Senior Manager, Nuclear Power Safety

About the role

The Senior Manager will provide thought leadership, science direction, and technical, analytical, and public outreach support to advance the Union of Concerned Scientists' (UCS) goal to promote the safety and security of nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle. Reporting to the Director of Nuclear Power Safety, this position conducts research and analysis in support of UCS' nuclear power safety project and energy campaign, working collaboratively with coalition and grassroots partners. The Senior Manager serves as a spokesperson and technical expert representing UCS in public forums and with media, policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement research and analysis in accordance with legal requirements for human subjects and environmental protection, upholding principles of scientific excellence.
• Work with leadership and colleagues to ensure that organizational and programmatic goals, strategies, priorities, and decisions are grounded in, and informed by, the best available science and advance campaign goals and objectives.
• Identify strategic opportunities for new areas of research, including novel analytical or policy work.
• Implement collaborative work across programs to develop and test evidence-based solutions for policy, regulatory, and other decision-making challenges.
• Lead or support development of science-based products focused on nuclear power safety and security trends, both domestically and internationally.
• Ensure accuracy, credibility, readability, and timeliness of all written material.
• Manage research and analysis projects on nuclear power and nuclear safety issues, including scoping, planning, execution, and evaluation.
• Manage day-to-day and long-term activities, budgets, contracts, coordinating project staff, maintaining project transparency and communication with project participants, programs, and the organization.
• Write, edit and review peer-reviewed papers, reports, fact sheets, issue/policy briefs, and other materials highlighting the results of various analyses following UCS protocols for review, production, and presentation of results.
• Help coordinate peer review by external technical experts, and internal UCS scientific and analytic products, and make necessary revisions before submitting for publication.
• Tailor style and content of materials for technical and/or general audiences, as appropriate.
• Apply research results and conclusions to the formulation and development of public policies, regulations, and political strategies to promote the Program's goals.
• Carry out research objectives, policy approaches, and engagement with others that foster inclusiveness and deliver greater benefits to underserved communities.
• Provide a supportive and welcoming environment that addresses the needs of diverse stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for broadening and diversifying the voices engaging in Program-related decision-making venues and equip new stakeholders to engage successfully.
• Apply scientific tools for advancing social equity.
• Assess and learn from the impact of work to share with internal and external stakeholders; maintain and safeguard confidential UCS supporter and ally data.
• Maintain in-depth knowledge of, monitor, and assess current and emerging research, trends in the field of nuclear power and nuclear safety issues, and related policy/regulatory issues, and apply learning to analysis and advocacy activities.
• Campaign Support:
  • Support the scoping, planning, design, and implementation of campaigns, including identifying key stakeholders, research questions, and policy opportunities.
  • Collaborate with the Program's Campaign staff to keep the campaign on track, assess new opportunities, respond to changing conditions, and communicate key decisions.
  • Influence the development and implementation of policies and strategies within government and nongovernment institutions to advance campaign goals; collaborate with UCS campaign and legislative staff to develop and effectively promote UCS-supported positions with senior government officials, legislators, regulators, opinion leaders, stakeholders, non-traditional allies, coalition partners, public and media representatives at local, state, regional, and national levels.
• Expert Representation and Advocacy:
  • Represent UCS, its values, and positions in government agencies and commissions, conferences, workshops, stakeholder negotiations, testimony and congressional hearings, legislative committees, and other key forums.
  • Establish and maintain alliances with advocates, other organizations, community leaders, businesses, academics, and researchers, including regulatory and legislative staff and governmental agencies, to exchange information, provide technical information/education and guidance, share resources, advance shared objectives, engage in collaborative projects, and participate in coalitions.
  • Represent UCS in the media, traditional and social; work with UCS Communications staff to identify key media opportunities, help draft materials, and serve as direct contact to the media, including providing rapid response to media requests.
  • Respond to inquiries and comments from stakeholders, media, members, and the public about issues related to the Program's mission.
  • Report research results and recommend research directions in oral and written form to experts, public, media, and congressional representatives.
  • Serve as an internal resource to expand UCS staff expertise and visibility.
  • Share research and insights with UCS staff and collaborate on understanding and applying that research to advancing UCS strategic priorities.
  • Support fundraising and development efforts through donor meetings, participation in meetings of the National Advisory Board, and other efforts to cultivate relationships.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in a relevant field, such as nuclear engineering or physics. A Master's degree is preferred.
• 7+ years of comparable and relevant experience, which could include academic-related work experience.
• Familiarity with nuclear safety and security regulatory standards and regulations, including those of the NRC, DOE, and International Atomic Energy Agency.
• Broad familiarity with one or more technical areas of nuclear power and fuel cycle facility safety and security for both the operating light-water reactor fleet and for new designs (small modular light-water reactors, non-light-water reactors), such as accident analysis or radiological assessment.
• Qualitative and quantitative analytical skills, experience in designing and carrying out scientific research and analysis; familiarity with computer codes such as MCNP/OpenMC, SCALE, MELCOR, and MACCS/HYSPLIT, and experience in conducting radiological consequence assessments of nuclear facility accidents, are desirable.
• Understanding of how science, economic and technical analyses, and advocacy inform public opinion, public policy, and litigation.
• Innovation skills; ability to develop novel applications for existing data streams.
• Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills, internally and with external stakeholders from various backgrounds.
• Experience with coalitions, legislative process, advocacy skills, and policy/planning analysis.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills; ability to communicate effectively with technical experts and other professionals; ability to communicate complex scientific matters to non-expert audiences.
• Project management skills.
• Ability to work both independently and in teams in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple projects and deadlines.
• Experience with incorporating equity, inclusion, and justice into work/projects; demonstrated experience centering equity in technical analysis.
• Knowledge and familiarity with racial equity and inclusion principles and how race and other identities intersect in the work, particularly in scientific, policymaking and environmental communities.