Career Path > NRC
nrc vs. power industry
StuckRod:
--- Quote from: zeusnuce on Jul 21, 2006, 12:41 ---Hi,
NRC is hiring big time and the pay is good. They estimate that after 4 years in NRC, you can make around 100k . Combine this with a 40-hour work week and other government benefits, everything looks very sweet.
Not when that 100k is for the Washington DC area. It's not the same as 100K say.....at Watts Bar in Tennessee. DC is VERY expensive and tough to commute. 40 hours is all you need to do, yes true. Good luck getting that promotion with that haha. As someone who has worked for utilities, INPO, and NRC I can assure that work ethic counts everywhere. NRC wasn't ranked #1 federal agency to work for because the people there are lazy slobs (some are LOL, just like anywhere I guess!). If you are talking about the NRC's 4-year safety professional program, you will make those 4 "auto" career jumps and sit forever if your work ethic is junk. Trust me on that. And if you want to move up in the agency at all, you better become a resident inspector at one of the sites for at least a few years. Better if you can make senior resident. Those jobs are tough to get because they are the best and toughest in the agency. And those who excel in those jobs are doing a little more than 40 hours if they are doing it right.
Now, I am very close to graduating and I have no power plant experience like you guys. I want to see why would working in a nuclear power plant be better than at NRC looking at it from several perspectives. Any input you guys have would greatly be appreciated. I think I want to work in a power plant, and I just want to gain some confidence :)
Some relevant questions to consider include:
1. How long do you estimate to have to work in a power plant to reach 100k, and how far can you go in salary assuming you will only go as high as an SRO?
Only go as high as SRO? What? Umm, hmmm. SRO is pretty high. I assume you mean SRO-unit supervisor? Not OSM or management positions (which now typically demand someone be a former SRO to be competitive)? SROs will make 6 figures but I doubt your 4 year timeline will work with that considering you have no plant experience. You have a lot to learn and 4 years (in my mind) isn't going to cut it to make SRO.
2. How many hours do SROs usually put in during a week and is the work high-pressure or just enough to be challenging?
The shift schedules are usually a revolving 5 week plan that comes out to about ~40 hours per workweek when factoring your days off over that 5 week span. Of course, one week is almost completely off and other weeks during that 5 week period are just a "tad" more than 40 hours LOL. And during an outage, throw those work hours out the window and buy an air mattress for your car in the parking lot. Don't forget you lose some "off" hours trying to adjust from days to nights during that 5 week period. One of those weeks is training week (non-shift held during the day)
3. If you have both NRC and power plant experience, please explain which workplace is better in your opinion.
Depends what you want. Cost of living is better on the utility side for the most part with the exception of Pilgrim, Indian Point, Turkey Point, San Onofre, Diablo Canyon etc. NRC has DC (ugh), Philadelphia, Chicago, Arlington, and Atlanta. Not exactly fun family living, nor cheap. Utility life has much better comraderie and you don't have to move as much, if at all...unless you really want to make big money and keep getting promotions just like any industry. Travel at NRC is frequent. Enjoy airports? Good. Job security and quality of life is probably better at NRC because your hours are "normal." Again, if you go NRC, you need to try your hardest to get a resident inspector job. They usually want someone with plant experience for those jobs but you never know. I seriously don't know the appeal of working in DC. COST OF LIVING MUST BE FACTORED INTO ANY SALARY OFFER. I got a friend living in Mahattan, making 6 figures, and sleeping on hardwood with the same square footage as the breakdancing mat used in "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo"....all for 7000/mo rent!
Any other reasons why work in a power plant would be better is also welcomed. Also, I am located in Region III, Midwest, in case that information becomes relevant.
Region III? Chicago? Or excuse me, Naperville? I'd work for Exelon before I'd work NRC....unless you have a sweeter deal on the table from NRC than you do from a plant.
Thanks a lot
--- End quote ---
ramdog_1:
Go ahead and work for the NRC what the heck just cause you never worked in this field do's not mean a thing your no different than an F.O.B or any one else who is starting out ! do your best and good things well come.
rlbinc:
You know they're a big, cuddly, family type organization.
Makes me homesick for Exelon.
;D
tr:
If you are just getting out of school, I'd suggest going where you can get the most experience/training in the shortest period of time. If the NRC was recruiting you at school, I'm guessing you are an engineer. Most utilities have a ~1 year training programs for new engineers that will give you an overview of the plant and how it works. I'm not sure what training the NRC gives their new hires, but I know they have a big training facility with several simulators in Chattanooga. The broader you knowledge, the more opportunities you will have (this is why you see getting an SRO as such a recommended option). Recognize that at many plants, operators make up a relatively small portion of the actual site poplulation (at my site, the largest group is maintenance, then security, then engineering, then operations).
Also take a look at the jobs listed on the NRC website to get a general feel for how much travel is involved. Typically, the more senior you get, the more travel is involved.
Also recognize that NRC staffer's typically have to distance themselves from licensee's (so if you end up doing an inspection at a place where an old college bud works you may not be able to go out for a beer with that person).
caerbannog:
--- Quote from: zeusnuce on Jul 21, 2006, 12:41 ---Hi,
NRC is hiring big time and the pay is good. They estimate that after 4 years in NRC, you can make around 100k . Combine this with a 40-hour work week and other government benefits, everything looks very sweet.
--- End quote ---
I don't see how the NRC can compete with the utilities when it comes to cost of living.
--- Quote from: zeusnuce ---1. How long do you estimate to have to work in a power plant to reach 100k, and how far can you go in salary assuming you will only go as high as an SRO?
--- End quote ---
Best case scenario? One year as a plant engineer, one year pre-license school, 18 to 24 months license school. And that will be very demanding on you.
--- Quote from: zeusnuce ---2. How many hours do SROs usually put in during a week and is the work high-pressure or just enough to be challenging?
--- End quote ---
Here's an example of a 5 week rotation:
3 Days (12hr), 3 days off, 4 Nights (12hr), 7 days off, 3 Nights (12 hr), 4 days off, 4 Days (12 hr), 2 days off, 4 Training Days (8 hr), 1 day off. Repeat. This doesn't include overtime days.
High pressure? You better know what you're doing if you're in the control room. If everything is running smoothly, it could probably bore you to tears, but that is a good thing.
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