**NRC INSPECTION MANUAL**	IRIB

INSPECTION MANUAL CHAPTER 0307 APPENDIX D

# RESIDENT INSPECTOR RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT PROGRAM MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

Effective Date: 01/09/2024

# 0307D-01	PURPOSE

The purpose of this appendix is to provide a necessary and sufficient set of actionable and objective indicators reflecting our ability to recruit and retain resident inspectors in support of effective and efficient site oversight. While Inspection Manual Chapter (IMC) 0307’s scope is generally limited to operating reactor oversight, this IMC includes all resident inspectors, whether at operating reactors or other NRC licensed or construction facilities.

# 0307D-02	OBJECTIVE

02.01	Provide instruction to regional and Division of Reactor Oversight staff for the collection of data necessary to assess the health of the resident inspector program to provide decision makers with accurate information.

02.02	Establish guidelines for reporting resident inspector program demographics to the Commission.

# 0307D-03	DEFINITIONS

Resident Inspector (RI). NRC staff stationed at any NRC licensed or applicant facility for the purpose of conducting inspection and oversight activities. Resident inspector can be a general term that refers to both resident and senior resident inspectors.

RI Program Lead. A staff member within the Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation (NRR) Division of Reactor Oversight (DRO) responsible for monitoring the health of the RI program and implementation of this IMC. This person also chairs the RI Standing Committee. If there is no designated individual, the Reactor Inspection Branch (IRIB) chief and the lead for this manual chapter assume the responsibilities associated with this role.

RI Standing Committee. A community of practice that monitors the health of the RI program, shares best practices, and makes enhancement recommendations as necessary (Charter: ML22206A273).

Senior Resident Inspector (SRI). Senior NRC staff stationed at an NRC licensed or applicant facility for the purpose of conducting inspection and oversight activities.

# 0307D-04	RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITIES

Regions are responsible for gathering the information described in this IMC and reporting it to the Reactor Inspection Branch (NRR/DRO/IRIB). 

The RI Program lead, or if not designated, the IRIB branch chief, is responsible for tabulation analysis, summarization, and reports on the health of the Resident Inspector Program.

# 0307D-05	REQUIREMENTS

## 05.01	Demographics Data

On at least an annual basis, regions will record and report demographics data to IRIB staff. IRIB will maintain the aggregate data. Data collection will be supported by IMC 0307, Appendix D, Demographics Data and Plots Spreadsheet (ML18351A359) (nonpublic).

## 05.02	Resident Inspector Development Pool (RIDP) Data

On a regular basis determined by DRO, regions will record and report RIDP data to IRIB staff. Data collections will be supported by IMC 0307, Appendix D, RIDP Data Sheet (ML23236A457) (non-public).

## 05.03	RI Departure Survey

When an RI leaves the RI program, the region will offer the departing RI an opportunity to anonymously complete form 1, “Departure Survey.”  IRIB will compile and maintain these surveys for data trending purposes.

## 05.04	Regional Report on the Health of RI Recruitment and Retention

Regions will complete form 2, “Health of Regional Resident Recruitment and Retention Program,” as directed by DRO.

## 05.05	RI Demographics Tracking and Report

IRIB is responsible for maintaining, tracking, and trending RI demographics from year to year. As directed by SRM-COMSECY-15-0014, “Proposed Elimination of Annual Reporting Requirements for Specific Evaluations Within the Reactor Oversight Process (ROP) Self-Assessment Process” (ML15169B131), DRO will submit a triennial report on RI demographics as a part of the ROP self-assessment report to the Commission [C1].

# 0307D-06	GUIDANCE

## 06.01 Demographics Data

a. RI Vacancies

Regions populate the information under the Year Data (e.g., 2018 Data). Leave fields blank which do not apply.

Tables 1a and 1b: RI Vacancies

Where: 

Date Left: The date the permanent RI left the current site (may be prior to the calendar year being examined). The Date Left is considered the date of turnover used in the analysis and should be the date found on Standard Form (SF) 52.

Start Date: The date the permanent RI reported to the site and should be the date found on Standard Form (SF) 52.

Gap During Year: The time when there is no permanently stationed RI assigned to the site within the calendar year. Includes all time when RI backfilling occurs using temporary assignments or when position gapping occurs. Staff temporarily assigned to the site to provide site coverage using SF-52 are not considered permanent for the purposes of this metric.

Permanent Gap: The time when there is no permanently stationed RI assigned to the site. This includes all time when RI backfilling occurs using temporary assignments or when position gapping occurs. Staff temporarily assigned to the site to provide site coverage using SF-52 are not considered permanent for the purposes of this metric.

The program office will summarize data collections and trends as follows:

For RIs, turnovers graph by year the number of Lateral Site Transfers, RIs Promoted to SRI, Promotions to non-resident, Retirements, and Resignations

For SRIs, turnovers graph by year the number of Lateral Site Transfers, Promotions to non-resident, Retirements, and Resignations

Graph by year the total gap days divided by the fully staffed days (after pilot). 

The program office will summarize data collections and trends in the analysis report.

b. Senior Resident Inspector and Resident Inspector Position Filling

Regions enter the information under the Year Data (e.g., 2018 Data) as appropriate. Leave fields blank when not applicable.

Table 2: RI Position Filling

Where: 

Number of Staff used to Cover Permanent Gap: The number of temporary staff required to fill gapped RI positions

Number of Qualified Applicants: The number of applicants identified during the first agency-wide posting for the permanent position.

Summarize data collections and trends in the analysis report.

c. RI Experience

RI positions filled by temporary staff (non-permanently assigned staff typically on per diem) or unfilled RI positions on December 31 will be reported as null and noted in reported data. NRC Hire Date, Resident Basis Date, and Current Site Date can typically be used to calculate NRC Time, Current Site Time, and Total Resident Time respectively when service is continuous. Relevant Non-NRC Experience and the calculated NRC Time is used to calculate Total Experience.

Report a snapshot of experience on December 31 of the calendar year. Enter the data shown in the table below. The spreadsheet will calculate the experience totals for continuous service cases.

Table 3: RI Experience

Where:

NRC Hire Date: The date the RI was hired by the NRC

NRC Time: The total number of years spent at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (calculated in spreadsheet)

Resident Basis Date: The date the RI first was permanently assigned to any site as a RI. Include resident inspector construction experience.

Total Resident Time: The total number of years spent as an RI (calculated in spreadsheet)

Current Site Date: The date the RI reported to the current site

Current Site Time: The total number of years spent as an RI at the current site (calculated in spreadsheet)

Relevant Non-NRC Experience: The relevant nuclear power experience acquired outside of the NRC. Examples include operation, engineering, maintenance, or construction experience with commercial nuclear power plants, naval shipyards, U.S. Department of Energy facilities, or the U.S. Navy’s nuclear power program.

## 06.02	RIDP Data

Regions fill in the data sheet as directed by DRO with the following guidance.

Table 4: RIDP Data Sheet

Where:

RIDP Entrance Date: Is the date the individual began their status as an RIDP as found on an SF-52.

Recruitment Source: Chosen from the drop-down menu. Select the most appropriate.

Qual Status: Chosen from the drop-down menu based on their qualification status at the date of the data sheet.

Program Status: Chosen from the drop-down menu based on their status in the program at the date of the data sheet. Regions will maintain any staff that was in the RIDP anytime during the period of the data sheet, usually since the last time data was collected.

Date Became Resident or Left Program: Date the individual was no longer in the RIDP as determined by an SF-52. 

Comments: Free space.

Time as RIDP: Automatically calculated.

## 06.03	RI Departure Survey

DRO may generate and utilize a Microsoft Forms survey for form 1, for ease of use by former RIs. If RIs elect to fill out a hardcopy or other format, DRO staff will enter the data into Forms for tracking and trending.

The Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer (OCHCO) is responsible for providing NRC employees who depart the agency with the opportunity to complete an exit survey, including RIs. DRO may coordinate with OCHCO to review exit survey data from former RIs. 

## 06.04	Regional Report on the Health of RI Recruitment and Retention

DRO may generate and utilize a Microsoft Forms survey for form 2, for ease of use by former RIs. If RIs elect to fill out a hardcopy or other format, DRO staff will enter the data into Forms for tracking and trending. DRO may elect to collect additional data or alter questions as necessary, while maintaining certain portions for longterm trending purposes.

## 06.05 	RI Demographics Tracking and Report

a. In the triennial RI Demographics report to the Commission, the program office summarizes data collections and trends as follows:

For RIs, turnovers graph by year the number of Lateral Site Transfers, RIs Promoted to SRI, Promotions to non-resident, Retirements, and Resignations

For SRIs, turnovers graph by year the number of Lateral Site Transfers, Promotions to non-resident, Retirements, and Resignations

Graph by year the total gap days divided by the fully staffed days

Average Current Site Time, Average Resident Time, Average NRC Time, and Average Relevant Non-NRC Experience by year for SRIs

Average Current Site Time, Average Resident Time, Average NRC Time, and Average Relevant Non-NRC Experience by year for RIs

Average Current Site Time, Average Resident Time, Average NRC Time, and Average Relevant Non-NRC Experience by region for SRIs

Average Current Site Time, Average Resident Time, Average NRC Time, and Average Relevant Non-NRC Experience by region for RIs

b. The program office, in coordination with the RI Standing Committee, and as directed by regional, NRR or higher authority, may provide demographics data as necessary for programmatic decision-making. 

# 0307D-07	REFERENCES

COMSECY-14-0030, “Proposed Suspension of the Reactor Oversight Process SelfAssessment for Calendar Year 2014,” dated August 5, 2014 (ML14168A532)

COMSECY-15-0014, “Proposed Elimination of Annual Reporting Requirements for Specific Evaluations within the Reactor Oversight Process Self-Assessment Process,” dated May 7, 2015 (ML15072A202)

SRMCOMGJD98001/COMEXM98002, “Discussion of Resident Inspector Demographics and the Balance between Expertise and Objectivity,” dated April 8, 1998 (ML003753515) (non-public)

SRMCOMSECY-14-0030, dated September 19, 2014 (ML14262A078)

SRMCOMSECY150014, dated June 18, 2015 (ML15169B131)

Issue Date: 01/09/24	6	0307 App D

Attachment 1 – Form 1: Departure Survey

Issue Date: 01/09/24	Att1-1	0307 App D

Attachment 2 – Form 2: Health of Regional Resident Recruitment and Retention Program

Issue Date: 01/09/24	Att2-1	0307 App D

Attachment 3: Revision History for IMC 0307 Appendix D

A

Issue Date: 06/22/06	0612: Appendix D

Issue Date: 01/09/24	Att3-1	0307 App D

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