Department of Energy

General Engineer/Physical Scientist

Livermore, California, Washington, District of Columbia, Germantown, Maryland, Albuquerque, New Mexi Full time

General Engineer/Physical Scientist

Department: Department of Energy

Location(s): Livermore, California, Washington, District of Columbia, Germantown, Maryland, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Los Alamos, New Mexico, Las Vegas, Nevada, Aiken, South Carolina, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Amarillo, Texas

Salary Range: $151661 - $197200 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is part of the Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Associate Administrator For Environment, Safety And Health (NA-ESH), Office Of Safety, Chief Of Defense Nuclear Safety Division. A successful candidate in this position will provide expert analysis and advise to the Chief of Defense Nuclear Safety Division (CDNS), and other senior NNSA officials on nuclear safety-related topics.

Major Duties:

  • As a General Engineer/Physical Scientist you will: Apply advanced civil and structural engineering principles, including seismic and natural phenomena hazard analysis, to ensure the safety and reliability of complex facilities and infrastructure. Evaluate and resolve complex or unprecedented engineering problems involving incomplete or conflicting information, using sound judgment, innovation, and technical expertise to develop effective solutions. Lead and manage safety programs and technical activities by planning, executing, and overseeing engineering projects, studies, and assessments related to facility design, operations, and risk mitigation. Provide expert technical guidance and advisory services on hazard analysis, safety systems, and protective controls; adapts and improves engineering methods and practices to address emerging risks and challenges. Review and oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of systems and controls intended to prevent or mitigate hazards and ensure safe, compliant facility operations.

Qualifications: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower NNSA pay band level or GS grade level in the Federal Service, i.e. EN/NN/NQ-04 or GS-15. Specialized experience for this position is defined as: experience and in-depth knowledge of nuclear safety with a specific specialty in applying seismic analysis to understand the structural response of safety-related structures systems and components (SSCs) and implementation of the current state of practice for industry standards. Examples of Specialized Experience but not limited to: 1. Leading the development and implementation of seismic safety policies and programs for nuclear facilities, ensuring compliance with DOE directives and national/international consensus standards. 2. Providing authoritative technical advice and comprehensive analyses on seismic risks and hazards impacting nuclear and high-hazard facilities to senior management and external regulatory bodies. 3. Managing projects focused on the design, integration, and risk assessment of seismic safety controls for new construction or modifications of nuclear facilities. 4. Serving as a recognized technical expert, interpreting broad policy guidelines, and resolving complex technical and programmatic issues related to natural phenomena hazards in nuclear operations. 5. Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including regulatory agencies and contractors, to achieve organizational goals in nuclear and seismic safety. Your application and resume should demonstrate that you possess the following competencies. Do not provide a separate narrative written statement. Rather, you must describe in your application how your past work experience demonstrates that you possess the competencies. identified below. Cite specific examples of employment or experience contained in your resume and describe how this experience has prepared you to successfully perform the duties of this position. DO NOT write "see resume" in your application! Job Related Competencies: General Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, and theories of engineering and their practical applications. Problem Solving/Critical Thinking - Identifies and analyzes problems; uses sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions; finds alternative solutions to complex problems; distinguishes between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical judgements. Leadership - Leadership: Influences, motivates, and challenges others; adapts leadership styles to a variety of situations. Technical Competence - Understands and appropriately applies procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise (for example, engineering, physical science, law, or accounting); maintains credibility with others on technical matters. Safety Engineering - Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods to identify, control, mitigate, and eliminate safety hazards in the design and use of facilities, equipment, operations, and work processes. "Experience" refers to paid and unpaid experience. Examples of qualifying unpaid experience may include: volunteer work done through National Service programs (such as Peace Corps and AmeriCorps); as well as work for other community-based philanthropic and social organizations. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills; and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

How to Apply: Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.The application process is as follows: You must have a login.gov account to sign into USAJOBS: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/. To begin the application process in USAJOBS, click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all required and supporting documentation. You must click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 pm (ET) on the announcement closing date. You may update your application, including supporting documentation, at any time during the announcement open period by returning to your USAJOBS account, select Update Application: https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To verify the status of your application, during and after the announcement open period, log into your USAJOBS account; applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each application status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. If you need help with login.gov or USAJOBS (e.g., account access, Resume Builder) visit the USAJOBS Help Center: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/ Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance, when applying or competing for a job or performing a job due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs. If you need reasonable accommodation in the application or selection process, please contact the Agency Contact listed on this vacancy announcement. If you experience difficulty applying on USAJOBS, after clicking the Apply Online button, or you are experiencing a significant hardship hindering your ability to apply online, the Agency Contact listed in the announcement can assist you during normal business hours. If you receive any system error messages, take screenshots if possible, to aid technical support.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-06