NLO wages, hours, and benefits.

[jws03d]

I am currently in the navy as an instructor at prototype.  I am on medical hold recovering from ACL reconstruction but will still have 3 years left once I recover.  I know it is a while before I get out but I figured it is never too early to ask.  I am thinking on persuing an NLO position and working my way up.  My question is, what are the wages, hours, and benefits like?  I know they will be different depending on where I go but I just want to get a collaboration of answers so that I can make an educated estimate.  Thankyou for your reply.

[JustinHEMI05]

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,23465.0.html

[MacGyver]

I am currently in the navy as an instructor at prototype.  I am on medical hold recovering from ACL reconstruction but will still have 3 years left once I recover.  I know it is a while before I get out but I figured it is never too early to ask.  I am thinking on persuing an NLO position and working my way up.  My question is, what are the wages, hours, and benefits like?  I know they will be different depending on where I go but I just want to get a collaboration of answers so that I can make an educated estimate.  Thankyou for your reply.

We have a very current thread ongoing (linked by Justin, so I will not) re: pay.  NukeWorker has THREE (3) distinct search functions.  Please read the sticky's before posting.  If you had read the sticky's like you are supposed too this would have been avoided.

Thank you for your service, but that doesn't exempt you from following civil forum protocol.  We served too and we search before we start a new thread.  Just saying ...















Training on the THREE different search functions.

[jws03d]

Thankyou so much.  You have been a huge help explaining the search functions.  Everything is so much easier now.

[Fermi2]

He shouldn't have had to explain it.

[OldHP]

He shouldn't have had to explain it.

BZ must be feeling a whole lot better!   

[mike78756]

This is proof that it's not just us college folk that expect to be spoon fed..   

[HydroDave63]

50 quatloos against the newcomer!

[MacGyver]

50 quatloos against the newcomer!

[Cycoticpenguin]

If you have 3 years of time with a lot of medical hold leave, why dont you qualify watch supervisor, get your degree, and attempt to stab at SRO instead of NLO??? that should be plenty of time to do all that. 

[GatorNuke007]

In order to go direct SRO you need to be qualified as EWS or RO for 2yrs. You probably wont be able to qualify EWS within a year of getting to your next command and sometimes it takes people longer than a year to qualify RO. You can get your degree but that still wont qualify you for Direct SRO unless you have 3yrs of responsilble nuclear operation (civilian power). I know several people that got hired as aux operators starting pay at 30/hr with raises once they complete qualifications. Either way if you have 3yrs left you are looking a little too far out. Good Luck

[Cycoticpenguin]

In order to go direct SRO you need to be qualified as EWS or RO for 2yrs. You probably wont be able to qualify EWS within a year of getting to your next command and sometimes it takes people longer than a year to qualify RO. You can get your degree but that still wont qualify you for Direct SRO unless you have 3yrs of responsilble nuclear operation (civilian power). I know several people that got hired as aux operators starting pay at 30/hr with raises once they complete qualifications. Either way if you have 3yrs left you are looking a little too far out. Good Luck

Hes at prototype now, theres no reason whatsoever he cant qualifiy watch supervisor in a year unless 1) they wont let him or 2) theres some type of administrative holdup. You should re-read your requirements to become an SRO...

10cfr55 -> At least 3 years of nuclear power plant experience is required instead of 3 years of general power plant experience

does not specify navy or civilian.

It DOES however, state A bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering technology, or physical science is required unless the operator has had 1 year of experience as a licensed reactor operator or 2 years of experience qualified in certain senior watch stations in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (including that of a naval reactor operator).

They are also required to be onsite for 6 months prior to initiation of training. (Why???)

[HydroDave63]

They are also required to be onsite for 6 months prior to initiation of training. (Why???)

Hopefully to learn enough about the plant for which they are going to license?

[Fermi2]

Hes at prototype now, theres no reason whatsoever he cant qualifiy watch supervisor in a year unless 1) they wont let him or 2) theres some type of administrative holdup. You should re-read your requirements to become an SRO...

10cfr55 -> At least 3 years of nuclear power plant experience is required instead of 3 years of general power plant experience

does not specify navy or civilian.

It DOES however, state A bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering technology, or physical science is required unless the operator has had 1 year of experience as a licensed reactor operator or 2 years of experience qualified in certain senior watch stations in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (including that of a naval reactor operator).

They are also required to be onsite for 6 months prior to initiation of training. (Why???)

3 years civilian. Not navy. navy isn't responsible nuclear experience as they are start up sources not reactors.

6 months is to learn to plant procedures and get familiar with the plant. ever licensed operator has to do it, not just t ballers.

[JustinHEMI05]

Hes at prototype now, theres no reason whatsoever he cant qualifiy watch supervisor in a year unless 1) they wont let him or 2) theres some type of administrative holdup. You should re-read your requirements to become an SRO...

10cfr55 -> At least 3 years of nuclear power plant experience is required instead of 3 years of general power plant experience

does not specify navy or civilian.

It DOES however, state A bachelor's degree in engineering, engineering technology, or physical science is required unless the operator has had 1 year of experience as a licensed reactor operator or 2 years of experience qualified in certain senior watch stations in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (including that of a naval reactor operator).

They are also required to be onsite for 6 months prior to initiation of training. (Why???)

No quite correct. They are actually VERY specific on what makes someone eligible for RO or SRO and they clearly define what counts as experience. You can't use the CFR to find all the answers, they aren't specific enough. You have to use ACADs and NUREGs. The CFR is just the guidelines, the law. NUREGs are the implementation of that law and ACADs come from INPO to further help clarify things.




2.1 Reactor Operator (RO) Education and Experience Eligibility Requirements

2.1.1 Education – The candidate should possess a high school diploma or equivalency
certificate.

2.1.2 Experience – The candidate should have at least three years of power plant experience,
as defined by Figure 2-1, and at least six months at the facility for which the license is
being sought.  Additional nonlicensed operator, commercial reactor operator, or military
reactor operator experience is required as defined in figure 2-1.

2.2 Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) Education and Experience Eligibility Requirements

Candidates with a current reactor operator license at a nuclear plant are considered to
be RO upgrade candidates.  All other candidates, including those who have held
licenses at other commercial nuclear plants, are considered to be direct SRO
candidates.

2.2.1 Education – All candidates should possess a high school diploma or equivalency
certificate.

2.2.2 Experience – All candidates should spend at least six months at the facility for which the
license is being sought.  Eligible candidates for senior reactor operator fall into five
general categories:

•  individuals with current experience as licensed reactor operators at the candidates'
site - Personnel in this group are considered RO upgrade candidates.  (See Figure
2-2.)

•  individuals with equivalent experience as licensed reactor operators at other
commercial or military reactors—(Experience at other large-scale reactors may
also qualify on a case basis.)  Personnel in this group are considered direct SRO
candidates.  (See Figure 2-2.)

• individuals with engineering degrees or the equivalent and who have had
experience as power plant staff.  These candidates are all direct SRO
candidates.  (See Figure 2-3.)

• individuals who have significant experience as senior reactor operator certified
instructors involved in the training and evaluation of licensed operators at
commercial nuclear plants—These individuals maintain their technical skills
current through continuing training, including licensed operator continuing
training, in-plant activities, and appropriate time on the simulator.  These
candidates are all direct SRO candidates.  (See Figure 2-4.)


2.3  Definitions

2.3.1  Power Plant Experience -- Applicable work performed in fossil-fueled or nuclear
fueled electric power production plant during preoperational, startup testing, or
operational activities.  Note that periods of observation of others performing work
do not count towards power plant experience time.

2.3.2  Responsible Nuclear Power Plant Experience -- Responsible nuclear power
plant experience for a Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) is having actively
performed as a licensed nuclear control room operator (RO) or as power plant
staff (described below) involved in the day-to-day activities at a commercial
nuclear power plant facility.

2.3.3  Power Plant Staff – A manager, supervisor, or staff engineer responsible for the
coordination and implementation of any of the following at the current or a
comparable (BWR/PWR) facility:

• plant equipment controls,
• integrated operations procedures,
• operations,
• maintenance,
• radiological support,
• plant modifications
• maintenance planning
• work control
• chemistry
• accredited training

2.3.4  Total Military Nuclear Experience -- the start date for calculating total military
nuclear experience is that date when military nuclear power plant-related initial
training is completed.  For United States Navy personnel, this is the date that the
candidate graduates from nuclear power school prototype training.  For other
military personnel, similar dates for candidate training completion are used for
calculation.  End dates are calculated using military discharge dates or dates the
candidate transferred to a non-nuclear power plant military position.

2.3.5  Qualified Nonlicensed Operator -- Qualified for all power block and safety
systems operations/watchstations.  Time required by any flowchart as a qualified
nonlicensed operator can start from the first day the first such power block or
safety system operation qualification is attained, but all power block and safety
system operations/watchstation qualifications must be attained prior to becoming
eligible for RO or SRO candidacy.

2.3.6  Comparable (BWR/PWR) Facility –a commercial power reactor of either BWR or
PWR design regardless of vendor or vintage within that reactor design type.

2.3.7 Six Month On Site Requirement – Time spent in plant access, radworker, and
utility new employee training cannot be counted towards the six month
requirement.  Time spent in a planned licensed operator orientation program for
the RO or SRO , such as that described in Appendix A, can be counted towards
this six month on site requirement for all flowcharts.



This is all copied out of here, and to get to the qualification flowcharts, scroll to the end.

http://www.nrc.gov/reactors/operator-licensing/op-licensing-files/msum-11232009.pdf

[JustinHEMI05]

Oh, I should note that that is only a draft of the revision that was issued this past Jan. But, I am not at work and therefore can't get the final draft from INPO website until I go back to work Monday. However, I'd wager that it isn't much different.

[Cycoticpenguin]

thanks justin!

Correct me if im wrong, but it seems like a decon tech that has been working for 3 years with a high school diploma could theoretically become an instant sro candidate??? Blows my mind .

[JustinHEMI05]

No, look at the flow charts.

[Cycoticpenguin]

No, look at the flow charts.

.oops I meant a decon tech with a tech based degree.

[JustinHEMI05]

Possibly, but I am not sure that falls under the definition of "power plant staff." Someone with more experience like Broadzilla would be able to answer that.

[Cycoticpenguin]

Possibly, but I am not sure that falls under the definition of "power plant staff." Someone with more experience like Broadzilla would be able to answer that.

I just figured it fell under "radiation support "   We all know good and well that wouldnt be the most likely of candidates...

[JustinHEMI05]

Yeah, I am not sure. That might be up to the utility to define.

[Contract SRO]

.oops I meant a decon tech with a tech based degree.

CM

Possibly but all tech degrees are not created equal.

[Cycoticpenguin]

CM

Possibly but all tech degrees are not created equal.

haha Im just speaking for purely hypothetical situations, not really pertinent to myself

BUT since we are on that topic, are the thomas eddison degrees frowned upon for this line of work?

[JustinHEMI05]

Ops? No.

Like I have said before on this forum, I had a VP with the TE degree, among several other managers.

SRO license trumps all, in my experience.