Nuclear Engineer - job description

[aid]

Hi there,

I've been wondering for some time what the nuclear engineer job exactly looks like.

I am particulary interested in one question: is there a place in the field of nuclear engineering for guys who would rather do the math and equations than build anything? Are there jobs for power engineers that require little or no practical work at all (and by practical I mean involving, e.g., designing and building stuff as opposed to, e.g., proposing theoretical models)?

Hope you won't find the question silly; I would be very grateful for any answers.

[Astronuc]

Hi there,

I've been wondering for some time what the nuclear engineer job exactly looks like.

I am particulary interested in one question: is there a place in the field of nuclear engineering for guys who would rather do the math and equations than build anything? Are there jobs for power engineers that require little or no practical work at all (and by practical I mean involving, e.g., designing and building stuff as opposed to, e.g., proposing theoretical models)?

Hope you won't find the question silly; I would be very grateful for any answers. Basically computational physics/mechanics or multiphysics simulation involves a lot of computational work or analysis, but essentially no design work. One can find plenty of opportunity in those areas. The people who develop the computational methods, e.g., core design (neutronics or reactor physics) codes, thermal hydraulics codes, including CFD, for core and primary/secondary circuits, and thermo-mechanical (FEA) codes for various components and systems do mostly model development and numerical analysis.

See - http://rpd.ans.org/ and http://thd.ans.org/

http://www.studsvikscandpower.com/
http://www.csai.com/

or see the vendor sites for AREVA, Westinghouse, GEH/GNF, Mitsubishi, Toshiba, . . .

[jim hardy]

Utilities need a small number of analytical types in the central office to interface with analytical types from NRC and fuel suppliers.

I was a power plant guy.
If you are the hands-on type who changes his own oil and sparkplugs you would like plant work.


old jim