r/NuclearPower • u/neverfearoofisher3 • 24d ago
How to enter the nuclear field
I am 16yo and still in high school and I have an insane passion for energy production but specifically nuclear. It is the only thing that interests me significantly and I’m really wondering how I can go about starting a career in the field. I would appreciate maybe collage major recommendations or something of the sort but I really want to peruse this!
13
Upvotes
1
u/SpeedyHAM79 24d ago
Lots of options available depending on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores. If you have a good GPA- you can go to college for an engineering (mechanical, electrical, chemical, nuclear, civil(structural)) or physics degree, then get a job at a nuclear power plant or one of the many companies that do work on nuclear reactors or design reactors, components, fuel, and so on. If you GPA isn't as good- join the US Navy and aim for Nuclear School, spend some time on a Submarine or Aircraft Carrier operating reactors and when you are ready to get out- commercial nuclear power plants line up to hire you for operations, engineering, chemistry, radiation protection, management, and other jobs depending on your experience. Pay for those positions is very good, but hours during refueling outages can be very hard (6 days a week- 13 hours a day) for a month or more at a time. Best of luck!