SUPERVISING NUCLEAR ENGINEER (Competitive)

Code: 16640 State Competitive Range: R31 (FY 2027)

Salary: $105,267.31 - $155,358.91/year FY 2027 schedule (last updated 2026-07-27)

Official job specification

The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator. Source: the official specification page at NJ CSC.

Definition

Under the general direction of a Manager 4 or other supervisory official in the Department of Environmental Protection and Energy, plans, organizes, and directs the work programs and staff involved in nuclear engineering activities, and is responsible for resolving specific issues relative to nuclear engineering; does related work as required.

Examples of work

• Plans, organizes, and supervises the engineering, scientific, technical, and administrative work activities of nuclear engineering staff.
• Consults with the manager on policy, regulatory, technical, and procedural actions and changes relating to the functions and responsibilities of the Bureau of Nuclear Engineering.
• Supervises and/or participates in the development of regulatory strategies consistent with state and federal laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, and objectives.
• Develops and initiates plans and procedures for achieving compliance with codes, rules, and/or regulations which have been promulgated for evaluating nuclear power plant and transportation operations under normal and accident conditions.
• Plans and develops standard operation procedures for the integration of the objectives and activities of the Nuclear Engineering Section with those of otyher government agencies and other department programs.
• Addresses professional and nonprofessional groups to educate the general public and interested groups on the subject of adequacy and effectiveness of the New Jersey Radiological Emergency Response Plan (RERP).
• Conducts and participates in interagency and public meetings, conferences, hearings, and other such activities relating to nuclear emergency response.
• Assists in the preparation of budgetary, grant applications, and personnel matters for the section, and monitors expenses in conformance with established budgets.
• Serves as a member of the Nuclear Emergency Response and the Non- Nuclear Reactor Emergency Response Teams, and responds to nuclear emergencies on a twenty-four (24) hour rotational basis.
• Supervises the work operations and/or functional programs of the bureau and has responsibility for evaluating employees and for effectively recommending the hiring, firing, promoting, demoting, and/or disciplining of employees.
• Confers with state officials, federal government, and local agencies concerning matters of nuclear power generating stations, transportation of nuclear materials, and nuclear fuel cycle facilities as they relate to potential health, readiological risk, and environmental impacts.
• Supervises the review of license amendments submitted by nuclear power plants in New Jersey; perofrms research regarding the amendment as it relates toplant safety, design, and engineering issues; makes recommendations to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission based on review findings.
• Supervises nuclear engineering programs involving the planning, development, and implementation of nuclear emergency preparedness plans and drills.
• Keeps immediate supervisor apprised of current activities, problems, and developments relative to nuclear engineering work.
• Reviews plans and exercises general direction in establishing the needs, capabilities, and readiness of staff to respond to nuclear radiation emergencies.
• Serves as expert witness in court, administrative hearings, and in other forms of legal and enforcement actions relating to nuclear power plants in New Jersey.
• Trains and develops other nuclear engineers to serve the public interest, and to ensure that nuclear emergency response is carried out.
• Assists in the formulation of legislation implementing the established department policy and, when requested, reviews and comments on legislation as it relates to nuclear power and nuclear fuel cycle.
• Serves as liaison with other state agencies, agencies of the federal government, and professional organizations involved in matters realting to nuclear power and emergency response.
• Prepares and supervises the prepararion of technical correspondence in the course of official duties.
• Supervises the establishment and maintenance of essential records and files.
• May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Education

Graduation from an accredited college with a Bachelor's degree in Nuclear, Mechanical, or Chemical Engineering, or Physical, Chemical, Environmental, or Radiation Science.

Experience

Five (5) years of experience in nuclear reactor operations, design, licensing, or other reactor-related safety programs, one (1) year of which shall have been in a supervisory capacity.

License

Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

KNOWLEDGES AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of the principle causes, general sources, and environmental effects of nuclear radiation and associated engineering, environmental, and scientific theory and principles; and of state-of- the-art technology for controlling nuclear radiation emitted from nuclear generating facilities and nuclear fuel cycle facilities.

Knowledge of the technical principles, practices, and operations of nuclear facilities, and ability toprovide expertise in nuclear radiation emergencies.

Knowledge of modern management concepts and practices; and the ability to acquire knowledge of the necessary work plans, budgets,and grant applications used to meet the needs of the bureau.

Knowledge of diverse aspects of design, construction, licensing, operation, and decommisioning of light water reactors.

Knowledge of federal rules and regulations concerning design, construction, and operation fo nuclear facilities.

Knowledge of fundamental nuclear engineering specialities such as steady state and transient nucleonic, thermal, hydraulic response and heat transfer, fission processes and accompany radiation, in addition to associated mechanical, radiological, and structural design aspects of nuclear facilities. Knowledge of diverse aspect of environmental and safety issues related to nuclear generating facilities and/or their associated fuel cycle.

Knowledge of the relationship between all nuclear and environmental engineering systems required to maintain nuclear power plant readioactive effluents, and direct radiation within regulatory limits and guidelines during normal and abnormal plant operation, and under severe accident conditions.

Knowledge of nuclear emergency response equipment, and the ability to instruct emergency personnel in the use of such equipment.

Ability to understand the philosphy and concept behind laws, regulations, and standards in the broad field of nuclear energy production; i.e., the nuclear fuel cycle.

Ability to recognize and evaluate unique features of nuclear facilities which have an impact onplant safety and reliability, and tyo make responsibile recommendations regarding their acceptability as defined by federal and state regulations and accepted engineering practice.

Ability to acquire knowledge of the laws of New Jersey and the codes, rules, and regulations of the department relating to all asspects of nuclear emergency response, and of the specific policies and procedures used in carrying out the provisions contained therein.

Ability to acquire knowledge of the objectives and responsibilities of federal, state, and local nuclear emergency response agencies and programs.

Ability to acquire knowledge of the functions and structure of local, county, and state governments as well as their fiscal and enforcement policies and procedures as theyrelate to nuclear emergency response and environmental protection.

Ability to acquire knowledge of the organizational structure and functions of local governemnts in New Jersey.

Abilty to develop long and short term plans, budgets, and procedures to implement the functions and responsibilities of the program area.

Ability to formulate, comprehend, analyze, and interpret basic laws, rules, and regulations relating to nuclear generating facilities or their associated fuel cycles.

Ability to prepare and present technically accurate evidence for use in legal actions taken by the department or by the Attorney General.

Ability to speak in public before professional, civil, educaitonal, lay, and other groups. Ability to draft extensive technical correspondence concerning program activities.

Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.

Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication.

Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.

Code: 30/R31- JMR 3/23/92 30/R31-

Note

A Master's degree in a discipline appropriate tothe position may be substituted for one (1) year of nonsupervisory experience.

A Doctorate degree in a discipline appropriate to the position may be substituted for three (3) years of nonsupervisory experience. (This includes a Master's degree and is not in addition to).