Job Title: Law Clerk
Posted by: U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on Aug 12, 2020
Location:
Rockville , MD 20852Job Description:
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is proud to be ranked as a BEST Place to Work in the Federal Government. We've earned our top ratings by creating a work environment rich in opportunity, diversity, leadership training, teamwork, and work life balance. Help guide our nation into the next generation of nuclear safety! Begin a challenging career with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission where you can be part of a select group of professionals who protect people and the environment with the peaceful use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry and research.
Duties
This NRC position is located in the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel (ASLBP).
ASLBP law clerks have the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects and cases, and to serve with a variety of judges. Individual assignments are made by the Chief Counsel, who acts as a “gatekeeper” to help clerks manage their work load, as law clerks are generally assigned to several cases or matters at any given time. Typical assignments include drafting judicial decisions and orders, conducting legal research, preparing legal memoranda, and providing assistance to Licensing Boards during evidentiary hearings. Clerks are often assigned to work on a particular case for an extended period of time and therefore are involved in the development of a case from its earliest stages, including rulings on standing and contention admissibility, discovery disputes and, ultimately, conducting an evidentiary hearing and drafting merits decisions on those evidentiary presentations. The two-year clerkship term generally runs from September to September.
Because Licensing Boards often conduct hearings and oral arguments at a location in the vicinity of the nuclear facility that is the focus of a particular case, clerks may have the opportunity for some travel over the course of their service with the Panel.
Qualifications
Education
To be considered for the Judicial Law Clerk Program, applicants must be either (1) third-year law students who will earn their J.D. by June of the academic year of application; (2) graduate law (LL.M) students in their last year of study; or (3) current judicial law clerks whose clerkship ends no later than September of the year following application. Applicants must have an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 based on a scale of 4.0. Graduate law students and judicial clerks should not have any significant post-J.D. legal employment. Only United States citizens can be admitted to the Judicial Law Clerk Program, and each person selected for the program must undergo a complete security/background investigation and be granted a security clearance.
Note: You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Due to the nature of law clerk duties, the ASLBP places a premium on (1) legal analysis and writing skills; (2) law review, comparable journal experience or moot court experience; (3) an interest in administrative/regulatory law and/or environmental law as evidenced by coursework, law school clinical experience or internships/externships; and (4) academic achievements. While a technical or scientific background may be useful, it is not required.
The appointment type is a TERM—Not to Exceed Two Years. Also, judicial law clerks are eligible for various flexible work schedules, including a “Compressed Work Schedule” that allows employees to work eight 9-hour weekdays and one 8-hour weekday per 2-week pay period, with flexible start and end times, and receive one weekday off per pay period.
How to Apply
Visit www.nrc.gov Review the NRC Opportunities page and click on “view a list of current NRC vacancies, please visit USAJobs EXIT.” Find the Law Clerk Job Announcement Number ASLBP-2020-0001 and apply on-line by September 7, 2020. If you are viewing this opportunity after September 7th please visit NRC’s website and discover additional opportunities for which you might be interested.
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About U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is an independent agency that was established by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 and began operations in 1975. NRC’s mission is to license and regulate the Nation’s civilian use of radioactive materials to provide reasonable assurance of adequate protection of public health and safety and to promote the common defense and security and to protect the environment. In carrying out its mission it exercises the following vision: Demonstrate the Principles of Good Regulation (independence, openness, efficiency, clarity, and reliability) in performing our mission. NRC’s scope of responsibility includes: the regulation of commercial nuclear power plants, research and test reactors, nuclear fuel cycle facilities, medical, academic, and industrial uses of radioactive materials; the decommissioning of these facilities and sites; and, the transport, storage, and disposal of radioactive materials and wastes. NRC issues licenses for civilian uses of radioactive materials, oversees the licensees, and certifies standard nuclear reactor designs and spent fuel storage casks and transportation packages. It also licenses the import and export of radioactive materials; participates in international nuclear activities, including multilateral and bilateral safety and security activities; and works closely with its international counterparts to enhance nuclear safety and security worldwide. To accomplish its overall mission NRC has identified two Strategic Goals—To ensure the safe and secure use of radioactive materials. We need a wide variety of administrative and technical staff to accomplish our objectives. We hire engineers, scientists, security specialists, information technology professionals, financial analysts, and a range of other occupations. We’re constantly looking for outstanding individuals at all levels – recent grads, mid-career professionals, and senior leaders.