Administrative Judge - Rockville, United States - USAJobs

Description

Duties

Serves as a member of the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, with primary responsibility for serving as a technical member of three-member Licensing Boards in NRC adjudicatory proceedings. Prehearing activities include examining pleadings and filings, researching highly technical subject matter, and preparing orders. Hearing activities include advising the Chairman of the Licensing Board concerning testimony and evidence, questioning or examining witnesses and evaluating their testimony, and assuring an accurate hearing record. Decision-related activities include studying the record, considering proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law, researching precedents, and preparing written orders and decisions. Secondarily, as requested by the Chief Administrative Judge of the Panel, and not inconsistent with their primary adjudicatory proceeding responsibilities, performs other assigned duties, including advising the Chief Administrative Judge and the Panel concerning regulatory, administrative, and procedural matters relating to the licensing process of the NRC.

The Panel is comprised of legally trained administrative judges (Legal Administrative Judges), as well as scientifically and technically trained administrative judges (Technical Administrative Judges). The ASLBP conducts hearings and makes decisions with respect to granting, suspending, revoking, or amending licenses authorized by the Atomic Energy Act, including those related to nuclear power plants, enrichment facilities, fabrication facilities, fuel cycle related facilities (including those for spent fuel storage), and facilities licensed to possess nuclear materials. Hearings usually are conducted by a three-member Board, typically consisting of one Legal Administrative Judge and two Technical Administrative Judges who have experience and expertise in fields related to issues before the Board. This assignment will be associated with expected hearings to include the licensing of new commercial nuclear power plants, license renewal of existing nuclear power plants, and power uprates of existing power plants. Both Legal and Technical Administrative Judges are appointed as members to the Panel by the Commission on the basis of recognized experience and achievement in their field. Candidates found well qualified will either be appointed directly or placed on a register from which future appointments will be made.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship Required
• This is a Drug Testing position.
• Background investigation leading to a clearance is required for new hires.

Qualifications

Applications are being requested from outstanding candidates with expertise in engineering and scientific fields, especially nuclear engineering, environmental sciences/engineering, geology/hydrology/civil engineering, nuclear materials, nuclear waste, and radiological protection. Outstanding candidates in other disciplines related to the work of the ASLBP will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. A minimally qualified applicant must have at least 10 years of work experience in a field related to the ASLBP's work. However, a preferred candidate would have a Ph.D./M.D. (or equivalent education/experience) with at least 10 years of recent specialized experience beyond the Ph.D. that demonstrates expert and comprehensive knowledge and experience in an engineering or scientific discipline that can be applied to the adjudicatory work of the ASLBP. This experience should be extensive and focused on the field for which the applicant believes they are qualified, and should be evidenced by publication, teaching, public speaking, research, and/or extensive industry experience indicating that the applicant is a recognized expert in that field. At least one year of this experience should be comparable in complexity and responsibility to the kind of work normally assigned at the grade 15 level in the Federal government, or equivalent level in the private sector. The preferred candidate would demonstrate the ability to work courteously with others in an adversarial or collegial setting; to establish effective work relationships with all levels of management, colleagues, and staff; and to achieve cooperation and consensus among colleagues engaged in joint or parallel efforts. Applicants must also possess the experience and professional stature required to perform successfully the important duties and activities of ASLBP Administrative Judges.

The ideal candidate for this position will demonstrate:

• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and experience in an engineering or scientific field, including the ability to understand, interpret, and assimilate technical subject matter to evaluate evidence in a proceeding and provide a comprehensive written or oral analysis of that information.
• Demonstrate the ability to make independent decisions in a timely, fair, and impartial manner. This includes the ability to work independently or as part of a project team with a focus on timely completion of deliverables.
• Demonstrate the ability to communicate orally in a manner that is clear, concise, and understandable. Demonstrate the ability to listen attentively and deal courteously, tactfully, firmly, and impartially with others in an adversarial or collegial setting. In addition, candidates should describe any prior non-litigant oral communication experience with the adjudicatory process (e.g., as an expert witness/deponent).
• Demonstrate the ability to write clear, concise, comprehensive, and convincing decisions or technical documents involving significant technical issues in a timely manner. In addition, candidates should describe any prior non-litigant writing experience with the adjudicatory process (e.g., producing expert reviews/reports).
• Demonstrate the ability to establish effective work relationships with all levels of management, colleagues, and staff, and to achieve cooperation and consensus among colleagues engaged in joint or parallel efforts.

A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate should be addressed in your resume.

Education

Qualification for 0801 Series:
A. Degree: Engineering. To be acceptable, the program must: lead to a bachelor's degree in a school of engineering with at least one program accredited by ABET; or 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: statics, dynamics; strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); fluid mechanics, hydraulics; thermodynamics; electrical fields and circuits; nature and properties of materials (relating particle and aggregate structure to properties); and any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR
B. Combination of education and experience -- college-level education, training, and/or technical experience that furnished: a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying engineering, and 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)1, 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 rated eligible only for manufacturing engineering positions.

Additional information

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.
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.