Advice Please...

[mike78756]

Hey guys I'm new to this forum and looking to get into the nuclear industry. I recently graduated with a BSME and have my EIT cert. A HR rep from SoCo saw my resume and called me personally and asked if I would be interested in a Nuke tech position. I was hesitant at first because I would like to go into Ops. and eventually attain a SRO license. She told me that at the current time no ops. position was available. If I were to get the job as the tech. they said I could move into ops. when the position became available. Now I'm waiting on my email to set up my POSS/MASS exam. If I did get this job could I move up to System ops. when the position became available, or would I have to spend a minimum amount of time as a tech. and hope to get into sys ops.? What is the outlook for this? Plz help 

[Benwah033]

Getting your foot in the door is 99.9% of the process, but it's not that simple out in the real world.  I have no idea what a Nuke Tech is, and System Ops isn't a term that exists at my plant either, but getting in anywhere is how you start.

Gettin into Ops cold can be tough because you are competing with people who have been at the plant for years working in other departments and guys who've been operating nuclear plants in the navy prior to applying.

Unless you're applying into Engineering, your BSME won't place you ahead of an I&C tech or mechanic whose been working at the plant for 10 years.  Your EIT is not worth anything either way, so I wouldn't even put it on your resume. 

You need experience in one form or another to go directly for an SRO License.  If you go the Non-Licensed Operator path, you need to be aware that it is most likely a union position, so Union rules will determine when you get into Ops, if you get there...

I hope this helps...

[grantime]

At SNC the "nuclear tech" position is the entry level opening that leads to either Maintenance or Operations .  The job itself is general cleanup and decon.  As soon as your seniority allows you bid to go to either OPS or Maint.  Recently this has taken around a year but that is not set in stone.  the OPS route here is into plant operations and then maybe one day into control room.

My real question is why are you not being considered for a Engineering position.    WaaaY more money and most of them get chance to go to Licence class if they want. 

[Contract SRO]

At SNC the "nuclear tech" position is the entry level opening that leads to either Maintenance or Operations .  The job itself is general cleanup and decon.  As soon as your seniority allows you bid to go to either OPS or Maint.  Recently this has taken around a year but that is not set in stone.  the OPS route here is into plant operations and then maybe one day into control room.

My real question is why are you not being considered for a Engineering position.    WaaaY more money and most of them get chance to go to Licence class if they want. 

Grantime is in house and has correct information.  If you have a legitimate BSME, the recruiter is trying to steer you in the wrong direction.  There are too many needs for plant engineers at the site to try to lure someone into a nuclear tech position.  If you will send me a PM, I will give you more info for jobs with your background.

[MacGyver]

Hey guys I'm new to this forum and looking to get into the nuclear industry. I recently graduated with a BSME and have my EIT cert. A HR rep from SoCo saw my resume and called me personally and asked if I would be interested in a Nuke tech position. I was hesitant at first because I would like to go into Ops. and eventually attain a SRO license. She told me that at the current time no ops. position was available. If I were to get the job as the tech. they said I could move into ops. when the position became available. Now I'm waiting on my email to set up my POSS/MASS exam. If I did get this job could I move up to System ops. when the position became available, or would I have to spend a minimum amount of time as a tech. and hope to get into sys ops.? What is the outlook for this? Plz help 

First I'd like to second what Grantime and ContractSRO have said.

Second let me o'pine on what you have been told.  Yes, you could go to nuclear technician.  Or, you could wait for a ops position to open.  Or, you could even wait for an eng position to open.

Let me offer you my take.  Take the nuclear technician position and get paid to wait for a ops position to open.  I am told that less and less off the street folks will be required due to the larger (than normal) number of nuclear technicians.  They get to bid (due to being a covered employee) for a maint. or ops job directly without any other process.  The left over positions go to the street.  You will be way ahead of your peers for ops that come in off the street due to your plant knowledge (i.e. procedures/policies/locations/etc).  Plus you are getting to know the other departments and personnel while getting paid.

SNC has three sites.  All use the Nuclear Tech's differently.  At Farley they are mostly janitors.  At Hatch they are a jack of all trades (and not janitors .. because we have contractors for that).  At Vogtle they are designated to a set mission and don't float around all the jobs like Hatch (and yes Vogtle doesn't use them for janitors either).

It is, from what I've seen, a pretty easy job.  In fact a lot of senior Ops (e.g. SO's) bid back to it to get off shift.

You can always bid on jobs while you are employed at SNC, why not go for it.

Mac

[mike78756]

Thanks for the positive outlook Mac. I'm on the same page as you, this position is out at Vogtle so hopefully I won't be janitoring,  , . All I'm doing now is just preparing for the exam, which couldn't be harder than the FE right?!

[mike78756]

So I passed the test. Does anyone have any idea about the timeline of the hiring process?

[Sun Dog]

A HR rep from SoCo saw my resume and called me personally...

I guess that is better than being called Shirley, unless that is your real name.

[mike78756]

I guess that is better than being called Shirley, unless that is your real name.

haha, they call me Keith Stone!

[MacGyver]

Check PM's