Nuclear Engineer

Summary

This position is part of the Deputy Administrator for Naval Reactors, Department of Energy. National Nuclear Security Administration Demonstration Project: This position is covered by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Demonstration Project. The NN-04 pay band is equivalent to the GS-14/15 grade levels. For more information on the NNSA Demonstration Project and Pay Band/Salary Tables, review http://www.energy.gov/nnsa/nnsas-demo-pay-system-compared-general-schedule.

Duties

PLEASE NOTE: This is an Open Continuous Announcement which allows acceptance of applications through the closing date of 12/15/2026. Check the "How to Apply" section for more details. As a Nuclear Engineer, NN-0840-04, you will: Lead and provide expert engineering support across the lifecycle of naval nuclear propulsion plants, including research, development, design, acquisition, specification, construction, inspection, installation, certification, testing, overhaul, refueling, operations, maintenance, supply support, and ultimate disposition. Advise program offices and site managers on interpretation and application of technical requirements and policies; evaluate proposed modifications and alternative approaches; recommend and track corrective actions; and provide oversight and coordination with Navy, DoD, DOE, design laboratories, shipyards, and other partner organizations. Prepare internal policy guidance, technical standards, and related documentation that may drive changes in policy, technical direction, and program execution for naval nuclear propulsion activities. Participate in meetings, panels, and conferences with federal and state agencies, national laboratories, contractors, and other stakeholders; present briefings and speeches; communicate office positions; and articulate issues, impacts, and solutions on complex technical and policy matters. Review, analyze, and assess technical research and development reports, engineering plans, and program proposals related to areas such as submarines, surface ships, reactor plants, instrumentation and control, materials, nuclear components, and reactor safety; provide recommendations to inform program decisions. Serve on ad-hoc and cross-functional teams with other government and private-sector engineers to conduct broad policy and technical studies, support advanced concepts (e.g., advanced submarines, new ship designs, advanced and nuclear technologies), and address emergent issues in naval nuclear propulsion.

Qualifications

In addition to demonstrating the basic requirement listed in the education section of this announcement, applicants must also demonstrate possession of specialized experience. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: A qualified candidate's online application and resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level NN-03, or GS-13 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following: Experience applying nuclear, mechanical, electrical, and/or chemical engineering principles to plan, manage, and evaluate contractor activities for nuclear propulsion systems; Overseeing or assessing propulsion plant design changes and ship construction to ensure compliance with technical requirements, safety standards, and program objectives; and Experience ensuring implementation of health and safety precautions in engineering work, including evaluation of contractor safety practices and integration of safety considerations into design, construction, and modification activities. Please ensure that your resume does not exceed two (2) pages in length. If you submit more than two pages, only the first two will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. Your full resume will be shared with the hiring manager if you are referred. You can find the qualification standards for the announced position on the Office of Personnel Management website. All Professional Engineering Positions: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/0800/files/all-professional-engineering-positions-0800.pdf National Service Experience (i.e., volunteer experience): Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). 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. Time-in-Grade Requirements: Under competitive merit promotion procedures, any individual who is currently holding, or who has held within the previous 52 weeks, a General Schedule (GS) position under a non-temporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service at the, must meet "time-in-grade" requirements (have served 52 weeks at the next lower grade of the grade for which you are applying). Few exceptions are outlined in 5 CFR 300.603(b). NOTE: Current or former GS federal civilian employees, applying for a position under the Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) must meet time-in-grade requirements. Please ensure EACH work history includes ALL of the following information: Job Title (include series and grade if Federal Job) Duties (be specific in describing your duties, we cannot make assumptions regarding your experience) Employer's name and address Supervisor name and phone number Start and end dates including month, and year (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Start and end dates for each grade/pay level if you've held a federal position. Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement, or by the cut-off dates listed in the "How to Apply" section below.

Education

Basic Requirements: 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 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: Professional registration or licensure -- Current registration as an Engineer Intern (EI), Engineer in Training (EIT), 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 ra