What are the chances of getting in with DUKE (and would I want to?)

[ChiefRocscooter]

Have been looking around to see what will be available early next year when I retire and was wondering what people had to say about DUKE.  Specifically I would love to get into Mcguire or Catawaba (looking to move to Charlotte after retirement).  Any info would be greatly welcome!!!

Rob
8503

[Fermi2]

Duke tends to keep their hiring plans close to the vest. I believe a guy from this board either interviewed or hired in there as a Non Licensed Operator. I'm not sure which member it is.

Should you get hired into either plant you'll be at an Ice Condenser Containment. The concept and construction is mind boggling to say the least. Westinghouse 4 Loop Reactors are complete A** Kickers, I'm not sure there's a poor running one in the entire country.


Mike

[ChiefRocscooter]

Mike have you heard much about DUKE as a compnany to work for? and thanks I search for the guy and found him, plan on emailing and see if he would be willing to talk on phone about what he knows about Duke. 

Does anyone else know if Duke is hiring soon?  i hae made numerous searches but have had very little luck with the nuclear jobs at the Plants near Charlotte.  Any help or advice would be welcome.

Rob
 

[Fermi2]

I'm not sure. I know a couple of SROs who work at Duke and they're not happy. I usually take stuff like that with a grain of salt as I haven't worked at a Duke Facility. Plus bad times go in phases.

Give me a few days I THINK I have the email for an SM at one of the Duke plants, in fact it's one of the plants you asked about. I'll ask him when they plan on hiring. Usually no one hires operators in the summer but I'd be happy to check for you.

Why aren't you checking out the TVA?

Mike

[ChiefRocscooter]

Thanks for checkin for me.  I have not looked much at TVA as I think a post (maybe yours made it sound hard to get on eith them if you did not live in the area already.  If that is not true I will give it a second look.

Thanks,
Rob

[Fermi2]

It never hurts to apply anywhere regardless of whether you think you can get a job or not.

Register at TVAs website. With approximately 1/3 of the company retiring within 5 years the chances are darn good!

Mike

[scrub]

We had an AO (NLO) that left for Duke a few months ago.  In other words Duke just hired a group of NLOs.  The guy that left said they are looking to hire 20-40 people over the next few years to staff up for their potential new plant and to cover attrition.  The search for the next group may begin this winter.  I recall him applying and interviewing around the Feb/Mar time frame.

Good luck

[ChiefRocscooter]

Scrub, thanks for the info.  That sounds good for me as I will be avail for hire in late Feb/early Mar (ret date is 31 May nd I have a full 60 on the books now).  Hopefully they will give me a look, hope to have the BS NET from excelsior done by then and hopefully that will help.

Does anyone have any ideas for other things I can to to improve my chances for getting an interview (certs or membership ect.. the kind of things that might help me standout).  I have found that more than half of all people will just stand there and wait for thing to happen but the few who ask tends to make things happen!  (which is why I am here looking for advice)

Thanks,
Rob

[Fermi2]

You already have what you need to get an interview.
Duke used to be hesitant about hiring Navy Nukes, I don't recall the reason why.

Mike

[alphadude]

because they staffed locally to reduce costs

[ChiefRocscooter]

Hopefully they are more open to Navy now.  Besides as a retiree I will have my own relocation costs covered by Navy.

[voodoo1]

Chief you can go to the duke energy web site and search for jobs. You will need a short (one page) resume. duke did just hire a round of nlo's and plan on hiring more, however I think they will be looking for the really young to replace their aging workforce. With a retirement already in hand you may also want to think about a vendor company. You could live in Charlotte and work McGuire and Catawba. Then just two hours away is Oconee, and it is the best duke site by far.

[Fermi2]

Hopefully they are more open to Navy now.  Besides as a retiree I will have my own relocation costs covered by Navy.

They won't take your Navy relocation into account. IIRC Correctly they can't.
They also cannot take your age into account.

Mike

[ChiefRocscooter]

I remember when 40 seemed old to me too, now it looks not so old, just experienced!


Just in case what vendors would we be talking about (hey a backup plan never hurt).

Would really rather work towards being SRO but I am open (and yes I know SRO is hard but since I have be going to college almost full time the last 18 months while still on active duty, taking mostly higher math and science for ENG degree I am ready to handle it).

Rob

[Fermi2]

I remember when 40 seemed old to me too, now it looks not so old, just experienced!


Just in case what vendors would we be talking about (hey a backup plan never hurt).

Would really rather work towards being SRO but I am open (and yes I know SRO is hard but since I have be going to college almost full time the last 18 months while still on active duty, taking mostly higher math and science for ENG degree I am ready to handle it).

Rob

Your last paragraph. Non Applicable. It doesn't prepare you for an SRO License.

Mike

[ChiefRocscooter]

What I should have sais is that I want a to work at a plant with an oppurtunity to go for SRO, or higher.  I know that it will/would be tough but once there I could look around and decide if that is the right thing for me.  All I meant is that I have been working from 0600 to 1530 MON-FRI and going to school four night a week till 2145 (and of course lots of studing on the weekends.  I am commited to what I do (although my wife thinks I should just be commited period) and meant if it was a matter of working hard I was willing to do what it takes.

Speaking of which what is it that makes SRO so tough, volume of knowledge, time frame allowed to learn, difficulty of material??  I know the plants are bigger and more complicated, but is getting to be an SRO really like tring to eat an ELEPHANT with a fork and knive?

And by the way thanks for all the input I am glad there are people who are willing to take the time to offer thier infromation (that is what true karma is about).


Rob

[M1Ark]

Volume of information.  Knowing what to study.

[scrub]

You mentioned college.  That will help your career path.  I know Progress energy might consider someone for instant SRO if they have a degree in math or science.  The "instant" SRO I'm speaking of in this case is a/an AO (NLO) going to license class for RO and upgrading to SRO during that same class.  Another instant SRO option is for Ops to select some engineers to go to license class as an "instant" SRO candidate.  


The progression for an RO candidate without college is to attend license class again for the SRO upgrade.  There are exceptions.

Please don't get this confused with a job posting for "instant" SROs.  I'm talking internal progression not recruiting and hiring.  From your previous post you were looking for a career path to SRO.  This is what Progress Energy does at the plant where I work.  I'm sure Duke will have some differences.  

[ChiefRocscooter]

I need to spend time looking into the force sturucture within commercial plant.  Am I close in thinking AO(NLO) is like roving watch (say MMUL/MMLL), RO is like sub RO, and SRO is the EOOW?  Is the SM like a EOOW but has responsibitity for multiple plants (is SM site or shift mamager)?

Yes I should have my BS NET (ABET version) from Excelsior. Do you think that would help?  I am perfectly willing to start as AO/(NLO) and then move up from there if it is the right thing for me.

Thanks
Rob

[ChiefRocscooter]

Jason
I was ET (RO/SRO) (so the credits I need were fewer, I think) but all I new are the 2 Nuc classes (Material and ITA (you do mean the tech assesment class right?)).  Should be able to get them done this fall (sep-dec), and since I retire in spring hopefully get degree and job 

Rob

[ChiefRocscooter]

Yes I agree with it only being tech degree,  the only improtant part about it is the ABET part will allow entry into most schools Masters program (I know ODU will take you into the Masters of Engineering management).  I have a more convenint schedule so I am hopeing to get it done.
Let me ask you this though (I am waiting on my offical review so I do not yet have advisor) will they let me take ITA at same time as 320, the sylabus sya ITA is your last class, but I am hoping to do both at same time.

Rob

[Roll Tide]

Am I close in thinking AO(NLO) is like roving watch (say MMUL/MMLL), RO is like sub RO, and SRO is the EOOW?  Is the SM like a EOOW but has responsibitity for multiple plants (is SM site or shift mamager)?

Rob,
I can't explain this perfectly, but I will try. Your answer is very close, but never say this at a commercial nuclear plant. Every OPS manager I have seen asked the question is offended by the comparison of the positions on a test source to a commercial reactor. Decay heat is higher here than full-power on some Navy platforms.

The AUO (NLO/AO) is not equivalent to the commercial RO; while the ERS would be equivalent to the Navy RO (Sr. in-rate). Commercial RO is closer to the sub EOOW. SRO is closer to ENG (or CH Eng) than EOOW. SM is responsible for multiple plants on the same site, and is the Manager in absence of Plant Manager (or any other manager).

The NRC rules, and they have specific criteria for RO, SRO, and Emergency Coordinator (which the SM becomes on really bad days).

[ChiefRocscooter]

Thanks Tide, I guess I will be carefull with the comparsions in future (might be like saying Aburn or a college in AL just the that other school ) would not want to offend.  I will look for NRC info that might clarify (so I use right terms when I go on interviews).

Jason,
  Thanks I now know that I can (with wavier) take it, and since it is only the two class to NET I will take them.  As for the coffe I think the one who needs to buy is me for everyone here who is so helpful!!

Rob

[shayne]

I need to spend time looking into the force sturucture within commercial plant.  Am I close in thinking AO(NLO) is like roving watch (say MMUL/MMLL), RO is like sub RO, and SRO is the EOOW?  Is the SM like a EOOW but has responsibitity for multiple plants (is SM site or shift mamager)?

Here is a brief summary of some of the jobs in the commercial world.  The commercial world is much larger than the Navy plants and lot more complex.  Most of the systems are designed to operate from the control room.  The plant systems are also designed to operate with very few operators (more automation than the Navy).  Safety systems are very complex as a whole and designed to operate automatically independant of other systems or people.

The NLO has many responsibilities, one of which is to be a 'roving watch' (rounds) in the plant.  However, if you have rounds, you have more equipment and plant to cover.  Usually 1 NLO has the turbine building, another has the reactor building, and another has everything outside those areas.  Each area could take 3+ hours to make all the minimum checks and logs.  The other NLOs not assigned to rounds will be doing all the testing/surveilences of plant equipment/systems, tagging, or housekeeping tasks.  NLO is not a rate specific job like the Navy.  One can expect to fill/vent and perform valve line ups on mechanical systems, operate manual valves, pumps, rack breakers, pull fuses, or do checks in the relay room or control room.

The RO (Licenced Operator) does spend most time in the control room operating the entire plant from the control panels.  The operate the reactor, all the safety systems, the turbine, electrical side of the plant, and all other Balance of Plant systems, such as feed water, condensate, auxiliary steam as well as HVAC.  They also spend time in the plant with NLOs.  They also coordinate all the activities in the plant with the control room such as maintenance and testing.  Some of the training personnel have RO licenses/certificates also.

SRO is a licence.  SRO qualified personnel could have different jobs or positions.  The Control Room Supervisor (CRS), the Staff Technical Advisor (STA), the Shift Manager/Site Manager are all SRO qualified.  The CRS is the person responsible for all normal plant operations.  The Shift Manager is responsible for everything site wide.  Usually all these positions work together to make the best decisions on plant operations.

[ChiefRocscooter]

Thanks for the detailed answer, will save searching site.  What kind of education and exp is required as you go up then chain? 

Rob