i know Penn State does something where they hire RO/SROs part time, while they attend school...my question is..does nc state do the same, and if so..do i have to major in nuclear engineering in order to do this? reason i ask is i would like to possibly major in civil engineering or electrical engineering but i have been a RO/SRO for over a year now...and by the time i get to attend NC state, it will be well over that amount of time...

any help would appreciated, i tried googling it, but it just told me about the plant...

10/12/2009 3:06:14 PM

I had several friends who worked as RO/SRO's at the on-campus reactor as state students.

As long as you are certified, you should be able to do it. Just go over to the reactor and ask what you need to do.

10/12/2009 3:14:38 PM

i live in norfolk va right now...but that is good to know that they hire students...but were they all Nuclear engineering majors?

10/12/2009 3:18:57 PM

they were, but they were also all RO/SRO's. I think as long as you are certified and a state student, you can at least get a work study there.

Actually, you should be able to call the department and ask too. It's pretty small, should be easy to get a definitive answer

10/12/2009 3:21:11 PM

sweet thanks

10/12/2009 3:40:34 PM

agree with Noen. I got my BS (literally) in N.E. at state, and two of my classmates were ROs/SROs on a PT basis.

but with any job, like Noen said, if you have your cert, you shouldn't have a problem becoming one

10/12/2009 5:04:20 PM

What is a RO/SRO? Reactor Operator?

I was told by someone in Nuclear that there is a class that any engineering student can take to become certified to operate the reactor, and following that you can take paid shifts doing just that.

10/12/2009 5:30:38 PM

^ne 235?

10/12/2009 5:42:34 PM

Quote :

"NE 235 Nuclear Reactor Operations Training UNITS: 2 - Offered in Fall Principles of nuclear reactor operations. Lectures to cover basic nuclear engineering theory pertaining to fission reactor operations; laboratory sessions to provide hands on training with the PULSTAR nuclear reactor including facility pre-startup checks, approach to criticality, steady state operations, and measurement of various operating parameters. Qualified students may opt to enter training and study for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission exam to become federally licensed nuclear Reactor Operators. Does not count towards NE graduation requirements"

10/12/2009 6:36:01 PM

It's pronounced Nook-u-ler.

10/12/2009 7:20:04 PM

so im curious, these "qaulified" students...where do they get qaulified? i am a navy RO/SRO...

Quote :

"What is a RO/SRO? Reactor Operator?"

RO- Reactor Operator
SRO- Senior Rx Operator, Shutdown Rx Operator

that course description sounds so basic...and easy...i wonder how much it pays...i hearrd PSU pays 20-35 hr...im excited...

10/12/2009 10:29:16 PM

^ Operating a nuke reactor just requires you to memorize and know everything you'll need to do in case of an "oh shit" event, and everything you should be doing to prevent an "oh shit" event from happening in the first place.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're only becoming qualified for our little thermal reactor system we have at NCSU right? If you wanted to go operate another reactor you'd have to become certified for that reactor?

[Edited on October 12, 2009 at 10:41 PM. Reason : Wait. Dude you probably work where I work. Nvmd. I've been drinking, not paying attn.]

10/12/2009 10:34:42 PM

that is very true...CMR-Cram, Memorize, Reguritate!

operational excellence is drilled in my head everyday..ha

yes, i figured im qaulifed to operate a A4W, it shouldnt be too hard to go operate your 2 MW? rx..

its not like you actually experiance many transients, its all steady state ops

i really would just like to do that part time where i atleast know that i would be fine...and if all else fails and civil engineering/EE doesnt work out..theres always Sharon Harris..

10/12/2009 10:40:50 PM

Oh yeah, I heard dominion power hires nuke reactor operators/shift test engineers/people qualified to operate a nuclear reactor and pays them a decent chunk of $texas. Have you considered contacting them?

Yeah I was in a 2 month training program for going into a program where I'd become a Shift Test Engineer. I decided I wasn't interested in doing that because I wanted to not be stressed to death by work, haha.

10/12/2009 10:43:31 PM

yea i have considerd becoming a STE also, but they really hate their job...shiftwork and dealing with alot of bs...

i really want to have that be a last resort, nuclear power that is...i have been in it 5 years now, and i really dont enjoy it all that much...im about to finish a degree in nuclear engineering technoloy(gay and basic i know, but its the quickest i could get)..i just want to do CE/EE so i can have more options and use my nuclear background to make me look better than most 4 yr just out of college kids...

10/12/2009 10:48:36 PM

I will tell you to consider avoiding CE right now. That's my major. There's a reason I work for the government as an equipment engineer now.

Don't get me wrong, the job's cool, but it is not where I saw myself. I had to shift my career plans to work here. The economy for CE's was imploded when I was looking, and it'll take the industry some time to reabsorb all the recently fired and recently graduated folks out on the market. I'd say EE's have slightly better chances at employment than we do. I guess four years from now a CE might be in a good spot, though.

I'd definitely say that having a job working to "manage" that reactor would probably be sweet as hell to have while working as a college student. Stuff here in Portsmouth/Norfolk costs too much and I really miss Raleigh's low cost of living.

10/12/2009 11:06:15 PM

Quote :

"SRO- Senior Rx Operator, Shutdown Rx Operator"

You are not what civilian plants would consider an SRO.

Civilian SRO is much closer to EOOW or Shift Engineer.

10/13/2009 8:58:39 AM

Quote :

"You are not what civilian plants would consider an SRO. Civilian SRO is much closer to EOOW or Shift Engineer."

yea i know, just saying what SRO means in the different places...

Mindstorm, i understand completely...i live in Chesapeake, VA right now and i used to live in Virginia Beach, VA...i can not wait to get back to NC...

10/13/2009 5:32:10 PM