Senior Geologist (Agency Employees Only)

Senior Geologist (Agency Employees Only)

Department: Other Agencies and Independent Organizations

Location(s): Atlanta, Georgia, Naperville, Illinois, Rockville, Maryland, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, Arlington, Texas

Salary Range: $156451 - $197200 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is located in the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR), Division of Engineering and External Hazards (DEX), and External Hazards Branch (EXHB). The supervisor is Christopher Cook, however Barbara Hayes will be the hiring manager, conducting interviews. This position IS subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. This position IS subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements

Major Duties:

• The successful candidate will perform the full range of Sr. Geologist duties. Provides expert technical, programmatic, and project leadership in the area of geology to the agency. Serves as a Senior Geologist with special emphasis in applying geology to the safety review of nuclear power plant licensing activities including design certifications, early site permits, combined operating licenses, license renewals, material facilities, spent nuclear fuel transportation and storage licenses, decommissioning reviews, and other licensing actions. Manages the safety review process for siting, licensing, and decommissioning activities for reactor and material facilities. Takes a lead role 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 complex technical safety 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 highly 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. Requires limited supervision to act within the framework of the functional statement.

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 experience that demonstrates knowledge of geology and the Commission’s policies and guidance related to siting of NRC-licensed facilities. A description of how you possess the specialized experience should be addressed in your resume, responses to the vacancy questions, and additional space provided for supplemental response. 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, particularly as it reflects developments that support innovative approaches and new technologies including characterization of geological faults for seismic source models used in probabilistic seismic hazard analyses. (Example: 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 instability due to karst conditions, volcanic hazards and surface deformation due to faulting. (Example: 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 of and experience applying NRC regulations, regulatory guides, American Nuclear Society (ANS) and American Society of Civil Engineers (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, Research Information Letters, and other documented processes used by NRC staff with a focus on risk-informed and graded approaches that support innovations in safety reviews. (Example: 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 geology, seismology, and geotechnical (civil) engineering. (Example: 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 particularly for on contentious issues in front of independent bodies at NRC such as an Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP) and the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS). Work assignments should demonstrate the ability to lead technical discussions represent the agency, develop resolutions of challenging technical issues, document and provide recommendations to management. Describe experience interacting with management, staff, technical advisory bodies and representatives of industry. (Example: Describe the 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.)

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. 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.

Application Deadline: 2026-01-21