chemistry jobs

[jd1828]

I am finishing a masters in chemistry and I've always been interested in working in the nuclear industry. I've started looking for jobs and came across and job ad for a chemist.  I never knew that there was a need for chemistry people at a nuclear plant.
I was wondering if anyone here knows the type of work a chemist would be doing there.   I'm trying to decide if it's worth applying or not and I'm not really sure if they type of chemistry I do would be useful for the job. 

[RRhoads]

All NPP have a Chemistry department...Usually on the small side..i think there are 12 people not including Supervisors at the place i work.
Its a hoppin industry right now..better get in when you can.

[Motown homey]

The type of chemistry is mainly water chemistry (corrosion control, minimizing dissolved solids, monitoring impurities, etc.) and radiochemistry (detecting and quantifying radioisotopes).  It's interesting stuff and they're trying new things all the time.  Good luck to you.

[jd1828]

Thanks!

Any idea what type of education they have?  I believe the job is for a supervisor position.  Is an MS degree ok for that level or is that PhD only?  I know in a lot of other areas of chemistry the management positions are only for the PhD guys.

[BV]

I've been on the chem side of business for ~20 years.  Typically, even with a higher level degree you will need to start as a chem tech.  Nobody, is going to higher a supv for a plant, without experience.   
Typically,  some of supv staff will either be ex-Navy personnel with no degree or those who went to college and worked up thru the ranks--most do not have advanced degrees.  My experience is that advanced degree folks, are not "challenged" enough in "real" chemistry.  Also, these folks usually expect to work strictly in lab environment---a nuc power chem tech, is a job that requires field work (out of the AC).
Still, if you start off as tech, there is good chance for advancement.  We currently have openings at FPL (point beach, in wisc) for techs.  Drop a resume.
BV

[jd1828]

Thats good to know.  I figured the supervisor position was a long shot with no experience.  A chem tech job sounds interesting but hows the pay?

[Laundry Man]

As a union represented employee you will in most cases make much more Cha-Ching then those conscripted to watch over you.  You will have to do shift work, weekends and cover for vacations but after 8 or 12 hours you go home unlike your supervisor who most likely gets to stay 10 or more hours unpaid (if that person is not represented and is salary).  I was house at an Exelon station and the RP Techs made almost as much per hour as I did as management.  With the OT and other pay differentials they did make quite a bit more than I.  Please, I am not complaining, I took the job and was happy but I really didn't enjoy working that much so guess what, I took a different job.  Go in as a Tech and make as much cash as you can.  Get into the 401 K and max it out.
Good Luck,
LM

[RRhoads]

As a union represented employee you will in most cases make much more Cha-Ching then those conscripted to watch over you.  You will have to do shift work, weekends and cover for vacations but after 8 or 12 hours you go home unlike your supervisor who most likely gets to stay 10 or more hours unpaid (if that person is not represented and is salary).  I was house at an Exelon station and the RP Techs made almost as much per hour as I did as management.  With the OT and other pay differentials they did make quite a bit more than I.  Please, I am not complaining, I took the job and was happy but I really didn't enjoy working that much so guess what, I took a different job.  Go in as a Tech and make as much cash as you can.  Get into the 401 K and max it out.
Good Luck,
LM

I ve been at my plant for 2.5 years & this is DEFINATELY a true statement. 6 figures for a union represented employee aint bad at all!

[jd1828]

I ve been at my plant for 2.5 years & this is DEFINATELY a true statement. 6 figures for a union represented employee aint bad at all!

Wow, six figures for a chem tech!?

I was making  $10/hr as a tech in a organic lab before I started gradschool.  Is the pay that high just because of the union?

[RRhoads]

To clairify, i was speaking from an HP perspective...but the Chem Techs here make the same hourly pay that i do & that was a 6 week outage year too, so there are many factors,(double time during outage period, Lead HP pay for outage) but the original statement was correct in that;
"As a union represented employee you will in most cases make much more Cha-Ching than those conscripted to watch over you."

[Imaginos]

Is the pay that high just because of the union?

Nope. Ops/Chem/HP can make six figures at non-union plants, as well.

[RRhoads]

Nope. Ops/Chem/HP can make six figures at non-union plants, as well.

Whats up man!
Yup this is true...but there are factors involved in making the "six" figures. This is not "base" pay by any strech of the imagination.

[Imaginos]

...there are factors involved in making the "six" figures. This is not "base" pay by any strech of the imagination.

Indeed. As RRhoads stated, one has to include outage overtime, built-in shiftwork overtime, holidays, call out overtime. But hey, you give, you take. 

[jd1828]

Looks like I need to start looking for tech jobs then.   

What type of person would be looking at my resume at these jobs? (e.g. BS, PhD, no degree...) It still seems strange to me that a person with no degree could be a supervisor of a chem lab.   

[Floydbob]

My base pay as a chem tech is about $85,000 which does not include the built in overtime as part of being a shift worker.

[RRhoads]

that is very close to what our chem techs here get

[Floydbob]

As far as who typically fills the position of chemistry supervisor, it certainly varies.
I have worked for people with only high school diplomas, one who had a degree in chemistry, one who had a degree in business and even one who claimed to have a PhD.
By far the best one to work for was the high school guy.  He did work his way up to that spot and certainly deserved it.

[cincinnatinuke]

Looks like I need to start looking for tech jobs then.   

What type of person would be looking at my resume at these jobs? (e.g. BS, PhD, no degree...) It still seems strange to me that a person with no degree could be a supervisor of a chem lab.   

You are missing the boat on this.  A supervisor does not supervise the lab, he supervises the personnel in the lab and has to answer to the results.  Understand one thing, Chemistry is there to support operations in meeting technical specifications (make sure the plant operates within safe boundaries) and permitting (EPA, environmental, discharge type stuff).  You are not reinventing the wheel in the lab, you are not making a scientific breakthrough, and you are not performing anything as a chemistry technician or a staff chemist that someone else cant do.  Things are very procedurealized and regimented.  There is a great deal of QA/QC and admin stuff, but nothing to get worked up about.

Chemistry departments receive alot of input from outside groups and peers......other like/similar plants, INPO, EPRI.  You know from these sources what to ananlyze for and how your peers are doing it.  This makes things very efficient.  Now the game is to maintain these chemistry parameters in specification during steady state and transient periods.  Over time, the tolerances and limits have gotten smaller and lower, so you have to know how to efficiently manage your people to get your results.  So my question to you is what does a PhD do for you during a scram?  That is why the guy with the high school diploma is in charge..........not because he has got a PhD in P-chem but because he has been there done that and does it well.

My advice is put in for a job and interview at a nuke plant.  Tell us how it goes, what excited you, what worries you.  It hurts noone to apply and interview.  In fact more and more of the resumes I have seen (I do not hire and fire, I only look if asked and I am asked) and like are those without cookie cutter resumes from the navy.  I think the academia folks bring alot to the table especially in regards to fresh perspective.

[jd1828]

That's understandable.. 

I'm not trying to look down on the non-academic supervisors but it seems strange to a person not familiar with the industry.  In pretty much any other area of chemistry I can think of the management jobs are almost exclusively PhD only.

Mostly I'm concerned with what to include in a resume and what not to include.  Which I would think depends on the education of the person reading it.  An academic person would probably be interested in the several publications I have while a non-academic person might be more interested in my background as a mechanic.   

[cincinnatinuke]

I dont think you are looking down at those types of folks either.  We have recently hired 3 people of academic backgrounds.  One PhD (P-Chem), one BIO (maybe micro biology, not sure), and one Chemistry degree.  One is a technician, the other are staff (salary positions), all are female.  All 3 are great people of which 2 of them I (and my family) hang out with on some frequency.  The degrees on the resume got them invited, their characters and personalities got them hired.  Your resume will only get you past the HR filter.  You still gotta bring something tangible to the group.

Two of the gals mentioned publication.  Frankly I could care less.  I mean that with sincere honesty, not cynicism.  You being a mechanic gives us something to talk about during down time, but when things get rough I would like to feel confident in knowing you are going to flourish and not flounder.  Put it all in your resume.

Commercial nuclear chemistry is like a wide ocean two inches deep.  Large in scope but little in depth.  Being in a research lab is like a 2 mile deep puddle.  Comprende?

Take a look at some local utilities and apply.  At the worst you get a free lunch and see it wasnt your cup of tea.  The best is you took a route that none of your classmates thought of and are reaping the rewards.

[Roll Tide]

There are also opportunities to work with the contract companies.
Some provide demin water, treat radioactive liquid wastes, and other support during a plant's operation.
Others provide support for decom of facilities.

Such as:
http://www.energysolutions.com/?id=OTQ5

[Doors]

I would look for chem tech jobs. We just hired a phd as a chem tech.

Money is good!

I took home $4,000 in two weeks of work during the outage.

[jd1828]

Heres an update..........

I applied for a few chem tech jobs nearly a year ago.  Never heard back from any of them.

I'm graduating in two weeks and got a job lined up but the pay really sucks.  I'm still really interested in landing a chem tech job and I still see a lot of job ads online for the plant that is nearby me.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?  I would think that I would have at least heard something back from them the last time I applied. 

[xobxdoc]

If it's not already posted , Calvert is looking for chem techs and a bunch of operators. Keep searching this site for Constellation jobs and you can PM me and I'll do what I can. Houses are relatively affordable here now.
Good luck
Paul

[jd1828]

I'd like to thank you guys for all the help.  I've received a lot of messages and emails from very helpful people. 

I though I should add that I'm looking to stay in my current area or at least that is my plan right now.  That limits me to only the Prairie Island and Monticello plants. 

[cincinnatinuke]

I think your problem is you are only qualified to be a janitor and you dont realize this is the big leagues son.  I am a qualified chemistry technician, are you?

All kidding aside, you are really limiting yourself by saying only these two plants and only chemistry.  Try getting in ops, or hp, or as a contractor.  I am sure you will find the work enjoyable and will probably learn a thing or two.  Or try to find out who runs the site's pure water systems, iow a GE water.  See if they are hiring around your area.

Lastly, I dont think CC is hiring anymore chemistry techs in the short term, though it matters not in your position.  I just didnt want someone to read XOBDOC's post and get their hopes up.  It is a great place to work, however.

[xobxdoc]

I got that info from a CC chem tech. If it's not correct, I apologize.

[Valkrider]

I got that info from a CC chem tech. If it's not correct, I apologize.

you can't trust those chemistry "types"........

[HydroDave63]

you can't trust those chemistry "types"........

just keep titrating until it comes out right 

[mattrev]

just keep titrating until it comes out right 

Titrating? Who titrates anymore??? We just use the magic whatizit machine...   

[cincinnatinuke]

Last I heard we were approved for and hired one more tech but on the environmental side.  I wasnt trying to say you lied only that the info was probably out of date at this point.

Yes, those darn chem techs!

BTW we titrate, but it is with those thingamajigs that do it for us.

[G-reg]

BTW we titrate, but it is with those thingamajigs that do it for us.

Which is like saying a person "cooks" by pushing 6-0-START on a microwave... 

[cincinnatinuke]

Last I heard we were approved for and hired one more tech but on the environmental side.  I wasnt trying to say you lied only that the info was probably out of date at this point.

Yes, those darn chem techs!

BTW we titrate, but it is with those thingamajigs that do it for us.

I may have mispoke about the job, though it is not posted, "rumor" has it one more position may be opened up in the future.

As for the microwave cooking comment, that could be applied across nearly all of what a chemist does at a power plant these days.  Obtain water, press button, obtain result.  Now if it were only that easy everyone could do it.

[HydroDave63]

  Now if it were only that easy everyone could do it.

that's why it is called "Radio-chemistry", right? I remember fondly the old FM antenna we had taped to the ELT clipboard....

[G-reg]

As for the microwave cooking comment, ...

I'm a former LELT with extensive experience using the Mettler DL-77 Autotitrator.

Just wanted to make sure that you fully appreciate the glass house I have from which to throw such stones.

It's all good...   

[cincinnatinuke]

As they say "We all good!"

The Mettler DL's were what I had in mind when microwave cooking came up.  You gotta admit though, compared to the nav or any manual titration, its as the kids say "the shizzle".

[jnietfeld408]

Hi, 
I also recently graduated with a Masters in Chemistry and am in search of a career.  This week I am interviewing with a coal power plant as a groundskeeper/plant helper position in hopes to move up within the company to eventually end up in nuclear ops or chemistry.  I am not afraid of starting at the bottom as long as in a few years I can move up.  For those of you in ops or chemistry do you think this is a good way of starting my career or do you think I am wasting my time.  I grew up on a dairy farm and am used to working hard for long hours.  Let me know what you think.