
Nuclear Engineer
National Nuclear Security Administration
Washington, DCFull-time$203–210K/yrPosted 2 days ago
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Requirements
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Job overview
This Nuclear Engineer serves as Director of the US/UK Technology Exchange for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program. The role advises on policy, planning, budgets, and complex issues affecting nuclear-powered warships; manages program funding and contractor work; and oversees UK-related reactor component procurement and technology transfer. It also coordinates submarine design, research, and maintenance efforts, provides technical guidance, and engages with government and industry officials in the US and UK.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
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 (Director, US/UK Technology Exchange), you will: Serves as a principal advisor to the Director, External Affairs Division for Naval Reactors on policy issues affecting major program planning, budget, and priority objectives. Advises on a wide variety of important, complex, and difficult problems affecting nuclear-powered warships. Applies fiscal, contracting, security, and administrative policies, procedures, and practices necessary to manage the budget and US prime contractor workforce to execute the nuclear propulsion plant technology exchange program between Naval Reactors and the UK Ministry of Defense in a timely manner within agreed to funding levels. Also directs and oversees procurement, manufacture, and transportation of all reactor plant GFE components procured for the UK that are manufactured by the US, including any industrial base development reimbursable to the UK. Coordinates Naval Reactors and prime contractor efforts to support UK submarine shipbuilding and maintenance programs, including the design of the new SSN-AUKUS Class in support of the AUKUS optimal pathway. This includes overseeing technology transfer efforts in support of SSN- AUKUS, including US embed management, to enable timely and cost-effective technology insertion. Provides technical guidance and leadership to the engineers/project managers under his/her supervision and coordinates the efforts of associated technical personnel to ensure that they are aware of and understand the most recent technological changes in her/his programs as well as the scheduling and administrative changes as they occur. Applies technical expertise on submarine nuclear propulsion plant design and operations to advise senior government and industry officials (both domestic and foreign) in submarine nuclear propulsion plant design, construction, operation, safety, regulation, maintenance, and disposal. Coordinates and promote the efforts of technical personnel in the US and the UK to execute mutually beneficial propulsion plant research and development projects. Coordinates with the Naval Reactors AUKUS Technical Director to align strategic priorities and messaging with the UK in support of the AUKUS initiative. Coordinates external correspondence and engagements pertaining to US/UK Technology Exchange, including Congressional briefings and requests for information. 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: 1. Extensive knowledge of advanced principles of nuclear engineering. 2. 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. 3. Knowledge and ability to coordinate external correspondence and engagement pertaining to technology exchange 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. 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
There is no substitution of education for experience at the EN-5 level. 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. 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. 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 (11/03/2026) 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/13104148. 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 565 open Nuclear Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 30, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$203–210K/yr
- Washington, D.C. median$118–180K/yr21 salary ranges
- US median$106–154K/yr418 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $206K, is 38% above the Washington, D.C. median midpoint ($149K) — in the top quarter of Nuclear Engineer salary ranges in Washington, D.C..
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 21 open Nuclear Engineer jobs in Washington, D.C. and 565 across the US. 9% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in Washington, D.C.
- Sargent & Lundy17 open
- National Nuclear Security Administration (this employer)4 open
- 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 6 years, across 458 postings).
- Education
- 432 of the 565 open Nuclear Engineer jobs (76%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 30, 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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