Training and Qualification Plan for U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s International Safeguards Analysts

Training and qualification plans are developed for the primary skills required of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff to ensure that they can effectively and correctly perform their job responsibilities. To ensure that NRC’s International Safeguards Analysts, Import and Export Analysts, and Nuclear Materials Management and Safeguards System (NMMSS – U.S. nuclear materials database) Analysts have the necessary knowledge and skills to perform their job responsibilities a training and qualification plan was developed for these areas of expertise. Such a plan is especially important during periods when changes in staffing occur. Brainstorming was performed to determine what information is necessary for performing the international analyst job responsibilities. From this list, two general objectives for the training and qualification were identified: (1) Effectively represent NRC and U.S. interests in domestic and international meetings on nonproliferation issues, and (2) Ensure NRC and its licensees comply with international treaties and agreements. Each of these general objectives was further characterized through the development of sub-objectives. Each of the sub-objectives was assessed to determine performance metrics that would need to be met at the basic, intermediate, or comprehensive level. The importance of the sub-objectives was then prioritized based on the staff member’s primary area of responsibility – international safeguards analysis, import and export analysis, or NMMSS analysis. Assessment questions were developed to assist the qualification panel in assessing a candidate. The training and qualification plan was linked to locations in the public internet and NRC-intranet where training resources could be found. Information on training courses, seminars, and meetings that could assist the candidate in developing their skills, as well as on-the-job training opportunities, were also linked to the plan. Where training materials were not already available, they are to be developed.