James Beardsley

Jim Beardsley is currently the Acting Deputy Director of NSIR’s Division ofPhysical and Cyber Security.

Prior to this assignment, Jim was the Chief of the Cyber Security Branch in the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) Division of Physical and Cyber Security Policy, Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response (NSIR). His responsibilities include the management of cyber security policy, licensing, and oversight for NRC licensees. Mr. Beardsley is a graduate of the NRC Team Leader Development Program, the Diversity Dialogue Project and a riskSMART Ambassador.

From October 2020 to February 2021, Mr. Beardsley completed a temporary assignment as the Chief of Engineering Branch 3 in the NRC Region III office. In that assignment, he was responsible for the planning and execution of electrical, cyber security, fire protection, 50.59 inspections.

Mr.Beardsley joined the NRC in 2004 as a Security Specialist and subsequently was selected to be a Team Leader in the NRC’s Force-on-Force (FoF) inspection program. He was a principal member of the team that reconstituted the FoF program following the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks and led inspections at sites in all four regions during the first and second tri-anneal cycles.

In 2010, Mr. Beardsley transferred to the Office of New Reactors (NRO) as Chief of the Construction Inspection Program Branch. He managed the development ofthe NRC’s construction inspection program and development of the database tools used to plan, and document construction activity.

Prior to joining the NRC, Mr. Beardsley worked for General Dynamics Electric Boat as a Systems Engineering Specialist and served on active duty as a nuclear-trained officer in the US Navy. He has earned a Bachelor's Degree in Economics from the University of Rochester and Master's Degrees in Business Administration and Systems Engineering from George Mason University. In May 2019, Mr. Beardsley retired as a Captain in the US Navy Reserve.