Engineer or Operator

[HydroDave63]

Engineer or Operator?  With an engineering degree, I would recommend engineer.  You do not need a nuclear degree (and you definitely do not need a masters).  Apply for a job at a utility as a system engineer.  Being a system engineer is much more challenging than being an operator.  Entry level operators mop the floor and do laundry (the job gets better, but that is where you start).

I failed out in week 26 of prototype.  What I did was to put it on my resume as "naval nuclear training" for the 24 or 26 week time span.  At the interview I answered all my questions based on my experience in the conventional navy (in deck division). 

This, gentlemen, is what psychologists call "transference" and "projection". http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_transference_and_projection

I've never seen a plant where new hire NLOs are doing laundry or mopping....

[Smooth Operator]

Before we classed up this is what my NLO class did:

1. Procedure revs under the guidance of the writers
2. Fire Extinguisher PMs with the vendor
3. Followed EOs on rounds
4. Walked Down systems
5. Fire Hose swap outs

no mopping, no laundry, no boy work, just stuff at a low level that we would eventually see at a higher level of involvement.

[retired nuke]

Before we classed up this is what my NLO class did:

1. Procedure revs under the guidance of the writers
2. Fire Extinguisher PMs with the vendor
3. Followed EOs on rounds
4. Walked Down systems
5. Fire Hose swap outs

no mopping, no laundry, no boy work, just stuff at a low level that we would eventually see at a higher level of involvement.

We just trained some of the pre-class NLOs here in confined space rescue, fire watch, FME watch in prep for our spring outage. The +delta for this - now we will have Ops involved more in these functions.... no mopping floors, no hauling trash - NLOs will be able to hit the ground running even before completing OPS training...

[MeterSwangin]

Entry level operators mop the floor and do laundry (the job gets better, but that is where you start).

What?  Nonsense.

Start in the turbine plant, move up to radwaste and auxilliaries, graduate to the primary plant, then live in the control room.  Retire with bags under the eyes, 3 divorces, and a collection of motorcycles and handguns.  Die young.

[Fermi2]

LOL so he has no qualifications whatsoever to speak on the subject. I've yet to see a plant where entry level operators mop floors or do laundry. Heck at TVA it takes roughly 2 years to get them through school and fully qualified and they definitely don't mop floors. I'd say JeffJ is a cdeconner except they don't just mop floors, they do a LOT of valuable inside stuff that unfortunately much of Plant Management doesn't see.

If JeffJ is an Operator I'd like to know at what plant and the position he fills.

"Quote from: Jeff J on Sep 22, 2009, 09:03
Engineer or Operator?  With an engineering degree, I would recommend engineer.  You do not need a nuclear degree (and you definitely do not need a masters).  Apply for a job at a utility as a system engineer.  Being a system engineer is much more challenging than being an operator.  Entry level operators mop the floor and do laundry (the job gets better, but that is where you start).

Quote from: Jeff J on Sep 23, 2009, 08:59
I failed out in week 26 of prototype.  What I did was to put it on my resume as "naval nuclear training" for the 24 or 26 week time span.  At the interview I answered all my questions based on my experience in the conventional navy (in deck division).  "


Just classic LOL.

Mike

[Jeff J]

I apologize if I offended anyone.  I never have been good with email communication - it always seems to get me in trouble.  I will choose my words more carefully.  I am a NOOB.

I was in the original poster's shoes 15 years ago - trying to decide between engineer and operator.  I had a 4 year degree and an EIT and no real experience to speak of and I desperately wanted to get in to nuclear too.  I applied for a job as an operator helper (waiting in the pipeline for the next NLO class).  One of the engineering supervisors at the same plant saw my application and offered me a job as a system engineer.  He told me the helpers do some floor mopping and laundry while waiting for class to start.  I took the system engineer job and I was pretty happy with it.  There were times that I wish I had gone the other way, but I still think both choices are good ones.


Jeff

[JenSHO]

Cool... ok, to get back on topic, I applied to First Energy, Progress Energy, and Duke Energy.  Does anyone have any other company suggestions?  Also, any female operators lurking around here?

[thenuttyneutron]

Jensho,

Check you email.  The only thing I can say about a shift worker is the stressful life.  Make sure you have a spouse that is supportive of you.  You will feel like crap on the days that you rotate schedules.  You will need them to be supportive and understand the pain you go though everytime you roll off midnights.

[JenSHO]

Don't have a spouse or kids so i'm golden there!   

[Evilpixie]

I work out at Diablo Canyon (California) and we have a fair amount of female operators.  Actually, my director (I'm an engineer) started out in Ops and went on to get her SRO license.  She then moved to some supervisory positions, then manager in engineering and has been my director for the past year or so.  We have some other females who have also followed the same sort of path. 

I'm assuming that other plants are like mine in that if you have the intelligence, an eager mind and a positive attitude and request opportunities to expand your experience and knowledge, you will be given chances to do so. 

My experience here and at other plants (where I worked in Radiation Protection) is that a willingness to take on any job, no matter how dirty or onerous, just for the experience causes you to stand out so that when the more sought after jobs are being handed out, you are thought of first. 

Diablo really likes their female operators and engineers and I believe that is true industry-wide?  Could be wrong on that.  Mostly I think management likes peops who work hard and take pride in their job. 

As to being an operator vs. engineer:  You would get in easier initially as an operator.  Operators are in higher demand than engineers, if only for the fact that a plant has more operators than engineers.  And operators do shift work; engineers in general do not.  Plus, once you get in, you can move to engineering- if you wanted- with experience as an operator and degree, you'd be in a really good place.   

Our general hiring process for operators- You send in an application/resume and then they'd have you come in for some tests- I know one is POSS, at least.  Usually the test is given en masse; they rent out a conference room and all applicants they like show up.  The one time I saw there was over 100 peops.  If you pass the test, then you get interviewed.  Out here they hire enough to fill an AO class and they all start at the same time... that's about fifteen-twenty peops. 

Good luck!  Oh, and I'm not sure if we are hiring right now or not... I can ask.  I think we hire every year?  Year and a half?  Diablo doesn't have Ohio winters... Actually, it doesn't really have winter at all *wink, wink*!

[JenSHO]

Well, I would love it if I never saw another flake of snow again!    Thanks for letting me know that there are female operators out there!

[JenSHO]

I applied to the plant assitant job at the First Energy Perry site.  I just got a letter saying that "due to an unexpected situation we will no longer be filling this position" It was called an Internal Cancellation" letter. 

Did they really cancel the posting or is this their way of saying they don't want me?  Anyone know this about FirstEnergy?

[retired nuke]

I applied to the plant assitant job at the First Energy Perry site.  I just got a letter saying that "due to an unexpected situation we will no longer be filling this position" It was called an Internal Cancellation" letter. 

Did they really cancel the posting or is this their way of saying they don't want me?  Anyone know this about FirstEnergy?

Sounds like the economy...

Entergy is doing the same.

[JenSHO]

Anybody know what the "nuclear technician" position at the Waynesboro plant for Southern Company is?  Can I move up to operator from there?

[Neutron_Herder]

I just asked that question the other day.  It's over on another thread...

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,21765.0.html

Is that posting still up?  I thought they pulled it down the other day...

Jay

[JenSHO]

Ok, so last week  (wednesday 10/21) I took POSS/MASS-nuclear for the Nuclear Techinican in Augusta, GA for Plant Vogtle.  Got myself all worried for nothing. Not bad at all.  Called on Friday and found out that I passed.

Today I got a call from H.R. today asking me why I had applied for the position.  I told her that I wanted to get into Nuclear power to eventually become a reactor operator.  She basically said that I was way overqualified for the technician job.  She asked if I had looked at any of engineering positions, which I had, but at the time all of the engineering posts required around 3 to 5 years experience.  She said that she would forward my resume to their "hot license" department. 
So basically, a rejection.  She said she would forward my resume, but who knows where that would lead.  Does anyone know what their "hot license" thing she was refering to is?
I seem to be between rock & a hard place.  I have too much knowledge to get a job, but not enough experience to get a job. ARGGGGG!

[x633ro]

AKA Instant SRO

[Neutron_Herder]

The "hot license" that they were referring to is their direct SRO class.  It's not posted as that though.  It's something like Shift Supervisor in training.  With no prior experience it would be like jumping into the deep end of the pool without knowing how to swim though.  From what I've read on here there's a lot of people that have done the direct path, but I'm not sure if any of them went right into a license class without prior nuke experience.

You said previously you applied at Progress.  Have you heard anything back from them?  I think they're starting to go through their applicants for the AO positions in Hartsville.

Check out TVA's careers section.  I believe they had some entry level engineering positions posted.  Maybe something there would interest you.

[JenSHO]

I haven't heard anything back from Progress yet. I applied for their AO and also an entry level engineering position.  
I'll look around for the people on these boards who have done the instant SRO.  It sounds pretty scary to start of that way, but I think I could handle it if I worked very, very hard.  

I am looking at the GFE info that NRC has put out. YEA! Looks like FUN! My fav classes in undergrad were thermodynamics and fluid mechanics.  Heat transfer problems make me quiver (in a good way)!!!
I shouldn't read that stuff, it REALLY makes me want to be a SRO.  I so want a job that I have to be constantly learning which is what it sounds like the NLO-RO-SRO path would be.

[x633ro]

GFES has nothing to do with being an SRO. More PGN positions should be opening in the next couple months

[Creeker]

GFES has nothing to do with being an SRO

Every license candidate has to successfully pass GFES. Including SROs.

[Fermi2]

If you can't pass GFES you can't be an SRO.

Mike

[x633ro]

Every license candidate has to successfully pass GFES. Including SROs.

Sorry, poorly stated. What I should have said was the ability to pass a GFES exam has absolutely no bearing on whether or not you will be a good SRO.

[tr]

JenSHO,

Have you looked into attending the upcoming ANS conference in Washington DC?  There is a trade show, where all the various nuclear players (AREVA, Westinghouse, NRC, etc.) have booths.  In the past few years there have been a lot of companies looking for engineer types there. 

Also, most of the engineers at a nuclear plant are not "nuclear engineers," the engineer population pretty much reflects the engineering industry as a whole (typically lots of electrical, mechanical, and civil engineers, some nuclear engineers, and a scattering of other types such as chemical, marine, etc.).

To me personally, the biggest difference between being in engineering and ops is the lifestyle (shiftwork or not).  Some people thrive on shift work and the chance for 7 days off at a time, others get beat senseless by the constant sleep changes.

While engineers typically don't make as much money as operators (less overtime, usually working under exempt payroll practices), the money is still enough to make a very good living (for example, the engineers in my department typically make 90K - 140K).