Maintenance Supervisor

[mlslstephens]

anything seems better than the Navy--I did 20 years of the indentured servitude and I know how may hrs you can work-----but that is not the bench mark that I compare jobs against now as I once again have the rights of a civilian and am paid hourly as a Distribution System Operator.  I am trying to investigate and ascertain just how much an hour I will actually be making as a "salaried" worker.  I am not thinking about getting into management for the friggin title--I don't give a hoot.  Time is money as far as I am concerned and if I get less per hour for management than being an Operator--I don't want to be in Management. I will have 380 hrs overtime this year and with my bonus will make just about 100k. Dividing my total hrs in the year into total monetary compensation I averaged about $40/hr for the entire yr---------so if a company wants me to be a supervisor and including the outages and all the extra hrs I put in come out to like 3000 total hrs for the year( I believe it will be that much from what I have heard---definitely more than the 8 hrs extra a week I am putting in now)---they need to pay me total monetary compensation of 120k or greater for the year--if they don't they are asking me to volunteer hours for the company and/or are making promises of "well --you gotta pay your dues now to move up in management later"---ie we might as well be back in the Navy with promises of making Chief to put in all the insane extra hrs--and Homey don't play that game any more. I have heard Exleon treats its managers like crap--from many people--some of who have worked there, so I belive Rotag.  You may have different circumstances and hopefully the jobs I am looking at are more similar to yours than Rotags--because if not--Fuhgeetaboutit. So in conclusion--Does your total monetary compensation equal or exceed $40/hr for the entire year as a Maintenance Supervisor?  As I said--time is money.

I've tried to boil down this thread.  In summary, emnuke, I think you said "I'm still pissed that I never made Chief and I don't want to be in management if it requires extra responsibility and accountability."
Time is money but that doesn't have anything to do with commitment and dedication or responsibility and accountability.

[hamsamich]

I think what he is saying is, i don't want to work for free or peanuts, just like some of us did in the Navy, just like some first-line supervisors do to a lesser degree.  He sent me a PM, and the PM also relayed this attitude.

[emnuke]

I've tried to boil down this thread.  In summary, emnuke, I think you said "I'm still pissed that I never made Chief and I don't want to be in management if it requires extra responsibility and accountability."
Time is money but that doesn't have anything to do with commitment and dedication or responsibility and accountability.

You don't boil very well NavLI4--I can handle the accountability and responsibility---I just can't handle not getting paid proportionally better for assuming more of it---ie salaried positions that don't pay commensurate with level of responsibility and stress.  I really couldn't give a sh@@ that I didn't make Chief--what is that another $250-$300 a month--big deal--The only Chiefs people know about now are from Indian tribes--I guess I can't wear  the coveted "ex-Navy Chief" cap now that I am retired though.

[mlslstephens]

You don't boil very well NavLI4--I can handle the accountability and responsibility---I just can't handle not getting paid proportionally better for assuming more of it---ie salaried positions that don't pay commensurate with level of responsibility and stress.  I really couldn't give a sh@@ that I didn't make Chief--what is that another $250-$300 a month--big deal--The only Chiefs people know about now are from Indian tribes--I guess I can't wear  the coveted "ex-Navy Chief" cap now that I am retired though.

emnuke, you are exactly right!  I must admit that looking back over the thread and rereading your posts, I had you figured wrong.  There are all kinds of people in this world and thankfully they aren't all like me.  We have differences in opinions and different things make us tick.  I would like to offer this apologetic thread for attacking your personality based on what job you perform.  This is sincere.

[Fermi2]

I never felt like an indentured servant when I was in the Navy. One cannot be indentured when one is a volunteer. I liked me time in the Navy, met some awesome people, did sime great things and overall the job was fun to boot.

So far as those under me making more money. Yeah I have to at times put in extra hours but it's rarely more than a day a month if that. In most months it ends up being a Monthy Shifrt Manager meeting which really occurs once every 5 weeks. It takes the average Union Guy about 35 to 40% more hours to make what I make. I don't really call that making more than I do.

About 80% of the time I'm in an Air Conditioned Work environment. The other 20% I'm out in the plant (Usually I get out even more, it depends on the shift, SMs at my current plant spend TOO much time in meetings). Even when I'm out I don't have to go into Containment, or wear Flash Arrest clothing to rack out breakers, or dress out, or go anyplace that's truly hot. There's a definite tradeoff. ( I do miss a lot of that though).

I like the responsibility and accountability and I really love being able to make decisions or do stuff that helps make the department and hopefully the site a better operating organization.

Mike

[ddklbl]

I can handle the accountability and responsibility---I just can't handle not getting paid proportionally better for assuming more of it

Then don't.

Maybe you'd be better off sticking with your current job.  It's painfully obvious that you are looking out only for yourself.  I don't think management, or first line, or whatever catch phrase we want to call what you aren't is best for you or the company.   

I believe with increased responsibility and longer hours should come more money

That isn't true.  With increased responsibility and longer hours should come more reward.  Rewards are both tangible and intangible.  It could be an underlying culture of happiness or contentment.  How many of us have said while in the navy that we would take a pay cut to do a job that made us happy?  I personally like being challenged.  I like the responsibility.  I like the stresses I encounter daily.  If my job ever gets to the point that I feel these intangible benefits combined with monetary benefits don't adequately compensate me, then I will choose to find a new job. 

You served for 20 years in a job you obviously hated.  Why? I think you are the only one to blame for being gullible enough to follow that "carrot".  I chose to enlist.  I chose to re-enlist.  I chose to get out.  No carrots other than those I self imposed; but I just called those goals. 

Ahhh-"ETC" --that explains our difference in attitudes--I wasn't in the elite kahki fraternity, but only an E-6 who now enjoys no longer being taken advantage of by the likes of them (ie hourly pay) Good Luck ---As I believe you will now excel in the salaried, managerial-type environment that you so endeared.

You speak of military management (the goatlocker and wardroom) as if it were a nameless faceless conspiratorial group whose sole function was to oppress you.  Grow up and move on.  With an attitude like yours, it makes me wonder why you would want to be part of corporate management now. 

[emnuke]

Then don't.

 

That isn't true.  With increased responsibility and longer hours should come more reward.  Rewards are both tangible and intangible.  It could be an underlying culture of happiness or contentment.  How many of us have said while in the navy that we would take a pay cut to do a job that made us happy?  I personally like being challenged.  I like the responsibility.  I like the stresses I encounter daily.  If my job ever gets to the point that I feel these intangible benefits combined with monetary benefits don't adequately compensate me, then I will choose to find a new job. 

Thank you for the pyschological analyisis and critique of my character--I hope that you are blessed with longer hrs and more stress at work (not necessarily more pay) so that you will be happier with this intangible benefit. I leave my ego at the gym. You are right--I am probably better off as a greedy hourly worker who gets compensated with tangible monetary rewards which benefit my family also during extended work hrs.

[ddklbl]

Whenever you do test the waters again, good luck.  I hope you will be content with your endeavors.

[Kev3399]

Thank you for the pyschological analyisis and critique of my character--I hope that you are blessed with longer hrs and more stress at work (not necessarily more pay) so that you will be happier with this intangible benefit. I leave my ego at the gym. You are right--I am probably better off as a greedy hourly worker who gets compensated with tangible monetary rewards which benefit my family also during extended work hrs.

Ahhh-"ETC" --that explains our difference in attitudes--I wasn't in the elite kahki fraternity, but only an E-6 who now enjoys no longer being taken advantage of by the likes of them (ie hourly pay) Good Luck ---As I believe you will now excel in the salaried, managerial-type environment that you so endeared.

Thanks for the stereotype and critique of my character based on a 3 letter acronym. I don't endear my past as much as you endear the bitterness of yours.

The only Chiefs people know about now are from Indian tribes--I guess I can't wear  the coveted "ex-Navy Chief" cap now that I am retired though.

I'll say please one more time.......Please quit stepping on military service and those who are proud of what they accomplished.

I like the responsibility and accountability and I really love being able to make decisions or do stuff that helps make the department and hopefully the site a better operating organization.

Mike

Well said Broadzilla.

Whenever you do test the waters again, good luck.  I hope you will be content with your endeavors.

Best of luck to you in whatever you do.

[Rad Sponge]

Please bring this thread back on topic.

We are discussing the pros and cons of nuclear supervision in regards to pay, hours, etc.

[S3GLMS]

     I took a position as a first line maintenance supervisor at TVA when I left the Navy.  What I read from most of the previous threads covers almost all of the good and bad for the job.  The heart of the matter is that you will be making a lot of important decisions right away about how to keep the plant online, Tech specs and LCO's.  You will also need to learn how to work with your team and earn their respect.  As a supervisior in a commercial plant a lot of the trades are die hard union and they frown upon salary staff (apparently a lot of pevious bad history).  The only way to get them to really work with you is to prove you respect their work and show knowledge and flexibility in getting them through their schedules.  This means a lot of sacrifice for the supervisor to earn points with the crew. 
     This being said if you really want day shift work and are interested in reactive schedules and a lot of unpaid overtime when the equipment is not performing than you should be able to handle it.  You will only make about 70% of what the SRO's and Shift managers make so understand your not going to be at the top of the heap for bonuses either.  You will have the opportunity to do other salary jobs at some point in your career which may interest you and that is what I saw for most of my time in Maintenance.  The only long serving frontline supervisors were former technicians trying to complete their last years of service at a higher base pay rate for a better retirement package.  One thing that you can not control will be the nature of the union issues in the plant and the number of senior salary manager changes that will occur and they all can make your life difficult.
     If you do well at the job people will treat you with respect and will try to help you get your job done, especially in the control room when you need to get hold orders hung and work packages reviewed.  It definitely is not an 8-4 punch the clock type of job.

[DSO]

How was the 2nd Line Supervisor's job in comparison--same reactiveness etc??

[S3GLMS]

     I was the maintenance shop coordinator/manager ( second Line supervisor) my last year in maintenance.  The major difference in the job is the amount of time spent preparing work schedules for daily work as well as the outage scope planning.  You attend the 13 week schedule planning meetings and develop the work scope for your area of maintenance.  You would get to fill in for the maintenance manger when they are on vacation and perform senior management roles.  You are held responsible for the overall daily and monthly work completion performance and budget.  You would spend a lot more time on personnel issues such as the staff evaluations and the union grievances. 
     As a salary maintenance person with some experience I was also a member of the Site emergency team in the TSC for Instrumentation issues.  This was a 1 week on and 3 week off assignment.  No alchohol allowed during that week, and must be able to report to site within 45 minutes at all times of the week.  With other staff members taking vacations or taking other positions in the company would sometimes for a month in a row lock you into an emergency response position and you could not do anything but put up with it because there was no one else qualified to fill the slot.
     One of the other salary shop managers was offered SRO certification training and if I had stayed I would have eventually been offered the same training.  So over all, if you can work through the first line experience and prove yourself then you may find the job a really good career path to something you never even thought was possible.  Just be prepared to make the sacrifices that the management asks you to perform and you will become valuable to their success, and they will recognize you.  As a maintnence person in a commercial plant I felt it was a third rate status.  Everyone treated me like a technician not as an engineer or a valued leader, just a task master for the plant.  It takes a lot of time and hard work to change those impressions in a commercial plant.  Overall, it is a good job and it is a tough job as far as stress level is concerned, it is just not for everyone.  If you like a challenge then you are on the right track, especially in a dual unit plant with refuel outages every 9 months. I hope this gives you more insight.

[rwendell]

I've been trying to find what to expect as a maintenance supervisor, so if I get a job offer, I will know what to work toward.  I'm trying to get on at Brown's Ferry, and can't find the salary for similar positions anywhere. 

Also, if there is anyone who is in this position, can I get some info about the job to help me make a decision if I even want it?

[Fermi2]

There's actually a thread about Maintenance Supervisors that already answers your question. Given you want to be a supervisor I bet it'd be a great research project to find the thread similar to projects you'd be expected to do at BFN.

Mike

[S3GLMS]

     I can give you some idea based on my experience as a maintenance supervisor for TVA.  The Maintenance supervisor pay was based in 3 areas Electrical, Mechanical and Instrumentation.  The average for a general foreman (PG-7) was in the 65 to 75K per year range.  Now the initial offer was typically low range based on previous experience and education level.  The top of the scale was around 92K per year but that required several years of experience and taking on additional requirements such as completing INPO certification as a nuclear maintenance supervisor and certain management training courses as well as progressive skill development as a manager.  I initially interviewed to be a mechanical supervisor, as I was an MM in the Navy, but they needed an instrument supervisor and it payed more starting salary.  I had some electrical design classes in college so I was not clueless, and I had done basic switch and trip pont cals as an EWS.  I stayed with them for about three years and progressed to the I&C Shop manager role as well as filling in for the site maintenance manager whenever he was out of office.  There were corporate bonuses at year end and they were about 4% to 8% of my salary each year provided all of the goals had been met.  I also received a salary increase( 12K raise) to near top of range after 2 years.  This information is several years old now but it should be relatively accurate.  Expect a low offer initially but you will be compensated to the normal band quickly if you prove your worth.  They have a really heavy union issue there and it makes it hard to meet some of the efficiency goals so don't let that get in the way of trying to get a good job.

[KilroyUSN]

I have about 4 years left in the navy, I have my Bachelors Degree in Nuclear Engineering.
I am currently and have been for a few patrols now, the Work Center Supervisor for Electical Division as well as the 3M Assistant for Engineering Department.
I really enjoy scheduling maintenance and making sure the paperwork aspect and the physical aspect are completed on time and the right way all the time.
I would love to get out of the navy and do the same line of work but have no idea what it would roughly pay, or even what they label it as in a civilian plant.
I am not a big fan of standing watch dont really like the idea of shift work but obviously those can be changed depending on if I like my job.
I will have 9 years in the navy when I get out, if anyone has any idea what job(s) I should be looking at and any information on how the job works in the civilian world and roughly how much it pays, and also anything I should make sure I get done prior to getting out of the navy. I would be forever gratefull.
Thank you.
EM2(SS) Zachary Collver

[ddklbl]

     I can give you some idea based on my experience as a maintenance supervisor for TVA.  The Maintenance supervisor pay was based in 3 areas Electrical, Mechanical and Instrumentation.  The average for a general foreman (PG-7) was in the 65 to 75K per year range.  Now the initial offer was typically low range based on previous experience and education level.  The top of the scale was around 92K per year but that required several years of experience and taking on additional requirements such as completing INPO certification as a nuclear maintenance supervisor and certain management training courses as well as progressive skill development as a manager.  I initially interviewed to be a mechanical supervisor, as I was an MM in the Navy, but they needed an instrument supervisor and it payed more starting salary.  I had some electrical design classes in college so I was not clueless, and I had done basic switch and trip pont cals as an EWS.  I stayed with them for about three years and progressed to the I&C Shop manager role as well as filling in for the site maintenance manager whenever he was out of office.  There were corporate bonuses at year end and they were about 4% to 8% of my salary each year provided all of the goals had been met.  I also received a salary increase( 12K raise) to near top of range after 2 years.  This information is several years old now but it should be relatively accurate.  Expect a low offer initially but you will be compensated to the normal band quickly if you prove your worth.  They have a really heavy union issue there and it makes it hard to meet some of the efficiency goals so don't let that get in the way of trying to get a good job.

This is a relatively decent post in another thread.  Read through the rest of it here.  Any more specific, different questions, I am sure someone can chime in.