Bruce Power Interview

[crazyrock]

I had my first interview recently after passing the Math/Science test. I didn't make it past the interview.
The interviewers grilled me on mechanical concepts, which I didn't really expect. Before the interview they do ask you to review the CANDU system(thats exactly what I was told), so I focussed on the engineering physics part of CANDU.
During the interview they asked ques such as what equipment operators use, questions about pumps, valves, heat exchangers, theory behind turbines. A few electrical questions such as transformers, voltages of generators. It also includes typical behavioral questions.
I underestimated what topics they would be covering.
I feel really upset after the interview, I thought I could make it. Based on all the requirements for the position and reading the operator preview document on their website, I felt I was prepared since I have an Electrical Engineering degree. I felt the interview would focus on behavioral, but I was wrong. I felt it was a bit unfair since the focus was on mechanical concepts specifically fluid mechanics.

[dea]

At the risk pf sounding sarcastic, Did you research what plant operators actually do? Operating pumps and valves, steam turbines etc. While I'm not saying that understanding what goes on in the reactor isn't important it's not primarily what an entry level operator needs to know.You learn all that reactor physics and the like when you progress to reactor operator.

[Fermi2]

Uh nuclear facilities are 95% mechanical and fluid. Why do you think you are in a position to determine whether an interview question is unfair?

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Are technical questions like this typically asked at job interviews for NLO's in the U.S.?

[Bradtv]

I've had three NLO interviews in the fourth quarter of 2012.  I was asked technical questions at only one interview (heat exchangers and electrical science).  While I did not get an offer after that interview, they did say that my technical explanations were not a factor in not extending an offer.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Okay, thats a good heads up for future interviews. Did they tell you to study the PWR/BWR system prior to the interview for the company that asked the technical questions?

Thank you for the info!

George

[Bradtv]

No, I was not instructed to study anything.  It is a good thing to know about what your getting yourself into however; both job and employer.

[Jay885]

I also had an interview at Bruce last week.

The only instructions were that they recommend you review the candu system and the realistic job preview provided. As long as you knew the basic operation of each component in the overall system you would be fine.

I think the focus is more on behavioural as 90% of the interview was the most common types of interview questions. These are so easy to prepare for but most people don't and focus on the technical stuff.

I "passed" the interview and medical and hope to hear back in the next few weeks.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

I also had an interview at Bruce last week.

The only instructions were that they recommend you review the candu system and the realistic job preview provided. As long as you knew the basic operation of each component in the overall system you would be fine.

I think the focus is more on behavioural as 90% of the interview was the most common types of interview questions. These are so easy to prepare for but most people don't and focus on the technical stuff.

I "passed" the interview and medical and hope to hear back in the next few weeks.

Congrats. I know a few people who work at Bruce and all seem to be really happy there. None are operators but it sounds like site is a great place to work overall.

[crazyrock]

I also had an interview at Bruce last week.

The only instructions were that they recommend you review the candu system and the realistic job preview provided. As long as you knew the basic operation of each component in the overall system you would be fine.

I think the focus is more on behavioural as 90% of the interview was the most common types of interview questions. These are so easy to prepare for but most people don't and focus on the technical stuff.

I "passed" the interview and medical and hope to hear back in the next few weeks.

I read the preview document like 10 times...so I knew everything from there. For me I felt behaviuoral was only 30 %, electrical concepts like 10 %, 60% on mechanical concepts. They asked me way more than the "basic operation". They did start off by asking me to give an overview of the CANDU system, which I did, but then started digging deeper. Like what heat exchangers look like, what different kinds of pumps are used for and their definitions eg. positive displacement pump, different kinds of valves(defn and applications), why multiple turbines drive a single generator. On the electrical side..voltages in generator,before and after step up, transformer designs, basic operation of synchronous generator. That's the major chunk of it. Clearly if I just read about CANDU and the preview document it would be never enough. After the interview I said to myself, I would have had an easier time if I learned about auto mechanics than reading about CANDU. I had a few a books about nuclear engineering, but they focus more on the reactor physics portion.

[Smilin' Joe Fission]

Are there any documents that focus on relevant material that can be used to study for these questions?

[RiskEngineer]

Maybe you should apply as an electrical engineer instead.