
NRC employees receive a competitive salary and enjoy a superior benefits package. Pay rates are competitive with the private sector and generally include annual pay increases, longevity raises, and the possibility of cash awards and bonuses. Salary for new employees depends on the grade and geographic area of the position you are selected for, as well as any prior Federal or private sector experience you may have.
Below are the NRC current salary charts.
How NRC decides what salary to offer
When offering starting salaries to prospective employees, NRC strives to be fair and competitive, and typically considers and uses a range of available pay setting flexibilities. For non-Federal applicants, this may include offering a step and corresponding salary above step 1 (the minimum of any grade) for candidates with superior qualifications, within applicable parameters/limitations; and bringing on certain candidates at pre-determined steps/salaries (typically entry level professional positions) and in some cases offering standard recruitment incentives (signing bonuses). For current or former Federal candidates, NRC may be able to offer higher salaries through use of Maximum Payable Rate rules.
The Office of Personnel Management has issued various fact sheets on Federal pay setting flexibilities, many of which are applicable at NRC.
If you would like to contact us about Pay, see Contact Us About Employment and select "Pay" from the dropdown list.
BENEFITS
Paid Time Off
- Annual Leave: Full-time employees earn from 13 to 26 days paid vacation per year depending upon their years of Federal service.
- Sick Leave: Full-time employees earn 13 paid sick days per year, which can be used for personal illness, care of sick family members, adoption, and medical appointments.
- Holidays: Full-time employees enjoy 11 paid holidays per year.
Retirement Plans
The NRC has two primary retirement plans. The first is for NRC employees who were Federal employees before December 31, 1983 and is called the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). The CSRS is a defined benefit system with no portability outside the Federal sector and with no benefits for employees who do not stay until retirement.
The second retirement plan, which is available to new employees, is the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS recognizes that not all Federal employees stay long enough to qualify for retirement, so it is a three-tiered design with portable benefits. The basic components of FERS are (1) Social Security; (2) automatic enrollment in the Thrift Savings Plan; and (3) a defined benefit (Basic Annuity) element based on years of service, pay level, and age at retirement. Other applicable retirement plans include CSRS-Offset, CSRS- and FERS- Special (for law enforcement officers), and social security.
Thrift Savings Plan
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees. The purpose of the TSP is to provide retirement income. It offers Federal civilian employees the same type of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under ''401(k)'' plans.
The TSP is a defined contribution plan. The retirement income that you receive from your TSP account will depend on how much you (and your agency, if you are a FERS employee) have contributed to your account during your working years and the earnings on these contributions. The contributions that you make to your TSP account are voluntary and are separate from your contributions to your FERS Basic Annuity or CSRS annuity.
Insurance Benefits
As a new/newly eligible Federal employee, you may be able to enroll in health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, and/or apply for long term care insurance.
Employee Assistance Program
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides professional counseling services for NRC employees who are experiencing personal problems that may be affecting their ability to perform on the job. The program offers assessment, referral, short-term counseling, and follow-up for employees dealing with family and marital problems, substance abuse, stress, depression, and many other personal challenges.
All employees of the NRC may use the program at any time. Employees are encouraged to contact an EAP professional whenever they are experiencing personal problems. In many situations, family members of NRC employees are also eligible for the services of the program. Supervisors and managers may also seek the guidance of the EAP to help determine the appropriateness of referring employees who may be experiencing work performance and conduct changes due to personal problems.
Recruitment Incentives
For entry level engineers and scientists and certain other "hard-to-fill" positions, the NRC may provide a one-time recruitment incentive. Employees receiving a recruitment incentive are obligated to continue their service with the NRC for a specified period of time.
Relocation Expenses for New Employees
For certain "hard-to-fill" positions, some relocation expenses may be authorized. Such determinations are made on a case-by-case basis. Employees receiving relocation expenses are obligated to continue their service with the NRC for a specified period of time.
Student Loan Repayment
The NRC may pay a portion of an employee's federally guaranteed student loan. Employees for whom student loan expenses are paid are obligated to continue their service with the NRC for a specified period of time.
Union Representation
The National Treasury Employees Union is the exclusive representative for many employees at the NRC. Those employees may contact NTEU for further information on their services.