Duke Operator Jobs 2012 - Oconee, Catawba, McGuire

[ToadSuck]

Some good questions to ask are:

When you all went through training, what were the harder subjects?

If I work hard and keep my nose clean, what sort of progression path is possible?

Ask about retirement, benefits, and/or how they balance work/life with family. It shows your long-term view and that you think responsibly. Also, have a reason why you want to work there that is not attached to money or your last job being bad and ties you to them for the long-term.

Rephrase the 1st to asking about their path. It gets them talking about themselves (which is always a good thing) and it takes the possible inadequacy light from possibly shining your direction. The classes are tough in some areas, so what? It's not like knowing that now is gonna make you turn down the job...

I disagree the 2nd question...You should already go into the interview knowing the progression path. It does get a little muddled at the top after you do SRO, but you should know what it takes to make SRO.

They specifically asked me, "Do you want to advance and take leadership? Do you think you are able to be an SRO in 3 years?"

SRO is their sweet honey spot that they have problems getting people qualified for and/or keeping. Once you get SRO (if you can handle it) you can move to any job and any plant and be a hot commodity. Even if you stay there, every department wants a piece of you (training, supv, supt, etc.) which some have to go which leaves them still needing SRO's.

There is so much more to post, but I will leave it at that.

Good luck on your interview.

[bmoney2223]

Just to help you out. I am a Navy nuke and my office mate and I went to take the POSS test in August. We were then set up for interviews in September. We were sent job offers in October. Somewhere around 30/hr. The hiring manager called first to see which of the 5 available start dates we wanted. They ranged from February to May. We both chose April 30th and had to send our response within 5 days. From what I understand we will do a bit of bypassing because the actual NLO classes start April 9th or so. I hope this helps you out. The entire process seemed like more of a formality than an actual process. The POSS test seems more like an eleventh grade math and science exam, the interview was more of a hello and let me show you what you will be doing, and the job offer was negotiated prior to the actual offer being sent.

[ToadSuck]

Just got my offer today for Oconee. I will take a large pay cut (38% cut) coming over from Entergy as an instructor, but I really don't like my job and the way we are treated here.

Plus once I qualify and get licensed I'll be back up to that amount or more in 2-3 years.

[nukengr]

Just got my offer today for Oconee. I will take a large pay cut . . .

Yeah but like MacGyver said, the big O is a perpetual construction site/outage farm. Lot of overtime. Welcome to hell .

[HydroDave63]

Yeah but like MacGyver said, the big O is a perpetual construction site/outage farm. Lot of overtime. Welcome to hell .

Now, now....it only gets THAT hot when the feedheater line ruptures, ain't done that in a while now!

[Papa Nuc]

Just to help you out. I am a Navy nuke and my office mate and I went to take the POSS test in August. We were then set up for interviews in September. We were sent job offers in October. Somewhere around 30/hr. The hiring manager called first to see which of the 5 available start dates we wanted. They ranged from February to May. We both chose April 30th and had to send our response within 5 days. From what I understand we will do a bit of bypassing because the actual NLO classes start April 9th or so. I hope this helps you out. The entire process seemed like more of a formality than an actual process. The POSS test seems more like an eleventh grade math and science exam, the interview was more of a hello and let me show you what you will be doing, and the job offer was negotiated prior to the actual offer being sent.

Can you tell me what was negotiated for this represented position?

[Already Gone]

Negotiated?  For "somewhere around $30/hr" (which probably means $28.75 or thereabouts) it sounds like the negotiation went something like: "do you want it or not?"

[bmoney2223]

Can you tell me what was negotiated for this represented position?

Pretty much just the start date. The smartass with the $28.75 comment was only off by $1.01. Get used to guys like him if you use the nukeworker forum looking for useful info.

[GLW]

Pretty much just the start date. The smartass with the $28.75 comment was only off by $1.01. Get used to guys like him if you use the nukeworker forum looking for useful info.

Not smartasses, just long memories,...

Welcome back to the nuke world,...

http://www.nukeworker.com/forum/index.php/topic,26372.msg135835.html#msg135835

Quote from: bmoney2223 on Dec 26, 2010, 08:03

......I would recommend completing some type of Masters degree in management and find a job in the non nuclear community. I have several job offers on the table outside of this community and they are far more inviting than the ones offered from the nuke world. The non nukes treasure a masters degree and award positions that you deserve. These guys are stuck on you have to get your foot in the door and work your way up. Look outside nuke world. Hope this helped.

And welcome back to the guys who are stuck on getting your foot in the door and working your way up,....

......I decided that I want to start at the bottom and work my way to wherever I make it...........So my plan is to learn as much about the plant while making $30/hour and see where that takes me.

Reckon you don't need to come here to find know it all smartasses, seems your trip starts in the bathroom mirror every morning,...

I'm just saying,...

Thank you for your service,...good luck,....

[Higgs]

He isn't a typical 8 and outer, right?

Good luck at your new job.

[Already Gone]

Oh, but I really AM a smartass.  So, don't make a lot of excuses for me about that.

Still, I have a keen eye for BS.  When someone takes fourteen more keystrokes to say "somewhere around $30/hr" than it takes to say "$29.76/hr", (or $27.74/hr since he didn't say in which direction I was off by $1.01) the alarm goes off.  The word "negotiated" was the real trigger though.  If someone offers you a pay rate and five choices for start dates, and you pick one of the five available dates, that was not a negotiation.
You do point out another fragrant item.  Nobody takes an offer when there are better ones "on the table".  And, since I can't think of anyone who makes an employment offer (better or worse) to a sailor with over a year left to EAOS, it seems that claim was inflated a bit too.
But cut the guy a little slack.  He may have a tendency to embellish ever so slightly, but not nearly as much as others have in the past.  The "typical" 8 and out Navy nuke gets an offer for "somewhere around $30/hr" and it gets converted between his mind and his mouth into $100k/year.  At least he didn't do that.

[krmorri]

bmoney,

What plant are you schedule to start at in April.  I have taken POSS test and had a interview at Catawba, and was told HR was not making a decisions till January.  But not sure if each plant is following same schedule, that is why I was wondering which plant you were dealing with. 

Thanks.

[bmoney2223]

bmoney,

What plant are you schedule to start at in April.  I have taken POSS test and had a interview at Catawba, and was told HR was not making a decisions till January.  But not sure if each plant is following same schedule, that is why I was wondering which plant you were dealing with. 

Thanks.

Oconee. Not sure what goes on with HR. We were told that we should expect offers around December and they ended up coming early. Another guy we work with is going to Catawba and already has his offer but he gets out in January. Hope everything works out.

[ChiefRocscooter]

Duke HR at O is medium, at C is slow, at M is crawl!

Pay is based on what you come in as tech, spec.

[ToadSuck]

I got my benefits info the other day and filled out my security stuff today...

I can't believe that Duke had basically the same insurance options as Entergy, but they cost 2 to 3 times more! WOW!

ChiefRocscooter: can you tell me what insurance company that they use there? I have Aetna now.

[ChiefRocscooter]

United Healthcare.  Make sure you get the nosmoker credit (hopefully you are one) it will save you about $900/1800 single/family.  Many people went with the HDHP and Health Savings account as it was best $$ option foer most cases.

[ToadSuck]

I am assuming that bypassing BOT is not the hardest thing in the world to do since they allow you to do it...

I am moving my family (including a 3 year old and a 3 week old baby...will be 3 months then) out to Clemson. I didn't realize BOT was held at some other location and would have to be away from my family for 2 months.

Any input on bypassing difficulty and options?

[ToadSuck]

Also, once you are qualified...What is the average amount of OT are you getting paid for on each paycheck? Just trying to do my budget for during and after training.

[ChiefRocscooter]

Bypassing BOT is not that hard, but if you are 1st time civ plant or PWR then it would be good to go through.  They also cover some company specific lessons learned from incidents that you will be responsible for.  There is no benefit to bypassing if you are hiring in at same time class is starting as ISS will not start until after BOT and you will not start quals until after ISS sooo mit as well ride the wave and go to BOT.  It will also give you a chance to meet you class mates and figure out whos who in the zoo.

[ChiefRocscooter]

No such thing as AVG OT in paycheck!  It will bounce all over the place, but know that you will get just about all you want at O.  The basic two week you get paid for most with the 10 week rotation they are on is a 36/48 with no OT so that is 88 paid hours (76+8OT).  Add in 1 or two days a pay period and you will have a good guess.  Pay during traing will be mostly 40hr wk until you start quals on shift then you will get OT based on rotation with shift, although if you have an outage while you are in ISS Oconee has been know to take the students out of ISS and put them on shift during outage!  Means a few nice paychecks for you during ISS!  Oh and whoever commented about the outage every 6 months was right but they are starting to load 24 months cores and with be going to a outage scheduile like the other Duke plants 1 one yr and two the next.

[ToadSuck]

Is BOT and ISS M-F, M-Th, or T-F? Obviously 8 hours or 10 hours based on 4 or 5 days...

[ChiefRocscooter]

Both are M-F or were last year never know going forward!  Remember the nuclear motto "Sick Semper Gumby"

[mannjw]

Accepted my offer with Oconee yesterday. Glad to be a part of the team. See ya'll in Kings Mountain.

[Contract SRO]

Accepted my offer with Oconee yesterday. Glad to be a part of the team. See ya'll in Kings Mountain.

Congratulations and Best of Luck.

[krmorri]

Congrats mannjw.  I hope to receive an offer soon from Catawba and that I will be joining all those who are fortunate enough to get in, including me!!