Hanford

[tff986s]

tis true, check with delia fisher at erc..they are a good gig for a bit, $29/hr, etc.. lots of outdoor work tho...

[Rennhack]

Well, here is the gossip I've heard...

SEC had won the bid, but due to protests, The FFTF contract is out for re-bid to the 5 finalists from last time.  This is standard at the Hanford site, it happened in 2003 to the folks that just won the River Corridor contract

(In 2002, Washington Group teamed with Fluor Federal Services and Earth Tech to submit what was named the winning bid in 2003. That bid was successfully challenged by the contractors that have since teamed up with Washington Group -- Bechtel National and CH2M Hill -- to win the contract Wednesday. )


Department of Energy Awards Hanford River Corridor Contract To Washington Closure, LLC (CH2MHill Washington group)  Which usually uses Bartlett as their HP contractor.
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2005/2005-03-25-091.asp

"Responsibilities added to the new contract include work to clean up the 400 Area where Hanford's research reactor, the Fast Flux Test Facility, operated. However, it does not include FFTF, which DOE plans to have shut down by the winner of a small-business contract. "

[tonyestes]

My name is Tony. I am thinking about doing a tech report on Hanford. Could anyone please steer me in the right direction for resources? Thanks!!!

[jocro]

Radiological Planning (Support Health Physicists) contract work is provided by BNL Technical Services, and currently has a few openings.  Bartlett supplies a bunch of HPTs.

[futrknight]

In the middle of lay offs of all types....even RCT's. Nothing stable here until late 2006 if then even...contract changes going on.

[incrediblehulk]

  Thought I'd ring in on the topic of Hanford, since I'm currently in a laid-off state from there. The big news at the moment is lay-offs at the Prime Contractor level. All of us sub-contractors ( I'm in the Tank Farm area) were laid off in July due to lack of funds in the budget. There were rumors that further lay-offs in the Prime Contractors might follow. Sure enough, last Friday the word came out that CH2MHill would be laying off 300 employees. As far as I know, these are not union positions, but I can't confirm that.
   That having been said, I'd still go back there. Yes, it can be a long drive, but if you live in the north part of Richland, most of the site is within 45 minutes. The pay is good and the work isn't exactly taxing. There is the normal "DOE Frustration" for commercial techs, but all - in - all, the money and the good people make it a worthwhile venture.

[Dan_E.]

Hanford gave notice to 14 house techs as of today.
May be a while before they get back into the hiring mode again.
I was sorry to see the Bartlett techs go last week, and sorry for all of those given notice today.

[duke99301]

I spent 11 years there as a NPO working in a lot of different areas 200 east and west good place to be in the old days.
B plant 234-5Z plant

T plant and the tank farms.
lot of storys from back then .good place.

[illegalsmile]

I received an offer from Eberline. The money and the bennies look good but what's the story on longevity? They don't pay diem or relocation so I don't want to go out there unless it's going to be for a looooooonnnnnnnnngggggg term gig.

[Dan_E.]

As far as I know ESHI is only hiring for permanent positions right now, that would explain the absence of per diem. Just a guess on my part. I believe it takes 2 years of employment before they forgive the relocation fees they pay for.

[illegalsmile]

oh yeah, they're saying permanent, but I'm hearing talk that it's winding down and a lot of jobs will go away in a couple of years

[Dan_E.]

illegalsmile
I first worked at Hanford as a construction worker in 1980 and daily there were jobs postponed due to a lack of tech support. I am now a tech and nothing has changed.

[jshiley]

I received an offer from Eberline. The money and the bennies look good but what's the story on longevity? They don't pay diem or relocation so I don't want to go out there unless it's going to be for a looooooonnnnnnnnngggggg term gig.

I'm with Eberline at Hanford as an Industrial Hygiene Technician.  We just had a division picnic where they detailed the good old "Path Forward".  At best (longevity wise), there will be work with this group until 2013. 

Last year,IHTs and RCTs were laid off due to bumping by those laid off by the other contractors.  Since it's union, layoffs are based entirely on seniority.  This year, we will lose IHTs again, but RCTs are not being laid off from the other contractors and are being hired by WCH / Eberline.

The best I can tell you is that each October you're going to end up looking over your shoulder until you get enough techs under you (seniority wise) to feel safe. 

[dac]

I came out here in the fall to work at Hanford...I find the Tri-Cities a progressive area...There are plenty of rentals in the Richland area but most live in Kennewick and Pasco...I live in Benton City more of a country atomsphere.

Many of the techs live as far as Yakima and travel an hour each morning. 

If you are coming in for ESHI, thewre will be 6 weeks of training then off to a site (dig or demo).  The 4/10 schedule is great (except for Monday). There is a goverment style of management with a great emphasis on safety....

As for me, it is a great alternative to the road, somewhat of a rest area for old road techs....Dave

[garcma]

Hey, it's been awhile since anyone posted anything about Hanford. 

Specifically, why does it seem that Hanford is having a hard time getting people to go there?  Is there something we should know? 

Also, any ideas on cost of living?  I expect gas/diesel will be expensive because of the driving...

[Mike_Koehler]

    Been at the lazy H for about 9 years all told........I started with Eberline and worked for Fluor and CH2M Hill before coming to the true retirement home that is Battelle.  The cost of living here is as high as I have seen anywhere except for California, DC and Connecticut. Houses are 140's in Benton City to 250's for a reasonable 3 br-2ba house. Rents are 650-2400/mo depending on what you want..... Gas is Currently 3.12/gal for regular unleaded, milk and things that rely on transportation to get here have gone up fast........ There are an average of 300+ sunny days/year here. It is very windy here. This place is a desert, not the rain forest that most people think Washington state is..... It is near some of the prettiest places I have ever been. Last I saw the "list" had about 500 +/- names on it. In addition to Hanford there is Columbia Generating Station (WPPSS), an AREVA fuel fabrication plant, a few service providers, a laundry services company,  and a waste "consolidation" facility . I may have left some out. PM me if you have any questions that I can answer.....

[frisher]

any jobs for a good deconner

[snowman]

any jobs for a good deconner

No, not even for a bad one. They hire laborers out of the local hall to do the manual stuff. They don't really decon things there anyway like you're used to. You can't decon the contamination they have there.

[stormgoalie]

   There are an average of 300+ sunny days/year here. It is very windy here. This place is a desert, not the rain forest that most people think Washington state is..... It is near some of the prettiest places I have ever been.

Ah yes the great days of summer outside on a digsite........ nothing like 100+F, blazing sun, no shade, wind, tumbleweeds,and dust storms to make one homesick. Of course I now live where 4 months out of the year we have wind, COLD, blowing snow, and no sunshine.  But hey I work indoors. 

Mike, tell the guys hi from me!!

Cheers,
Jim Rodgers
NRRPT
RP Supervisor
Ontario Power Generation
Western Waste Management Facility

[snowman]

Any folks out there packing for a new job at Hanford might want to look elsewhere. Major layoffs coming across the board, especially with the outgoing Fluor company. Waste packaging facilities are being shut down, other facilities going down to one shift or cold shutdown. Subcontract HP's got their 2 week notice this week.

House techs and operators are taking a major hit this fall, 40+ each. Everything is in flux out there for a while until they sort out the 4 new major contracts. Lots of nervous folks I hear, both in management and craft. Definitely not the time to be going to Hanford. Words to the wise.

[Mike_Koehler]

Major layoffs coming across the board, especially with the outgoing Fluor company. Waste packaging facilities are being shut down, other facilities going down to one shift or cold shutdown.

House techs and operators are taking a major hit this fall, 40+ each. Everything is in flux out there for a while until they sort out the 4 new major contracts. Lots of nervous folks I hear, both in management and craft. Definitely not the time to be going to Hanford. Words to the wise.

Are you far enough up the list? Drop me a line at work and let me know what is happening out there. I have almost lost touch now that I am downtown at Battelle.

Mike

[gracer807]

I am getting ready to start my first job as a rad tech at Hanford and was just curious if the guy pitching the deal to me is telling the truth on the work load.  He said that we do as much if not less work than what a Navy ELT did in the military.

[UncaBuffalo]

I am getting ready to start my first job as a rad tech at Hanford and was just curious if the guy pitching the deal to me is telling the truth on the work load.  He said that we do as much if not less work than what a Navy ELT did in the military.

My Hanford experience is from 12 years ago, but...

We would often come in Monday morning with 15 minutes worth of work to complete...and go home Friday with the same 15 minutes work still on our plates.   

Hanford had so many layers of SILLY rules (as well as a few good ones) that it was nearly impossible to keep work flowing.

Plan on working less than you did in the Navy.  Maybe you will get lucky and be able to keep yourself busy, but... 

[stormgoalie]

My Hanford experience is from 12 years ago, but...

We would often come in Monday morning with 15 minutes worth of work to complete...and go home Friday with the same 15 minutes work still on our plates.   

Hanford had so many layers of SILLY rules (as well as a few good ones) that it was nearly impossible to keep work flowing.

Plan on working less than you did in the Navy.  Maybe you will get lucky and be able to keep yourself busy, but... 

Ditto on the Hanford time frame, started in 96 left in 01, and +1 on the silly rules. Some made perfect sense, but others left you scratching your head.  My favorite line from a manager was when he was asked about the constant revision to work instructions "The large number of revisions means that the document is a living one".  This was after Rev 26 to a work instruction that was less than a year old!!  I bit back the retort, so after 25 tries you still have it wrong???  Gotta love the Lazy H Ranch

[milo124]

Do "silly rules" and "Hanfordized" mean the same thing?