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These positions are in the Office of the General Counsel, Divisions of Reactor Programs (RP); Materials, Fuel Cycle, and Waste Programs (MFW); and Security and Enforcement (SE). The supervisors are Susan Vrahoretis (RP), Mauri Lemoncelli (MFW), and Shannon Rogers/Patrick Moulding (SE). These positions ARE Bargaining Unit AND Subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements & security ownership restriction reporting requirements. This is an Open Until Filled Vacancy.
Duties
Depending on placement, duties will be performed with a high degree of independence and will include representation in agency adjudications or before administrative tribunals, providing advice in non-adjudicatory contexts, and advising and providing legal services related to:
- The licensing and regulation of nuclear materials, fuel cycle facilities, spent fuel storage and disposal, decommissioning activities for reactors and materials sites, and other related activities (if placed in MFW);
- The licensing and regulation of nuclear power and non-power reactors, including issuance, renewal, and transfer of licenses, construction permits, early site permits, combined licenses, operating licenses, and manufacturing licenses; issuance of standard design approvals and standard design certifications and associated legal review activities for new reactors; and reactor operator licensing (if placed in RP); and
- Cybersecurity, safeguards, and physical security of NRC-licensed facilities and materials; and reactor and materials enforcement matters, to include allegations of wrongdoing, investigations, and related agency adjudications (if placed in SE).
Reviews technical documents to determine their legal sufficiency; performs difficult original legal research; develops solutions to novel and complex legal issues; provides legal opinions and advice; and identifies and addresses policy matters, including consideration of relevant risks.
When serving as lead attorney, provides leadership and guidance to assigned back-up attorneys. In this role, makes assignments to the back-up attorneys and provides comments and revisions to documents and other work products connected with assigned matters.
When in a litigation role, prepares and conducts difficult and complex cases before Atomic Safety Licensing boards, Presiding Officers, and the Commission. Prepares motions and briefs; obtains witnesses and develops their testimony; negotiates with petitioners, intervenors, licensees, applicants, attorneys, members of the public, and Federal and State and local agencies; conducts direct examination on highly technical-scientific subjects; and makes persuasive arguments during oral hearings.
Salary- $117,962 - $181,216/year
- This is a Drug Testing position.
- Subject to OGE Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements.
- Also subject to NRC's Prohibited Securities rule.
- U.S. Citizenship Required
- Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires.
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.
QualificationsTo 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
GG 13: includes experience that is defined as attorney or judicial work experience in a federal or state government legal office, federal or state judiciary, or the private practice of law, which provided the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the work of these positions. Minimally qualified candidates will have multiple years of work experience, including substantial regulatory and statutory interpretation and/or litigation experience sufficient to perform with an adequate degree of independence or with assistance on complex and major assignments.
GG 14: includes experience that is defined as attorney or judicial work experience in a federal or state government legal office, federal or state judiciary, or the private practice of law, which provided the candidate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the work of these positions. Minimally qualified candidates will have multiple years of work experience, including substantial regulatory and statutory interpretation and/or litigation experience sufficient to perform independently on complex and major assignments.
Typically, at least one year of this work experience should be comparable in complexity and responsibility to the kind of work normally assigned at the grade 13 or 14 levels in the Federal government, or equivalent.
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:
1. Ability to provide legal advice and support to the General Counsel, the Commission, and the Commission staff on all aspects of:
a. Licensing and regulation for materials, fuel cycle, spent fuel storage and disposal, fuel packaging and transportation, and decommissioning activities (for the MFW division);
b. Reactor licensing and regulation for operating reactors, new reactors, advanced reactors, reactor license transfers, license renewal, design certification, reactor decommissioning, and research and test reactors (for the RP division); and/or
c. Cybersecurity, safeguards, and physical security of NRC-licensed facilities and materials, allegations of wrongdoing, investigations, and enforcement of agency requirements (for the SE division).
2. Ability to effectively identify, interpret and analyze Federal laws, statutes, regulations, and cases as they relate to agency adjudicatory processes and complex legal issues in various areas of law
3. Excellent written and oral communication skills, particularly in connection with providing legal opinions and advice.
4. Experience in administrative law, security and enforcement practice, regulatory practice, or environmental law, and possess litigation experience (civil, criminal, trial, and/or appellate) in one or more of those practice areas.
A description of how you possess the specialized experience and ideal candidate language should be addressed in your resume or in the space provided for your supplemental response. You should also indicate if you are applying for placement only in a specific division or divisions, or if you would like to be considered by all three divisions.
You must meet the qualifications for this position no later than 30 days after the date you submit your application and before placement in the position.
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. Other InformationThe duty location of this position is (Rockville, MD). In general, employees are expected to be in the office (4 days per pay period). Telework schedules are approved, on a case-by-case basis. If selected, telework will be determined in accordance with Agency policy and the Collective Bargaining Agreement, if applicable.
Based on the staffing needs of the agency/area of consideration, additional selections may be made from this vacancy announcement.
The NRC provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. Individuals with disabilities may contact the Selective Placement Coordinator for assistance with the application or hiring process via Disability.Resource@nrc.gov. Deaf applicants may contact the Disability Program Manager by calling the NRC videophone at 240-428-3217.
Individuals who are eligible for non-competitive appointment under an OPM special appointing authority may apply for consideration under a comparable NRC non-competitive appointing authority. Veterans, please visit: http://www.fedshirevets.gov/
Selectee's 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.
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 wavier 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.
The NRC is a zero tolerance agency with respect to illegal drug use. Individuals selected for this position will be subject to pre-appointment drug testing unless currently in a NRC position subject to random drug testing AND will be subject to random drug testing upon appointment to the NRC.
If you are an NRC employee, you are required to submit your most recent Rating of Record (Performance Appraisal) or a statement saying that one is not available.
If you are a current/reinstatement eligible Federal employee with status (Tenure Group 1 or 2), you will be considered under our merit promotion procedures and must submit a copy of your most recent SF-50 (Notification of Personnel Action) to verify competitive status or reinstatement eligibility.
Veterans' Preference documentation, if applicable (e.g., DD-214 Member Copy 4 showing type of discharge/character of service; Current Active-Duty members must submit a certification of expected discharge or release from active duty under honorable conditions dated within 120 days; SF-15 Form and related documentation; VA letter.) You can find additional information about Veterans' Preference at http://www.fedshirevets.gov/.
Since this is a position that requires a college degree, you must submit your College and Law School Transcripts
Applicant must submit with their application an original legal writing sample consisting of no more than 10 pages (an excerpt is acceptable) and preferably dated within the last five years
All supplemental documents will now be collected electronically and should be submitted before the closing date of this vacancy announcement. You have three choices for submitting your supplemental documents:
1. Use the "USAJOBS" feature to download documents from your USAJOBS portfolio; or
2. use the "Upload" feature to upload documents directly from your computer. The following types of documents can be uploaded: .gif, .jpeg, .png, .rtf, .pdf, and .doc; or
3. use the "Fax" feature to print the Fax Cover Sheet and fax it, along with your supplemental documents to 1-571-258-4052.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
We strongly encourage you to read the entire announcement before you submit your application for this position.
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.
The NRC requires that applicants submit resumes built using the USAJOBS Resume Builder tool. The Resume Builder tool is activated upon selecting "Build New Resume" under the "Resumes" section of your USAJOBS account.
Resumes uploaded to your USAJOBS jobseeker account that have not been built using the USAJOBS Resume Builder tool WILL NOT be accepted and you WILL NOT be allowed to further advance through the NRC application process.
To ensure you are using the correct resume type when applying to our vacancies, please make sure that the resume you are using during the application process is listed with a format type of "USAJOBS Resume" and a source type of "Built with USAJOBS Resume Builder. Verifying this information on your USAJOBS resume before applying will ensure the successful submission of your application to the NRC job vacancy.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal 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: https://help.usajobs.gov/index.php/Pay_and_Benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
