Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

navsea.navy.mil

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 57 posts

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#21

Post by seanmcdirmid »

rdtsc wrote: post #13

In general how much does being in the Navy and working on Nuclear Powered vessels help with getting a job as a civilian Nuclear Engineer say at a power plant? I would imagine a full Engineering degree would be required, or is there some fast tracking option specifically geared for ex-Navy operators?

My dad was in the industry for ~35 years, but he wasn't a nuke. In the late 70s it was easy enough to get in with a 2 year degree (which is what he had), now an engineering degree is required. Many of my dad's coworkers were from the Navy, though at least one was a Seal rather than a nuke.

From what I got from him, its not like many people are clamoring for these jobs, or have the necessary credentials. It seems like anyone who could do them could get a job as a civilian nuclear engineer. The problem with working in nuclear is that...they only put nuclear power plants in fairly bad locations (NIMBY is a big problem), so you are either stuck with a very long commute or are living in a rural area.

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#22

Post by metaphor »

labrador wrote: post #8
CalChris wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. After A school, you will still have to qualify on the boat.

The nuke track is: After A school (Electrician, Electronic, or Mechanical) you go to Naval Nuclear Power School. From there you go to land-based prototype training on an actual reactor. From there you go to a boat to try to qualify.

I stand corrected: the type that's quickly forgotten after qualifying on a boat.

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#23

Post by ayb »

labrador wrote: post #5

These are not the materials we studied at Naval Nuclear Power School in the 80's, which were considerably greater in depth (6 mo course)

This stuff just scratches the surface. They wouldn't post official training materials that went in depth on how ship specific systems work (even for older systems that may no longer be in use).

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#24

Post by lithos »

JumpCrisscross wrote: post #9

What are the pre-requisite knowledge requirements?

Usually something above 90 on the ASVAB, with exceptions for people who score 80s but take a special math and physics test.

ASVAB grading isn't a fixed scoring system. If you score s 90 it means you beat 90% of the people who took the test. Which means that 99 is the max score. The question pool is also massive usually starting at Jr High difficulty questions ramping up to college and down to kindergarten depending on which questions you get right. Testing Math/science/reading for your primary grade with secondary grades for things like mechanics, table reading, and similar which can be used to qualify you for some other jobs or similar.

-----

Nukes are great for employers that know to target them when they get out. The whole program could be considered a trial by fire. Training starts with 3-4 years of college shoved into a year and a half. Actual work is a constant fight between being undermanned, leadership, continuous training/testing, responsibilities above their rank and red tape.

Got out after 6 years as a nuke.

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#25

Post by lithos »

metaphor wrote: post #22
labrador wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The nuke track is: After A school (Electrician, Electronic, or Mechanical) you go to Naval Nuclear Power School. From there you go to land-based prototype training on an actual reactor. From there you go to a boat to try to qualify.

I stand corrected: the type that's quickly forgotten after qualifying on a boat .

If you forget it, it'll come back to haunt you. Nukes are constantly being tested and requalifying. The NAVY does an outstanding job of punishing a nuke that does horribly at either of those.

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#26

Post by gaius »

jonwachob91 wrote: post #18
rdtsc wrote: post #13

In general how much does being in the Navy and working on Nuclear Powered vessels help with getting a job as a civilian Nuclear Engineer say at a power plant? I would imagine a full Engineering degree would be required, or is there some fast tracking option specifically geared for ex-Navy operators?

My understanding is not much as an enlistee (unless you put in 20+ years and bust your ass on your own time), but you will be a nuclear engineer at the end of training if you are an officer. But I do think a fair number of nuclear engineers and operators are veterans. The training is too expensive for most organizations to train individuals, and the ones that can train you don't have the resources that the navy has f…

I guess when you are in a SSBN on patrol, you have plenty of time for study!

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#27

Post by nwatson »

I considered the nuclear navy program in 1986/1987 as a college junior, looked like an interesting opportunity. There were 3 tracks (not the official terms):

    + nuclear operator on a ship or submarine
    + nuclear school instructor
    + naval nuclear reactor program manager
I qualified for the "naval nuclear reactor program manager" and went to San Diego to tour a nuclear submarine, then a few months later flew to DC. The local university recruiter accompanied me both times. Nobody told me much what the "naval nuclear reactor program manager" work involved because they really didn't know and couldn't say. I finally had a chance in DC to talk to someone who actually did the work, and the fit didn't seem quite right at the time -- I'd be traveling a lot to GE, Westinghouse, etc., and reviewing designs, change management, etc., -- not a lot of original work. The few days before the meeting I'd been wavering every hour or so. Had they caught me a few minutes before or after, who knows, I might have decided differently. I felt sorry for the recruiter.

Of course, I was naïve at the time -- nobody, especially in nuclear, starts off with original work.

I count that as one of the four or five big forks in my own "destiny".

edit: the naïve part.

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#29

Post by omilu »

lithos wrote: post #24
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #9

What are the pre-requisite knowledge requirements?

Usually something above 90 on the ASVAB, with exceptions for people who score 80s but take a special math and physics test. ASVAB grading isn't a fixed scoring system. If you score s 90 it means you beat 90% of the people who took the test. Which means that 99 is the max score. The question pool is also massive usually starting at Jr High difficulty questions ramping up to college and down to kindergarten depending o…

>>responsibilities above their rank

Yep do a task once, superiors start presenting you as the expert. I always hated that.

Re: US Navy Nuclear Power School Study Materials

#30

Post by mng2 »

rdtsc wrote: post #13

In general how much does being in the Navy and working on Nuclear Powered vessels help with getting a job as a civilian Nuclear Engineer say at a power plant? I would imagine a full Engineering degree would be required, or is there some fast tracking option specifically geared for ex-Navy operators?

My friend at work is a former Navy Nuke and this came up the other day. He said that he felt a little misled coming out of the service since only a small fraction of his credits were eligible to transfer to a NucE degree program, due to it not being "calculus based". (He is a EE now.) It sounds like one could get into a NucE Tech position fairly readily though.
Post reply on HN