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following: 1. Demonstrated knowledge of engineering principles and mathematical models and methods for steady state and transient analysis of nuclear reactor thermal hydraulic systems designs as well as neutronics and fuels computer codes (as applicable), particularly related to development, maintenance, assessment, and application of analytical codes (such as TRACE, PARCS, FAST, SAM, Pronghorn, Griffin, and Bison), multiphysics code-coupling frameworks (such as MOOSE), and user interfaces (such as SNAP) for the analysis of PWRs, BWRs, research and test reactors, and advanced non-LWR reactor systems and nuclear fuel designs. Examples may include your experience in applying your knowledge to nuclear regulatory research programs on reactor coolant thermal hydraulic systems, neutronics, and nuclear fuel performance (e.g., accident tolerant fuel) under normal and postulated off-normal conditions (e.g., Anticipated Transient Without SCRAM), design basis accident conditions (e.g., LOCA), and severe accident conditions to support the safety assessment of nuclear power plants. Examples may also include how well you performed. 2. Demonstrated skill of computer code planning, development, maintenance, assessment, and application for TRACE and PARCS including skills with code development tools (such as: Microsoft Visual Studio, Intel Fortran and GFORTRAN compilers), and ability to develop thermal hydraulic and neutronic reactor systems codes and fuel performance codes such as SAM, Pronghorn, Griffin, and BISON to meet emerging analysis needs introduced by new advanced non-LWR systems and new fuel design features.  Examples may include your experience of computer code planning, development, maintenance, assessment, and application that you have led or been involved in including identification of code improvements, modification of code structure, verification testing, and related documentation. Examples may also include your specific role and specific work products that reflect your technical knowledge and contribution to the projects. Examples may also include your experience of your knowledge of Fortran, C++, and Python. 3. Demonstrated skill in leading complex technical nuclear regulatory research programs and knowledge of administrative and policy issues to identify their effect on the management of complex technical programs. Examples may include your specific education, work experience and developmental assignments that demonstrate your skill in identifying, planning and acquiring resources for assigned programs. Examples may also include your experience in evaluating varied proposals and approaches to management issues and recommending and implementing changes for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of a program or project.  4. Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with management and staff, coworkers, and personnel of other U.S. government agencies or equivalent industry organizations and/or international organizations. Examples may include your experience of instances that required you to use tact, diplomacy, and negotiation skills to achieve cooperation and develop consensus and your ability to use informal and formal networks to build support for programs. This may include your experience to serve as a point of contact on thermal hydraulic and new and advanced reactor designs, with other program offices, the Commission or equivalent industry organizations, advisory groups, international organizations, and/or other stakeholders, and your experience providing advice and recommendations on research areas and initiatives to enhance regulatory effectiveness and efficiency. Provide examples of specific assignments that required you to work within a team environment, the techniques used to develop effective working relationships, and your role on the team. 5. Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate technical information both orally and in writing. Examples may include your specific experience and accomplishments which demonstrate your ability to lead complex technical discussions and to consolidate complex and diverse opinions into concise, balanced, and well-founded recommendations and your ability to produce high quality technical reports. 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 and additional space provided for supplemental response. To qualify for this position, 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 in this announcement.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. Therefore, you MUST provide documentation supporting any education claims in your application.

Education Requirements: 

You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application.  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 selected, official transcripts may be requested.

Educational requirements for All Professional Engineering 0800 Series:

Basic Requirements:

1. 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

1. 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:
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.)

More detailed information about these alternatives are described in the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards Operating Manual which may be accessed at the following website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-dataoversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/general-engineering-series-0801/

Contacts

• Address NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of Chief Human Capital Officer Attn: Darlene Negrin MS TWFN-02A77M Washington, District of Columbia 20555 United States
• Name: Darlene Negrin
• Phone: 301-287-0559
• Email: [email protected]