NukeWorker Forum
Career Path => Getting in => Topic started by: tho88 on Feb 17, 2015, 04:55
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I graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and have been sailing as an engineering officer on several types of merchant vessels (car carrier, oil tanker, drill-ship) for the past 4 1/2 years. I have an BS in Marine Engineering (kind of a combination of mechanical and electrical engineering) and for any of you who are familiar with the merchant marine will have enough sea days for a first assistant engineer license in about a month. Additionally I'm a LT in the Navy Reserve and have done all of my annual 2 weeks of active duty at Naval shipyards, two of which were at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard providing engineering support to nuclear subs. A ship is pretty much a floating power plant at sea and I got a lot of great overall engineering experience standing watch in the engineering control room, working on steam systems/turbines, diesel engines, hydraulics, electrical systems and general piping/pump systems, both as an operator and a mechanic.
I have always been interested in nuclear power and am even a bigger believer in it now after having worked in the oil and gas industry for the past 2 years. I'm tired of being away at sea for 7+ months out of the year as well. After doing some research I think I would be a good fit for an operator or maintenance job at a nuclear plant. Ideally I would like to become an SRO but it seems you need to have prior nuclear experience to enter a training class. I guess I would need to do a couple years as a non licensed operator before I could apply.
Is anyone on the forum an ex merchant marine engineer or know of any who found his way into the nuclear power industry and if so what did he do and what do you think would my best approach to get my foot in the door?
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A relative of mine went to Mass Maritime as part of the fishing fleet mess on Cape Cod years ago (fishing fleet pretty much shut down, Gov paid to retrain commercial fishermen) . After he graduated, he ended up at Pilgrim as system engineer for the emergency diesels. That worked out for him and his family during a time when they needed stable income and benefits.
Nuke power and all it's paperwork and minutae of non-production stuff eventually wore him down He now manages a boatyard on the Cape, and is back on the water where he's happy.
It's a long story with many more details, but Maritime grads are fairly common in Nuke power - look at utility websites (and Nukeworker!) for openings in Engineering or Operations - you should at least make the initial cut for an interview.
Good luck!
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I left Kings Point in 1974 after a year and a half and went Navy Nuke Subs. Best early move I made in my life.
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