Obama’s Executive Order: On Nov. 9, 2009, President Obama signed Executive Order 13518 directing all federal agencies to hire more military veterans. Each month G.I. Jobs will profile a different federal agency seeking to hire veterans. To read more about Executive Order 13518, visit www.gijobs.com/order. 

Nuclear Numbers
When the president ordered federal agencies to hire more veterans, NRC was already on the case. 

James T. Wiggins was selected to train in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear program by Adm. Hyman G. Rickover himself – the “Father of the Nuclear Navy.” Today Wiggins helps keep tabs on the nation’s commercial nuclear power industry as director of Nuclear Security and Incident Response for the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).

Wiggins is one of 790 military veterans who work for the NRC, an agency that actively recruited veterans long before President Obama issued Executive Order 13518 in November 2009 directing federal agencies to hire more veterans.

“NRC has a long history of appreciating the value that veterans add to its work force and its mission,” Wiggins said. “The origins of commercial nuclear power facilities rest with the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power Program. Many of us were initially trained in that program. Now, a number of processes we use to train and orient our new staff in the safety culture we expect have origins in what we went through in the Navy.”

Serious Mission
The NRC is an independent agency created by Congress to regulate the civilian commercial, industrial, academic, and medical uses of nuclear materials. The NRC’s mission is to regulate commercial nuclear power plants; research, test, and training reactors; nuclear fuel cycle facilities; medical, academic, and industrial uses of radioactive materials; and the transport, storage, and disposal of radioactive materials and wastes.

Licensed for Growth
The NRC licenses vendors and utilities to operate new reactors. The agency expects to review up to 34 combined construction and operating license applications (called a combined license or COL) for new nuclear units over the next few years.

The NRC also regulates the security of America’s nuclear facilities. To test the adequacy of a nuclear power plant’s defenses, the NRC conducts rigorous “force-on-force” inspections where a highly trained mock adversary force “attacks” a nuclear facility.

Veterans Fit Like a Glove
The NRC is ranked as one of the BEST Places to Work in the federal government.

“During my time in the military, I experienced an ‘esprit de corps’ that is unique and unlike anything comparable in the corporate world,” said Eric Leeds, director of Nuclear Regulatory Regulation. “Although the NRC cannot match the intensity of an environment where lives literally depend on each other, our dedication to our mission, values and teamwork unite us in a seriousness of purpose and camaraderie that any veteran will quickly recognize, appreciate and embrace.”

Many of the NRC’s veterans have served in the nuclear branches of the military and are currently serving in a variety of technical engineering, physical science and security professions. Others also serve the NRC in careers associated with human resources, financial management, information technology, procurement and contracting, law and administrative support.

“The NRC is an exceptional, professional organization that makes an employee challenge himself/herself to make a difference daily,” said Riqueza Marziale, human resources specialist.

 “As a triple-minority (female, Asian, and over-the-hill), I will always be thankful that the NRC took a chance on hiring me, and giving me another opportunity to serve my country outside of DoD.”

Current Job Opportunities

• Nuclear Engineer
• Geotechnical Engineer
• Civil/structural Engineer
• Reactor Inspector
• General Engineer
• Materials Engineer
• Operations Engineer
• Project Manager
• General Scientist
• Health Physicist
• Emergency Response Specialist
• Transportation and Safety Inspector
• Regulations Specialist
• Attorney
• Information Technology Specialist
• Management/Program Analyst

History
The NRC was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 to oversee the commercial nuclear industry. The agency took over regulation formerly carried out by the Atomic Energy Commission and began operations on Jan. 18, 1975.

Nuclear Nugget
As of March 2009, nuclear energy accounted for approximately 19.7 percent of U.S. net electric generation at 806 billion kilowatt-hours (KWh). In 2008, 104 nuclear reactors licensed to operate in 31 states generated approximately one-fifth of the nation’s electricity.

Veterans Employment Contact:
Leonard (Len) Carsley
E-mail: leonard.carsley@nrc.gov
Tel: (301) 492-2220 

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
www.nrc.gov
www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/employment
Founded: 1975
HQ: Rockville, Md.
Employees: 4,000          
Veteran Employees: 790
% Veteran Employees: 20 percent
List of Locations/Offices in the U.S.: Rockville, Md.; King of Prussia, Pa.; Atlanta, Ga.; Lisle, Ill.; Irving, Texas; Chattanooga, Tenn.