POLICY ISSUE

INFORMATION

July 11, 2007 SECY-07-0115

FOR: The Commissioners

FROM: Janice Dunn Lee, Director

Office of International Programs

SUBJECT: FRAMEWORK FOR AN EXPANDED CADRE OF NUCLEAR

REGULATORY COMMISSION EMPLOYEES WITH

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

PURPOSE:

In the Staff Requirements Memorandum (SRM M060727A, dated August 7, 2006), the

Commission strongly supported broadened opportunities for mid-career staff to consider

short- and long-term international assignments. This paper informs the Commission of

the Executive Director for Operations, key offices under his purview, and the Office of

International Programs’s joint development of a framework to more systematically

identify and communicate opportunities for management and staff to participate in

international activities. No action is requested of the Commission at this time.

SUMMARY:

At the July 2006 annual briefing on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC)

international programs, the Commission endorsed the Office of International Programs

(OIP) suggestion to seek opportunities for staff to gain international experience. 

Building on discussions in the NRC International Council and its Working Group, this

paper provides a framework for identifying current and future activities that can provide

staff with focused opportunities to participate in international activities in the interest of

expanding the cadre of NRC employees with international experience. Specific ideas

that are currently being developed to assist managers and staff in identifying and

supporting activities that align with the Commission’s commitment to be involved in

relevant international activities are also outlined. 

CONTACT: Karen Henderson, OIP 

(301) 415-0202
The Commissioners

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The NRC’s staff’s ability to achieve the agency’s mission is enhanced by increased

understanding of the regulatory experience of other countries in the areas of reactor and

fuel cycle safety, materials safety, waste management, spent fuel storage, emergency 

preparedness and incident response, transportation, and safeguards and security. It is

also important that NRC provide Federal interagency and international leadership to

shape and align U.S. domestic policies with international legal obligations and guidance

in the interest of promoting worldwide safety and security. In general, such guidance 

should be consistent with NRC’s domestic regulatory approach. As the nuclear

marketplace is increasingly global, regulatory agencies need to position themselves to

learn from and reinforce each other to ensure consistent and high levels of safety and

security. This paper provides a framework and approaches to identify opportunities in

the international area. 

DISCUSSION:

A strategic, integrated and systematic approach to expanding the cadre of employees

with the capabilities, knowledge, and experience to effectively participate in international

activities must be considered within the context of the existing NRC mission and

activities. In fact, much of what is necessary is already being effectively implemented

within the Office of International Programs and the various Program Offices. Thus, the

staff believes that elaborating upon the existing experience and best practices will

effectively position the NRC to meet its international obligations and continue to be a

leader in the international community. 

The elements of a program to facilitate knowledge management and ensure an

expanded cadre of employees with international experience includes the following: (a)

Commission and Executive Director for Operations communications to senior

management and staff to recognize the integral nature of international activities with the

domestic safety and security mission, and thus the importance and value of international

activities; (b) supervisor and senior management support and encouragement of staff

involvement in focused international activities that provide tangible or indirect benefit for

NRC, specifically considering opportunities for development and growth when activities

are available; (c) identification and communication of the types of international activities

that provide opportunities for the desired international outcome; (d) development of

procedures and training for assignment of international activities to employees; and (e)

resources to support implementation. Many offices can be given credit for having these

elements in place; the purpose of this framework is to standardize these elements

across the agency, especially in light of the establishment of two new program offices. 

These program elements are discussed in more detail in the Enclosure.

The framework for developing expanded staff capabilities falls into two categories:

knowledge management, and support for NRC’s and the U.S. Government’s (USG)

nuclear safety and security policies. 
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1 Under Title 5 of the United States Code Parts 3343 and 3581, and Title 5 of the Code of Federal

Regulations Part 352, NRC only has authority to detail or transfer staff to organizations listed or

approved by the Office of Personnel Management and the Department of State. Detail or transfer

to another national regulatory body or a foreign organization of a different country would not

qualify under that specific authority. Staff will work with the Office of Human Resources to explore

options under these circumstances.

1. Knowledge Management, Training and Experience

First, in terms of general knowledge and preparation of staff, topical seminars offered by

OIP are being developed about key aspects of NRC’s international programs. These

seminars will be available for new OIP staff, and program office international liaisons will

be made aware of the seminars to forward to interested program office managers and

staff. OIP also makes presentations at the “NRC: What is Is, What it Does” introductory

program for new employees, and has made presentations to the Nuclear Safety

Professional Development Program to encourage employees to think about how they

can professionally support NRC’s international programs. Furthermore, training is

available at the Foreign Service Institute and the Department of Agriculture that can be

used, as appropriate, to provide information and background. This training can translate

into practical use through management approval of rotations and full-time positions in

OIP, the international liaison positions in the individual program offices, assignments in

sister agencies with international responsibilities, staffing of positions within international

organizations such as the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) or the International Atomic

Energy Agency (IAEA), or the NRC’s Nuclear Safety Attache position at the U.S. Mission

for International Organizations in Vienna, Austria (including the possibility of a rotation to

shadow the Attache for on-the-job experience overseas).1

 For example, over the last

several years and with program office support, OIP accepted entry-level and mid-career

staff into rotational assignments of three months or longer, providing unique

opportunities to interact with foreign regulatory agencies and to support Commission

travel.

In this regard, NRC needs to more aggressively target and budget for key positions –

management and staff-level – at international organizations, focusing on areas where

NRC can contribute significantly and where we can learn from others. OIP will continue

to include this in future discussions with the offices on prioritization of international

activities. 

To systematize this process, OIP has initiated outreach, through the Office of Human

Resources, to the Nuclear Safety Professional Development Program, the Leadership

Potential Program, and the Senior Executive Service Career Development Program to

ensure that participants know of rotational opportunities and the processes by which to

apply for them. Staff is also working with program offices to align with and incorporate

international activities in the Human Capital and Training and Development Strategic

Plans and office operating plans. Finally, the International Council Working Group

(ICWG) will develop a communications plan for notifying management and staff about

international opportunities.
The Commissioners

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Second, for many staff, the desire may not be to have a career in international activities. 

Instead, the desire is often to be able to participate in the international aspects of their

particular technical disciplines, as another component of their plans to grow

professionally. Such knowledge transfer can be gained through “shadowing” another

staff member during participation in international travel or other activities. Another

example is the staff’s considerable contributions to the cooperative research programs,

which is particularly valuable to the NRC and to foreign regulatory agencies. Staff’s

personal development is best addressed through the use of Individual Development

Plans which recognize the international contributions to overall career development

within the program offices’ prioritized needs. 

2. Agency Policy Implementation in International Fora

The ongoing development and use of staff in the international components of various

NRC programs is parallel to the knowledge management activities described above. In

this sense, the international activities are not a separate career, but are integral to the

effective and efficient conduct of our safety and security programs. If NRC is to be

effective, it needs to have a systematic approach to achieving the “bench strength” of

individuals who are comfortable in the scientific and political environment of international

interactions, just as they are comfortable in the licensing and inspection environment of

the NRC domestic programs. These individuals can knowledgeably apply the

information gained through participation in international activities to benefit the U.S.

domestic regulatory activities, and likewise apply the knowledge of NRC programs to

support the work of our bilateral and multilateral partners. 

The key aspects of the framework in this setting involves the identification of appropriate

staff, and management making available increasingly responsible assignments that

involve international activities, just as is done in the development of staff in the NRC’s

domestic responsibilities. Success can be achieved through continuing to involve

managers and staff in all stages of a project, and, in particular, identifying when an

opportunity exists to observe and learn in an international venue. This will prepare the

staff for future situations in which they may take on greater roles and responsibilities. 

An additional opportunity exists through ongoing management and staff participation in

long-term international initiatives, such as development and review of IAEA documents

and associated participation in IAEA consultancies and technical meetings, and

participation in assessment missions to ensure U.S. regulatory perspectives are

appropriately considered in the international approaches to nuclear safety. These

activities, while not directly related to a specific research, regulation development,

licensing, or inspection activity within the NRC, provide excellent opportunities for both

personal growth and agency influence. For an overview of the types of international

activities that provide opportunities for the desired international experience, see Section

C in the Attachment.
The Commissioners

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NRC also needs to continue its leadership in Federal interagency activities, such as the

activities of the IAEA Safety Subcommittee, which discusses all safety-related initiatives

undertaken by the USG in support of the IAEA’s safety mandate (e.g., funding, staffing,

development of documents, etc.). NRC is also active in the new U.S. interagency IAEA

Security Subcommittee and in the IAEA’s specific security activities, and the U.S.

interagency initiatives regarding IAEA safeguards. Of particular note is the staff’s

ongoing efforts to guide the integration of safety with security in IAEA documents and

missions, and working with the USG to consider cost-free experts with regulatory

experience for positions in the Division of Nuclear Safety and Security. 

Examples of the successful leadership and development of NRC staff can be seen in 

the USG delegations to both the Convention on Nuclear Safety and the Joint Convention

on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste

Management and presentation of the U.S. National Reports. These activities require 

dedicated teams to support development of the U.S. report, review the reports of all

other Contracting Parties, and to represent the United States in the Review Meetings. 

The Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and of Nuclear Material Safety and

Safeguards effectively utilized a combination of both senior and more junior staff in all

phases of this effort, effectively developing relatively new staff for future responsibilities. 

Staff also notes the multiple-year efforts concerning the interagency negotiation of the

text of the U.S. Additional Protocol, in which staff worked closely with the IAEA and with

NRC licensees to prepare for its eventual implementation. Other examples include the

development and implementation of the Multinational Design Evaluation Program, led by

the Offices of New Reactors and International Programs.

3. Resource Implications

The critical nexus between international activities and the conduct of the domestic safety

and security program is clearly recognized by the Commission. Thus, there is an

increasing recognition of the need for a cadre of employees with international

experience, not as an objective by itself, but in the context of the overall NRC mission. 

Much of what is necessary to expand the cadre of employees with international

experience is already being effectively implemented within the Office of International

Programs and the program offices. These activities include communications about

international activities and opportunities; establishment of permanent international

liaison positions in the program offices; rotational opportunities; individual meetings

between the Office of International Programs’ and program offices’ management to

discuss international activities. 

In the shorter term, associated resources have and will come out of existing budgets. 

Most of the activities necessary for developing competence in the staff for international

participation is no different from developing the appropriate competence in other areas. 
The Commissioners

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Other activities under consideration, such as the major long-term assignments described

in Section C of the Attachment (e.g., assignments at sister U.S. Government agencies;

positions at foreign counterpart agencies), would have resource implications for the

NRC. Resource estimates for these efforts would be developed as the requirements for

engaging in these activities are further reviewed and discussed.

CONCLUSION

The Office of International Programs, in coordination with the Executive Director for

Operations and the Program Offices, is continuing its process and dialogue to identify

opportunities for management and staff to participate in international activities for both

knowledge management and training purposes, and to continue support for NRC’s

international policies and programs. The International Council and its Working Group

will communicate with management and staff about the integral importance of

international experience in NRC’s safety and security mission, and consider more

systematic ways to enhance the involvement of staff in international activities. Examples

of such involvement include making available training opportunities through participation

in meetings or international assignments, and identification of resources for future

growth in staff’s participation in international activities, such as supporting multiple

travelers to overseas meetings for training purposes.

OFFICE COORDINATION:

This paper has been coordinated with the Executive Director for Operations and key

offices under his purview. The Office of the General Counsel has no legal objection. 

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer has reviewed the paper for resource impacts

and has no objection.

/RA/

Janice Dunn Lee, Director

Office of International Programs

Enclosure: As stated
The Commissioners

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Other activities under consideration, such as the major long-term assignments described

in Section C of the Attachment (e.g., assignments at sister U.S. Government agencies;

positions at foreign counterpart agencies), would have resource implications for the

NRC. Resource estimates for these efforts would be developed as the requirements for

engaging in these activities are further reviewed and discussed.

CONCLUSION

The Office of International Programs, in coordination with the Executive Director for

Operations and the Program Offices, is continuing its process and dialogue to identify

opportunities for management and staff to participate in international activities for both

knowledge management and training purposes, and to continue support for NRC’s

international policies and programs. The International Council and its Working Group

will communicate with management and staff about the integral importance of

international experience in NRC’s safety and security mission, and consider more

systematic ways to enhance the involvement of staff in international activities. Examples

of such involvement include making available training opportunities through participation

in meetings or international assignments, and identification of resources for future

growth in staff’s participation in international activities, such as supporting multiple

travelers to overseas meetings for training purposes.

OFFICE COORDINATION:

This paper has been coordinated with the Executive Director for Operations and key

offices under his purview. The Office of the General Counsel has no legal objection. 

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer has reviewed the paper for resource impacts

and has no objection.

Janice Dunn Lee, Director

Office of International Programs

Enclosure: As stated

DISTRIBUTION:

OIP: KHenderson CAbrams SDembek MDoane JDunn Lee

NRO: DWilliams NRR: MCullingford NMSS: DPstrak FSME: DCool

RES: D-MPerez NSIR: Charris EDO: AKock

HR: MLopez-Nagle

G:\Intl council\Intl Cadre\Intl Cadre Commpaper 6-20-07.wpd

ADAMS Accession No.: ML071840227

G Publicly Available G Non-Publicly Available G Sensitive G Non-Sensitive

OFFICE OIP NRR/D NRO/D NMSS/D FSME/D

NAME KHenderson JDyer WBorchardt MWeber CMiller

DATE 5/25/07 5/27/07 6/4/07 5/30/07 6/4/07

OFFICE NSIR/D RES/D HR/D EDO OIP/DD OIP/D

NAME RZimmerman BSheron JMcDermott LReyes MDoane JDunnLee

DATE 5/25/07 6/29/07 5/27/07 5/29/07 6/21/07 5/ /07

OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
PROGRAM ELEMENTS FOR EXPANDED INTERNATIONAL CADRE

A. Commission and Executive Director for Operations communications to

senior management and staff to recognize the integral nature of

international activities with the domestic safety and security mission, and

thus the importance and value of international activities 

The objective is to ensure continuing communications on international activities for all

levels of staff and management. 

This element is implemented through the variety of Commission-level papers on a range

of international activities, notifications from OIP of ongoing international efforts (JDLgrams, OIP weekly), information provided for incoming Commissioners and in NRC’s

publications such as the Strategic Plan, the Information Digest, and the “Protecting Our

Nation” document. These communications reflect the value placed on these activities,

and recognize the experience that international activities and knowledge bring to the

development of U.S. policy and the regulatory programs of safety and security. These

communications may also promote the opportunities and benefits of participating in

international activities. 

In addition, communications from the EDO have, as appropriate, discussed key

international activities and the results of international meetings. Recent internal NRC

news articles have highlighted international activities of the commission, management

and staff, such as signing agreements at the Regulatory Information Conference,

Commissioner travel, and the Chairman’s participation in the IAEA General Conference. 

OIP weekly reports and EDO Daily and Two-Week Look-Ahead reports also

demonstrate the implementation of the Commission’s policy of active engagement on

the international front and give insights into how staff can contribute.

Other components of this element include: quarterly International Council meetings, and

twice-monthly meetings of the international liaisons to ensure program-wide knowledge

transfer and alignment. Further, there are increasing communications and interactions

between the program office management and OIP through the international liaisons to

learn how the NRC’s priorities relate to those of its counterparts and the role political,

economic, social and historical elements play in those countries’ activities. An example

is OIP management’s meetings with individual offices to review possible international

activities to help offices in their out-year budget planning process, and posting

information on the NRC internal HR website about relevant job opportunities abroad.

The Office of the Executive Director for Operations is considering additional ways to

communicate the importance and value of international activities that provide a direct or

indirect benefit to the NRC.

B. Supervisor support and encouragement of staff involvement in

international activities, specifically considering opportunities for

development, expansion, and growth when activities are available

Enclosure
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The objective is to have appropriate “bench strength” of individuals who are comfortable

in the scientific and political environment of international interactions, just as they are

comfortable in licensing, inspection, research, security and other technical environments

of the NRC domestic programs.

The ongoing development and use of staff in the international components of various

NRC programs is parallel to the development of individual staff interests. The key

aspects of the framework in this setting involves the identification of appropriate staff,

and the assignment of increasingly responsible assignments that involve international

activities, just as is done in the development of staff in the NRC’s domestic

responsibilities. Some offices are implementing the following types of activities:

C Supervisory encouragement of staff to consider opportunities for participation in

international activities in their Individual Development Plans (IDP).

C Supervisors identify and communicate short-term and long-term international

opportunities, including rotations, that can be matched to the staff’s interests and

responsibilities.

C Supervisors assigning international activities to staff when employees express 

interest in IDPs.

C Supervisors assign international activities when the assignment is a logical part

of the employee’s work, and/or would enhance the employee’s job performance,

or when the experience would enable the employee to serve as backup to staff

with more direct international responsibilities.

C Use participation in international activities as an area to be recognized in

performance appraisals. Such discussions are often considered under

Professional Development and Organizational Effectiveness in Element 4. 

C Encourage staff, as appropriate, to utilize mentors in own or other program

offices to develop broader understanding of the Commission’s international

policies and their implementation.

C Maintain a high-level (e.g., GG-15 or above) international liaison position in each

program office and within the Executive Director for Operations. 

One means of institutionalizing these actions is to use office web sites, most of which

have international pages, to post and update information relating to these opportunities

and general advice on how to become aware of and involved in international activities.

C. Identification and communication of the types of international activities

that provide opportunities for the desired international outcome

The objective is to maintain awareness of the wide range of opportunities available

related to international activities.
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The types of activities that may be appropriate for assignment to staff to gain

international experience can be categorized and listed on the basis of potential resource

commitments, e.g., incidental activities, those with small impact, with significant impact,

and major long-term assignments. A notional list of these activities include the following:

Incidental Activities

C Participation in preparations for NRC or USG meetings with international

participants.

C Working closely with (perhaps mentoring) foreign assignees at NRC. 

C Seminars, “brown bag” talks and other methods by which staff who have

completed international rotations or other foreign travel can share their

experiences with colleagues and managers. These may provide opportunities to

share information about the experience, benefits, and guidance of participating in

international activities, e.g., perhaps as part of the knowledge management

initiative.

C Representing NRC organizational units at interagency meetings.

C Participation in preparations to support Commissioner travel or interactions on

international topics.

C Participation or observation of International Council and International Council

Working Group meetings and activities.

Small Impact

C Attendance, presentations at and taking training with foreign visitors at NRC’s

Technical Training Center and/or the U.S. National Laboratories and/or

institutions such as the World Nuclear University.

C Attending bilateral exchange meetings as a participant (or as an observer) at the

NRC.

C Review of international (IAEA, NEA, or other country) documents for which

agency approval or comments are requested.

C Participate in international meetings or facility visits that directly support the staff

member’s regulatory responsibilities (e.g., licensing, inspection, and regulatory

development).

Significant Impact

C Participation in IAEA, NEA, or other international organization meetings, either to

provide support to the lead participant, gain experience, and make contacts or 

representing NRC in specific areas of technical expertise.
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C Short (rotational) or longer-term assignments as Program Office or Division

international coordinator; or serve as backup to the Program Office or Division

international coordinator.

C Participation in international cooperative research programs.

C Rotational assignments in OIP, including consideration given to establishing a

position dedicated to rotations from program offices.

C Rotational assignments to the Executive Director for Operations office to support

EDO coordination of staff international activities.

C Short-term support assignments (e.g., one month or less) at sister U.S.

Government agencies, or at international organizations (e.g., IAEA and NEA).

C Rotational assignment shadowing the NRC Nuclear Safety Attache in Vienna,

Austria.

Major Long-Term Assignments

C Longer-term assignments, e.g., 3-6 months or longer at sister U.S. Government

agencies, or standard 2-5 year assignments at the IAEA or NEA.

C Targeting of key senior and mid-level leadership positions at IAEA and NEA

where NRC through NRC and Federal interagency support, where an NRC staff

person can contribute significantly and also where we can learn from others.

C Promote and support NRC staff involvement as U.S. cost-free experts at the

IAEA.

C Promote and support NRC staff for positions at counterpart regulatory bodies –

e.g. Germany and France. Despite many offers from foreign counterparts, NRC

has not reciprocated its foreign assignee program by sending staff abroad.

D. Development of procedures for assignment of international activities to

employees

The objective is a robust and continuing process through which NRC staff and

management can be aware of opportunities for international activities. 

There is a need to review and improve established mechanisms, and to create new

mechanisms for communicating specific opportunities that might be of interest and of

value to a broad range of NRC employees. These opportunities may be identified to

staff by means of:

C Enhancing the visibility of information on OIP’s internal web page about

international opportunities, including opportunities for rotations in OIP, Program

Offices, in other agencies or countries, and in international organizations, and

relevant frequently asked questions.
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C Consideration of additional web page content for OIP and program office

international liaison activities, such as links to the OIP web site for the OIP

weekly information summary.

C Broader availability of information on NRC’s international activities through the

agency knowledge management web site(s). 

C Revise and update, as appropriate, of NRC Management Directives (MD) 10.2 to

clarify that time, privileges, etc. continues during detail to other organizations or

countries; clarify applicability of NRC pay travel and per diem; resolve the issues

associated with return rights; and provide for identification, insofar as possible, or

positions to which the individual will return before the assignment takes place.

C Revision, as appropriate, of other Management Directives (14.1, 3.9, 5.13) that

impact participation in international activities, and establish links to these MDs

from program office international web pages.

C Use of the international travel database to coordinate staff travel.

C As appropriate, inclusion of international employment activities on the Human

Resources web site.