anyone ever done any work in a nuclear facility?

[redcoupe]

looking for tips or stories on what to expect when applying to a nuclear facility for a welding/ maintenance job? anyone have any ideas on how to get signed on. i have just about done it all as far as welding, manufacturing, and fabrication. i have heard that nuclear work is the top of the welding food chain and just want to see if im wasting my time or if it is something i can do until retirement. thanks guys...

[obewan]

I worked for one of the Navy reactor core builders for 9 years.

It really IS top-flight work. Clean, safe, and very very interesting. And the pay is top flight too. Way back in 1983 they paid nearly every hourly shop employee a base rate of around $18 or $19 an hour - non-union. They made more than me, and I was a welding engineer. One guy in the shop even made more with overtime than the president of the company. The president went out to the shop to inform him and shake his hand. (He was a journeyman machinist and worked on million dollar parts.)

If it requires a security clearance, the best way to get in is clean living. No drugs or serious traffic tickets for starters. It takes at least 3 months to get the clearance, depending on the type of clearance.

I had a higher clearance since I was cleared to be around weapons grade uranium in its raw material form. Just to go in a commercial plant may be possible with a lower clearance. Some people waited a year or more and then failed their background check.

One of my co-workers had a son that had smoked pot. When it was time for him to re-cert his clearance, the FBI was all over me asking me what I knew. Apparently, they were paranoid about him being blackmailed by the KJB or something like that.

One woman lived with a female roommate and they were on her for the same reason. They said she could be accused of being a lesbian and blackmailed by the KGB. Now we don't have the same worries about the KGB at least. (And, she was straight BTW.)

[redcoupe]

thanks for the info obewan....18-19 bucks an hour in '83 was alot i would say....anyone else got any stories....still dont know anything about how to get my resume in thier hands....all 3 nuclear plants around my area are owned by duke energy....

[delwelds]

redcoupe, I've been working at Oconee, McGuire and Catawba for the last two years. you really need to get a hold of Angie Green with DZ atlantic. If you go to workatlantic.com and get the 800 number, call it and ask to speak with Angie. It's good work, easiest money you can make in welding. duke's outages have been good for the last 2 years, they have had 5 each year. Next year it is slowing down, only 3 scheduled. Good luck, hope this helps.

[redcoupe]

redcoupe, I've been working at Oconee, McGuire and Catawba for the last two years. you really need to get a hold of Angie Green with DZ atlantic. If you go to workatlantic.com and get the 800 number, call it and ask to speak with Angie. It's good work, easiest money you can make in welding. duke's outages have been good for the last 2 years, they have had 5 each year. Next year it is slowing down, only 3 scheduled. Good luck, hope this helps.

Wow thanks for the info.....that really really helps...i have personally been on catawbas grounds but not inside the plant...the company i was working for was doing some guardrail installation and i had to do some field welding on a piece of equipment....they searched every box on the truck and when i saw guys coming out of the woods next to the gate with M4 assault rifles i knew it was a post 911 world.....again thanks for the info....

[bigwhitebeast]

Go to the websites for the company and watch for job postings, Duke lists all of their openings on their site. From the website you can submit a resume even if there isn't a posting. obewan is right though, the security clearance is long even at the commercial facilities ever since 911

[billsss]

As obewan stated it is great work. I have worked civilian Nuclear for over 20 years. I was in the Submarine force prior to that. I am now the Union Business Manager for 2 Nuclear Plants. Good money and the work is not that physical. At times it is very intense with radiation suits and sweating like a whore in church but overall you'll be surprised at the pace. The most important thing is to follow the rules and procedures.....PERIOD! The priority is Nuclear safety, Personal safety then and only then schedule and work completion. This makes alot of *** time. When it's your turn and the ducks are lined up however it is assholes and elbows. After working in shipyards, coal plants and paper plants, Nuclear was a welcome respite. It's clean and orderly and they tell you how they want everything done. Do it their way don't take shortcuts and you'll enjoy it. The only real downside if there is one is the outages are getting shorter and shorter, so it is getting harder to keep working. They are going to start building some new plants all over so there should be more work coming.