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Nuclear Engineer (Deputy Director, Reactor Refueling Division)

National Nuclear Security Administration

Washington, DCFull-time$203–210K/yrPosted 1 day ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$203–210K/yr
Location
Washington, DC
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

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Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Professional Engineer Registration Or Related

Job overview

The Nuclear Engineer serves as the senior technical expert for naval reactor fueling, servicing, and used-fuel processing and storage. The role advises Division personnel, oversees technical standards and safety support, reviews contractor recommendations and equipment plans, and develops long-range technical plans. It also provides regulatory oversight at the Naval Reactors Facility to support safe and timely handling of naval used nuclear fuel and irradiated test material.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Nuclear EngineeringNaval Nuclear PropulsionNuclear SafetyFissile Material PackagingMaterial TransportationCommunicationProject ManagementTechnical Competence

Qualifications

One Year Specialized ExperienceBachelor's in Engineering or EquivalentProfessional Engineer Registration or Related

Full job description

Summary

This position is part of the Deputy Administrator for Naval Reactors, Department of Energy. The Deputy Administrator for Naval Reactors is also the Director of the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and the Deputy Commander, Naval Nuclear Propulsion Directorate, Naval Sea Systems Command. Responsibilities for this Program area are contained in Executive Order 12344 of 1 February 1982, which is codified in 10 U.S.C. § 6102 and 50 U.S.C. § 2406.

Duties

As a Nuclear Engineer (Deputy Director, Reactor Refueling Division), you will: Serves as the recognized senior technical expert for all aspects of the initial fueling, refueling, defueling, emergent reactor servicing, highly irradiated and special nuclear material transportation, and used nuclear fuel processing and storage for nuclear submarines, surface ships, moored training ships, and land-based prototype reactors. Serves as senior technical consultant and provides direction, leadership, guidance, and advice to Division personnel in their interactions with ships, shipyards, equipment suppliers, and field offices when problems or questions arise relative to administered programs or equipment. Ensures Division technical liaison and support associated with any aspect of nuclear, radiological, and personnel safety control needed to safely execute reactor servicing work. Initiates and coordinates senior-level prime contractor and shipyard action to deliver and operate reactor servicing systems, and resolve emergent problems with these systems, in order to complete all initial fueling, refueling, defueling, and used fuel disposal of naval reactors required by the Department of the Navy and Department of Energy. Provides senior technical review of technical recommendations associated with any aspect of reactor servicing submitted by Government prime contractors and accepts, modifies, or rejects such proposals based on technical merit. Provides senior technical review of the budgeting, procurement, delivery, and operational testing of reactor servicing equipment to ensure that the performance requirements are satisfactorily addressed and consistent approaches are being pursued wherever practicable across the Program. Oversees activities across the Division to ensure consistent technical standards. Develops and secures approval for Division-wide technical standards and associated metrics of progress in support of naval reactor initial fueling, refueling, defueling, emergent reactor servicing, highly irradiated and special nuclear material transportation, and used nuclear fuel processing and storage Develops long-range technical plans to ensure Division and Program goals are met. This involves tracking and anticipating changes in the rapidly changing fleet schedules for ship fueling, refueling, and defueling availabilities. Provides regulatory oversight of all activities at the Naval Reactors Facility on the Idaho National Laboratory to enable the safe and timely receipt, processing, inspection, and disposal of all naval used nuclear fuel and irradiated test material. Qualifications

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR 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 of GS-15 or NN-04 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position is defined as meeting ALL of the following: Extensive knowledge of advanced principles of nuclear engineering. Knowledge of application of nuclear propulsion to the design, construction, repair, maintenance, modernization, testing and operation of naval nuclear reactor plants; knowledge of nuclear safety regulations, practices, and procedures to ensure health and safety. Knowledge and ability to direct the design, analysis, certification, fabrication, and operation of packaging required to transport fissile and highly irradiated material, including new and used naval nuclear fuel. Limit your resume to no more than two (2) pages. If more than two pages are submitted, only the first two pages will be reviewed to determine your eligibility and qualifications. Your full resume will be made available to the hiring manager if you are referred. Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: IOR: Professional and Scientific Positions: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/#url=GS-PROF AND IOR: 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 Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (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. 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, day and year (e.g. June 18 2007 to April 05 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) Salary You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Education

BASIC REQUIREMENTS FOR ENGINEER: Bachelor's Degree (or higher) in Engineering OR Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in an appropriate professional field, provided you have had at least 1 year of professional engineering experience acquired under professional engineering supervision and guidance. OR Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours of courses in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and in engineering that included the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum. OR Current registration as a Professional Engineer by any State, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico allows eligibility only if your registration is within or closely related to nuclear engineering. EDUCATION: You must provide transcripts to support your educational claims. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the US Department of Education. Foreign education must be reviewed by an organization recognized by the US Department of Education. Foreign education special instructions: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation?src=rn For more information on qualification requirements, please click OPM Qualification Standards. How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements above. How You Will Be Evaluated THE APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS WILL BE IN TWO STAGES: Minimum Qualifications: Once the application process is complete, the Human Resources Office and/or Subject Matter Expert will review the first two pages of your resume and supporting documentation to determine whether you meet the minimum job qualifications. Structured Resume Review: The Human Resources Office and/or Subject Matter Expert will review your resume to determine your technical qualifications. Additional documentation (e.g., cover letter, links embedded in your resume) may not be considered. Your application and resume shall demonstrate that you possess the following: Communication Nuclear Engineering Project Management Technical Competence 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 above. 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. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses you provided in your online questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation before the vacancy closes, you may be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified'. You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date (11/13/2026) of this announcement. Shared Certificates: The Department of Energy shares lists of applicants among its internal Departmental Elements and organizations. You may be referred for consideration to other DOE Hiring Managers throughout the Department for more than one position based on this application. By applying to this announcement, you understand your application materials may be shared with multiple Hiring Mangers throughout DOE. If additional positions are filled from this announcement conditions of employment may differ. You will be notified if you are referred for additional positions. To preview the Assessment Questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13111292. Other Information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional similar vacancies across DOE. As needed, additional positions may be filled using this announcement. In accordance with Executive Order 14170, applicants are encouraged to respond to the four short, free-response, essay questions in the questionnaire. Answers to these questions are not scored or rated. Your answers will be reviewed by the hiring manager and agency leadership if you are referred for selection consideration. The Fair Chance Act prohibits specific inquiries concerning an applicant's criminal or credit background unless the hiring agency has made a conditional offer of employment to the applicant. An applicant may submit a complaint to the agency within 30 calendar days of the date of alleged noncompliance by completing the Fair Chance Act Intake Form and submitting it to the Administrative Investigations Program at [email protected]. EEO Policy: Click HERE. Reasonable Accommodation Policy: Click HERE. Veterans Information: Click HERE. Telework: Click HERE. Selective Service Registration: Click HERE. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How this job compares

Set against the 566 open Nuclear Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 7, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$203–210K/yr
  • Washington, D.C. median$109–167K/yr20 salary ranges
  • US median$100–154K/yr458 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $206K, is 50% above the Washington, D.C. median midpoint ($138K) — in the top quarter of Nuclear Engineer salary ranges in Washington, D.C..

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 20 open Nuclear Engineer jobs in Washington, D.C. and 566 across the US. 9% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Washington, D.C.
Experience
This posting asks for at least 1 year of experience — less than three in four Nuclear Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 496 postings).
Education
409 of the 566 open Nuclear Engineer jobs (72%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 7, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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