Assistant General Counsel for Rulemaking, Agreement States, Fee Policy, and Legislation

This position is located in Legislation, Rulemaking, and Agency Administration Division. The supervisor is Matthew Pociask. This position is subject to Public Financial Disclosure reporting requirements. This position is subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

Duties

The successful candidate will perform the full range of Assistant General Counsel for Rulemaking, Agreement States, Fee Policy, and Legislation duties by assisting the General Counsel in providing legal advice the Commission and NRC staff on rulemaking guidance development, Agreement State and Tribal matters, user fees and fee policy, backfitting and issue finality, and legislation ..
Such duties include but are not limited to:

• providing legal advice to the Commission and the NRC staff on the promulgation and amendment of all NRC regulations and guidance documents issued in conjunction with new or amended rules and policy statements pertinent to licensing, construction, and operation of nuclear facilities (including nuclear power plants and fuel facilities), nuclear materials, disposal of high-level and low-level waste, and spent fuel storage and transportation (including certificates of compliance).
• interpreting regulations and statutes relevant to NRC activities and providing legal analyses of those authorities affecting the NRC.
• providing legal advice and assistance to the Commission and the NRC staff on Agreement States and Tribal issues.
• providing legal advice and assisting the NRC staff with backfit and issue finality matters.
• advising the Office of the Chief Financial Officer on fee policy, the annual fee rule, fee disputes, and fee waivers.
• reviewing draft legislation and preparing legislative proposals for Commission consideration.

The Assistant General Counsel is responsible for assigning and directing work within the division, evaluating staff and organizational effectiveness in accomplishing work, and troubleshooting problems that arise in the accomplishment of goals and objectives.

Salary

• $184,900 - $209,600/year

Conditions of Employment

You must meet the qualifications for this position by no later than 30 calendar days after the closing date of this announcement and before placement in the position.

All information in your resume must be true and accurate.

Conditions of Employment:

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• This is a Drug Testing position
• Must be able to meet and maintain security & suitability requirements.
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
  • your performance and conduct;
  • the needs and interests of the agency;
  • whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
  • whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

As a basic requirement, applicants must demonstrate progressively responsible leadership experience that is indicative of senior executive level managerial capability and directly related to the skills and abilities outlined under the Professional/Technical Qualifications and Executive Core Qualifiations listed below.
Typically, experience of this nature wil lhave been gained at or above the equivalent of the GS-15 grade level in the Federal service or its equivalent with state and local government, the private sector, or non-governmental organizations. Failure to meet this basic qualification requirement and all executive and technical qualification factors will automatically exclude you from further consideration.

All candidates for SES positions with the Federal Government must demonstrate leadership experience indicative of senior executive level management capability. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show in your resume that you possess the Fundamental Competencies, five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), and the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) listed below. It is recommended that your resume emphasize levels of responsibility, scope and complexity of programs managed, and program accomplishments and results.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQ) related to this position within your resume -NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

PROFESSIONAL/TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS
PTQ 1: Extensive knowledge of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended, the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and other statutes and regulations pertinent to legal issues and proceedings related to the activities of the NRC.
PTQ 2: Extensive experience in handling complex legal issues, making statutory interpretations, preparing legal documents, reviewing documents for legal sufficiency, and developing sound legal decisions and recommendations, involving complex scientific and technical subject matter.
PTQ 3: Extensive experience in developing solutions to legal problems in the absence of established legal precedents and in using risk insights to develop multiple legal options when addressing emerging issues.
PTQ 4: Thorough knowledge of the functions, policies, responsibilities, legal precedents, and regulations of the NRC and ability to justify departures from precedents in new or novel situations.


EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS
ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding-This core qualifi cation requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency- This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manageresources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
ECQ 3: Merit and Competence-This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
ECQ 4: Leading People- This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
ECQ 5: Achieving Results- This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.

Education You must be a graduate of an accredited law school with a J.D., LL.B., or equivalent degree, and you must be an active member in good standing of the Bar of a state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia. You must include an unofficial or official copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application. Transcript must include the School Name, Student Name, Degree and Date Awarded (if applicable). Education must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If you have multiple degrees (e.g., BS, MS, PhD) please submit transcripts for each degree. FOREIGN EDUCATION: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. For special instructions pertaining to foreign education and a list of organizations that can evaluate foreign education, see the Department of Education website. If you are qualifying on foreign education, you MUST submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. Transcripts must be uploaded with your application to verify education. All documentation must be in English or include an English translation. Other Information This position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy. Selectees will be required to complete a "Declaration of Federal Employment", (OF-306), prior to being appointed to determine their suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation. False statements or responses on your resume or questionnaire can jeopardize your employment opportunity and subject you to disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service. The NRC is a zero-tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for these positions will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing. A transferable security clearance from another agency or a background investigation leading to a clearance is required for all new hires. To begin work at the NRC without a security clearance, you must be granted a temporary waiver of the required clearance, referred to as a 145(b) waiver. To be eligible for a 145(b) waiver you will need a favorable education verification, reference, credit, and criminal history checks. If a waiver is granted, the successful completion of a background investigation and favorable adjudication is required for continued employment. If you have resided outside the U.S. for an extended period of time, the agency may not be able to (1) grant the 145(b) waiver where the required investigation cannot be completed in a timely manner, or (2) achieve timely completion of the background investigation required for a security clearance. Required Documents

The following documents are required for your application package to be complete. If you fail to provide any required documents, you will be marked as having an incomplete application package and you will not be considered any further.

• Resume that includes: 1) personal information such as name, address, contact information; 2) education; 3) detailed work experience including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment, title, series, grade (if applicable); and 4) other qualifications. Please limit your resume to 2 pages. See below for Additional Resume Information.
• Transcripts: You must submit an official or unofficial copy of your college and/or university transcripts with your application, if the position has a positive education requirement. Failure to submit transcripts will result in loss of consideration. Diplomas do not provide the information needed for determining qualifications and will not be accepted in lieu of transcripts.

In addition to the above, you must submit the documents below if you claim the following eligibilities:

• Current Federal Employees/Reinstatement Eligibles: You must submit a copy of your most recent non-award SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive/excepted status or reinstatement eligibility. Applicants who only submit an award SF-50 will not receive further consideration.
• Veteran Preference Eligibles: You must submit DD-214 showing type of discharge/character of service (e.g. DD-214 Member 4 Copy); SF-15 Form; and related documentation such as a VA letter showing disability percentage. If currently on active duty, you must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active-duty service under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is submitted. Veteran's preference must be verified prior to appointment. You can find additional information about Veterans' Preference at http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.
• Individuals with Disabilities: If you are applying under the Schedule A Hiring Authority, you must submit supporting documentation (i.e., Schedule A Letter). You may refer to the following link for additional information. USAJOBS Help Center - Individuals with disabilities.
• Military Spouse: All military spouses must submit documentation verifying marriage to the service member (e.g., marriage certificate); AND
  • Current military orders (e.g., statement of service) to support active-duty service for more than 180 consecutive days; OR
  • If you are a spouse of a 100% disabled service member, documentation must include service member's DD-214 and 100% service disability (e.g., VA Letter); OR
  • If you are an un-remarried widow or widower of a service member killed while on active duty, documentation must include verification of service member's death while on active duty (e.g., DD-1300).
• Peace Corps: You must submit a copy of your description of service or other proof of non-competitive eligibility.

All application materials, including transcripts, must be in English.

Additional Resume Information:
Your resume is crucial in our evaluation of your qualifications. Resumes should clearly demonstrate your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Please limit your résumé to 2 pages. To ensure your resume contains all required information, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS Resume Builder. If you choose to use your own resume, please ensure it contains all the required information, and you organize it so we can associate the following information with each experience/position:

• Job title
• Name of employer
• Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/year) format
• Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will pro-rate part-time employment in crediting experience.
• Concise, results-focused language for job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable).
• Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position).

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) or other inappropriate material on your resume or cover letter. If your resume contains prohibited information as listed above, your application may be determined ineligible, and you will not receive consideration for this position. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter, links to social media such as LinkedIn, to determine your qualifications. Cover letters are optional.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all instructions before you begin an application. To be considered for this position, you must complete the online application process and submit all required documents electronically by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on 07/31/2026. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. For a preview of the application questions, please see https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12996581.

To begin your application, select the "Apply" button located on the right side of this screen. Follow the subsequent prompts to log in or register, submit all required documents, answer the questions, and complete the application process. You may either select your required documents within your USAJOBS profile to upload with your application or directly upload them during the application process. The following types of document types can be uploaded: .gif, jpg., .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, .doc, and .docx.

Important Considerations:

• Paper Applications: Paper applications will not be accepted unless you can demonstrate hardship circumstances through the agency contact listed below.
• Application Extensions: Requests for application extensions will not be granted.
• Hardship Assistance: If you experience hardship applying online, please contact the Human Resources Specialist listed below for assistance. You must reach out during business hours before the announcement closing date and speak with someone who can provide support for your online submission.
• The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process, please notify the coordinator at (301) 415-5888 or TDD 240-482-3217. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Your complete application must include your resume, responses to all required vacancy questions, and any required documents that prove your eligibility to apply.

Benefits As an NRC employee you will enjoy excellent Federal Benefits, including: comprehensive health and life insurance plans; Flexible Spending Account Program for health and dependent care; Dental and Vision Insurance; retirement savings and investment plan similar to 401(k) (Thrift Savings Plan); annual (vacation) and paid sick leave; family friendly leave policies; 11 paid holidays per year; transit benefits. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered to Federal employees.