Student Education

Employment Program

Office of Human Resources

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U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Student Education Employment Program

The Student Career Experience Program (SCEP) and the 

Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) are the 

components of the NRC Student Education Employment 

Program (SEEP). All SEEP participants must be eligible 

for a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) 

employment clearance.

Benefits

Benefits of the SEEP include the following:

• providing students with exposure to public service and 

enhancing their educational experience

• providing financial assistance to students to encourage and 

support their educational goals

• encouraging partnerships between the NRC and educational 

institutions in developing effective school-to-work programs

• assisting in the recruitment of highly qualified graduates into 

the NRC workforce
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NRC Student Transportation 

and Housing Subsidies 

Students who reside at least 35 miles away from the NRC 

workplace may receive reimbursement of their transportation 

expenses if they work full time for at least 30 days. 

Reimbursement covers the cost of traveling from the student’s 

place of residence or study to the area where he or she will be 

working and back to the student’s place of residence or study at 

the end of the full-time employment period.

Students may also receive up to $750.00 per month for actual 

lodging expenses during temporary periods of at least 30 days 

of full-time employment with the NRC. To be eligible, students 

must perform scientific, professional, administrative, or technical 

work related to the student’s field of study. 

 

SEEP Pay Levels

(See the annual salary table at http://www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/

employment/salaries.html tables)

Students are paid according to the number of earned college 

credit hours. 

Undergraduate Programs (engineering and 

scientific disciplines):

GG-4 step 5: Sophomore (60 through 89) 

GG-5 step 6: Junior (60 through 89)

Graduate Programs (engineering and 

scientific disciplines):

GG-5 step 10: Undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 

below 2.95

GG-7 step 10: Undergraduate GPA of 2.95 and above
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Undergraduate students (administrative, management, 

and information technology disciplines):

GG-4 step 1: Sophomore or junior (30 through 89 credit hours)

GG-5 step 1: Senior (90 or more credit hours)

Graduate students:

GG-5 step 1: Undergraduate GPA of below 2.95

GG-7 step 1: Undergraduate GPA of 2.95 and above

High school students:

GG-01: High school student

GG-02: High school graduate

GG-03: High school graduate with 6 months of work experience

or 1 year of college credits (1 through 29 credit hours)

GG-04: High school graduate with 1 year of work experience 

or 2 years of college credits (30 through 60 

credit hours)
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Schedules

Students may work either full-time or part-time schedules. There 

are no limitations on the number of hours a student can work 

per week, but the work schedule should not interfere with the 

student’s academic schedule. 

Student Career Experience Program 

The SCEP offers students valuable work experience directly 

related to their academic field of study. It provides formal 

periods of work and study while the student is attending school. 

The SCEP requires a commitment between the student, the 

school, and the NRC to ensure that individual goals are being 

attained. Students who are accepted into the SCEP are 

expected at all times to either work at the NRC, be enrolled in 

classes, or both.

Student Eligibility Requirements 

The student must meet the following requirements to be eligible 

for the SCEP:

• Attend an accredited college or university and pursue a 

bachelor’s or master’s degree in a field related to the mission 

of the NRC.

• Meet the definition of a student (i.e., a student is defined as 

an individual who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a 

degree-seeking student and who is taking at least a half-time 

academic course load in an accredited school).

• Be enrolled in the educational institution’s co-op program 

and be recommended for placement with the NRC.

• Maintain a 2.85 GPA or above and meet the NRC work 

performance standards of the NRC program office or region 

where the student is employed.

• Be a U.S. citizen.

• Submit college transcript at the end of each school term to 

the NRC SCEP coordinator.
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Benefits

The SCEP offers the following benefits:

• annual leave 

• sick leave

• Federal retirement system

• health and life insurance

Appointment Information

Students may be noncompetitively converted to an NRC 

regular (excepted) appointment when they have met the 

following requirements:

• completed course requirements at an 

accredited university

• completed at least 640 hours of career-related work before 

or concurrently with the college course requirements

• been recommended by an NRC office or region and met the 

qualification standards for the targeted position
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Student Temporary Employment Program 

The STEP offers temporary employment to students while 

enabling them to continue their studies. The length of the 

program varies from 89 days in the summer to as long as the 

participant is a student. STEP duties do not have to be related 

to the student’s academic major or career goals.

STEP participants are appointed to a position not to exceed 

1 year. Appointments may be extended in 1-year increments 

as long as the appointee meets the definition of a student 

(i.e., a student is an individual who is enrolled or accepted for 

enrollment as a degree-seeking student and who is taking at 

least a half-time academic course load in an accredited school).

STEP participants may be noncompetitively converted to the 

SCEP. Work-experience hours that are related to the student’s 

academic program and career goals and that are gained while 

under the STEP may be credited towards the 640-hour work 

experience necessary for the noncompetitive conversion to an 

NRC regular (excepted) appointment.

Student Eligibility Requirements

The student must meet the following requirements to be eligible 

for the STEP:

• Attend an accredited high school, a technical or vocational 

school, or a 2-year or 4-year college or university. 

• Meet the definition of a student (i.e., a student is an 

individual who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a 

degree-seeking student and who is taking at least a half-time 

academic course load in an accredited school).

• Be a U.S. citizen.

• Submit a letter of recommendation from their school.
Benefits

The STEP offers the following benefits:

• annual and sick leave if appointment is more than 90 days

• paid legal holidays within the periods of work

• possible year-round employment

• flexible work schedule

Contact Information

For consideration into the SCEP, e-mail a resume and a current 

transcript to co-ops@nrc.gov.

For consideration into the STEP, e-mail a resume and current 

transcript to summer-emp@nrc.gov.

To speak with a member of the Office of Human Resources 

Recruitment team, call (301) 415-7400.
NUREG/BR-0354

September 2008