Continuity Watch Officer

Summary

This position is located in Division of Emergency Preparedness and Responses. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies within the agency. The supervisor is Anthony Bowers.

Candidates hired at Grade 13 will be eligible for a non-competitive promotion to Grade 14 upon successful completion of the Continuity Watch Officer certification program and meeting other qualifications/eligibility requirements.

Duties

The successful candidate will perform the full range of servicing as a technical authority exercise coordinator and watch officer responsible for maintaining continuous situational awareness of events affecting NRC licensed facilities agency operations and national continuity requirements. Performs an initial assessment of operational notifications determining safety or security significance initiating NRC response protocols and ensuring accurate timely communication with NRC leadership and interagency partners during routine emergent or crisis conditions.

Such duties include but are not limited to:

• Receives reviews and analyzes event reports submitted under pertinent parts of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations; obtains clarifying information from licensees to determine safety/security significance and potential radiological consequences; initiates notifications to NRC management federal agencies and stakeholders for significant events.
• Maintain continuous situational awareness of domestic and international events-including all-source intelligence-and serve as the initial technical authority for emergency declarations and NRC response actions.
• Serves as the NRC technical representative in designated operations/continuity facilities (e.g. the Alternate Site Continuity Center NRC Operations Center Region IV Incident Response Center); applies independent judgment to determine NRC actions and elevate issues to maintain agencywide situational awareness.
• Operates maintains and tests secure and nonsecure telecommunications systems IT networks and emergency operations facilities to ensure operational readiness; reports to designated facilities during hazardous weather continuity activations or office closures to support sustained continuity of operations (COOP) and continuity of government (COG) operations.
• Support development and coordination of continuity and incident response program training and exercises in accordance with Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program (HSEEP); designs scenarios and evaluates effectiveness; conducts critiques and recommends improvements to reporting processes response procedures equipment and interagency coordination to enhance COOP and incident response readiness.
• Handle sensitive Safeguards and classified information; apply operational security (OPSEC) and federal security policies; and coordinate with NRC leadership and interagency partners during routine and emergency operations.

Requirements

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 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

In order to 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 is defined as: performing operational event assessment maintaining situational awareness and supporting continuity and incident-response programs. This experience includes evaluating licensee event reports determining safety or security significance initiating notifications to leadership and interagency partners and operating secure and nonsecure communications systems and emergency facilities. The applicant has developed and executed continuity and incident-response training and exercises produced accurate operational reports and briefings maintained Continuity (COOP/COG) readiness and handled sensitive Safeguards and classified information in accordance with operational security (OPSEC) and federal security requirements. The applicant has coordinated with internal and external partners and demonstrated sound judgment in high-pressure or time-critical situations.

The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

1. Demonstrated ability to receive analyze and assess operational event reports; determine safety/security significance; and initiate appropriate NRC notifications and response protocols.
2. Experience maintaining continuous situational awareness of domestic/international events and acting as a technical point of contact during emergent or crisis conditions.
3. Demonstrated ability to operate test and maintain secure and nonsecure communications systems IT networks and emergency operations facilities to ensure operational readiness.
4. Experience leading developing or coordinating continuity and incident -response exercises training and planning products.
5. Demonstrated ability to prepare review and publish operational reports and briefings ensuring accuracy clarity technical correctness and compliance.
6. Experience operating under high - pressure or time - critical conditions handling sensitive and classified information and applying OPSEC security and continuity policies.

A description of how you possess the specialized experience as well as how you meet the qualifications desired in an ideal candidate must be addressed in your resume. Applicants may also use the supplemental vacancy question to provide additional information pertaining to the specialized experience and ideal candidate criteria.

PLEASE BE CLEAR AND CONCISE. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Education

There are no education requirement for this position.

Additional information

This position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy.

This position is not subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements at the GG-13 level. However upon promotion to the GG-14 level the position will become subject to Confidential Financial Disclosure reporting requirements.

This position is not subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements at the GG-13 level. However upon promotion to the GG-14 level the position will become subject to security ownership restriction reporting requirements.

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.

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.

Required Experience:

Unclear Seniority