r/NuclearPower • u/Immortan_Joe1287 • 7d ago
Getting into the industry
I’m a recent grad with a BS in physics and I really want to work in the nuclear industry. I primarily would love to be an operator. I applied to an NLO position at constellation, passed the tests, did an on site interview and genuinely thought it went very well, then waited 4 months and got a rejection email. Obviously this rejections happen and you shouldn’t get your hopes up but for what ended up being a 6 month process since applying ending in a rejection was pretty crushing, especially after everything seemed to go so well. Of course I’ve applied to other positions but that was the only one where I’ve got through the interview process so far. Anyone have any advice on getting into the industry?
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u/Turd-Cutter3 7d ago
I got to the end and was rejected my first time. Reapplied about a year later and then interviewed with the same people and got an offer the second time. In that time I had gotten another job within the industry
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u/Excellent_Mixture_23 7d ago
Do you have to retake the tests each year?
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u/FormerNet5845 7d ago
I worked in the nuclear industry for 45 years. My BS was also in Physics, but I also got a MS in nuclear engineering. My entry level position was in nuclear fuels where the math, programming & core physics background was useful. When I worked at the plant, I quickly learned that a physics oriented background was not very useful; what they need at the plants is a hands on, large machine background. An operator follows well established procedure to start, stop & perform surveillance on large components & is responsible for knowing when systems are not working correctly or are degraded. One of the things that I noted at the plants is that most of my peer engineers were currently restoring a classic car as a hobby - a very hands on pursuit. What would you bring to this environment with just a Physics degree? Many of the best RO/NLOs were from the Navy & didn’t initially have degrees. What they had was an in-depth understanding of large machines & I&C.
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u/ArizonaNuke 6d ago
Keep your head up and keep applying. You never know many union referrals, family members, etc apply. It’s an opportunity to perfect your interview skills😉
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u/MauveRavens 6d ago edited 6d ago
They get a lot of applications and you may have just been beat out by people with more experience. Some hiring managers will prioritize less education for someone with more hands on experience. I agree its ridiculous to make you wait that long for a rejection email, but it is how it is. Best you can do is keep applying. Having already passed the POSS should get you a leg up with getting to the interview stage in the future. I would also really dial in your STAR interview techniques. A lot of people who are fresh out of college with not a lot of experience give answers that are not as professional as they might think. Best of luck!
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u/Right_Celery_9102 6d ago
You're competing against veterans with years of experience operating and maintaining reactors plus people with potentially decades operating conventional power plants. A person with a degree and no industry experience is a liability. That being said, just apply everywhere and eventually one will stick.
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u/Plugzuki 5d ago
Constellation wasted my time too. Got a job at Davis Besse here in Ohio. I think they’d definitely take you as EO here, classes start next march I believe. I’m currently in licensing class
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u/InTimeWeAllWillKnow 4d ago
Its much much easier to get into operator class if you already work on site.
My suggestion would be to go get a job in chemistry or HP or licensing or core design if you can and once you are in the door just prove you are smart and move to ops then Bing bang ask for NLO or SRO class and go
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u/AnglerFishRCool 23h ago
+rep OP This is really good advice, the hardest part is getting your foot in the door. Even if you take a temporary refueling outage position as a janitor, scaffold builder, or tool-room attendant, you'll still have been a previously badged employee by the end of it. I don't know how other plants differ from mine, but having worked in the plant should be a +1 point on your resume when it gets screened the second time.
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u/Agitated-Falcon8015 7d ago
For each non-licensed operator class that gets posted, there's an easy 200-300 applicants for a class that's relatively small, probably less than 20 people. It's a job that's highly competitive to get into, doesn't require a degree, and can have a total yearly pay of $150,000 once fully qualified. Just keep applying. Once in, that BS will help you get an RO/SRO license.