Nuclear Engineering Career Options

[jack b]

Hi All
First post, so: Hi

I'm in the final year of a MPhys Physics degree at St Andrews Uni, and I expect to do pretty well. I've been thinking about going in for the nuclear industy beacuse I'm a bit of an idealist, and I really think nuclear power will help the UK. The problem is that my MPhys does not include much engineering - only physics.

So I have a few questions for people:

1. How easy/possible is it for a physicist to become a nuclear engineer? Will I have to learn a lot of new engineering stuff, or will I be able to find a niche where the work is more physics-orientated? Has anyone on here done it?

2. What's the best way to go about it. Is the industry looking for Masters or PhDs? TBH I'm likley to do a PhD anyway.

3. If a PhD is advisable, what sort of thing is good? Does anyone know of companies in the nuclear industry who might sponsor such a PhD? As an avid mountaineer, I'd like to find a place in scotland, but that might be asking a bit much (especially with the SNP about).


Thanks in advance for your time.
Jack

 

[T0nyStark]

Hi, I'm going to be a UC Berkeley Student in Fall 2009 as a NucE major. I chose NucE because of my affinity for nuclear physics, technology, and all that and feel that it would be a great career choice if the industry takes off. However, if the industry doesn't take off, I'm worried that my career choices will be limited. Will I be screwed in the job market if the Nuclear industry doesn't take off or am I worried for nothing? What if I split up my technical electives between NucE and MechE/EE classes... is it possible for me to be hired in these fields with a NucE degree if I'm competent enough or will the lack of the MechE or EE degree hurt my chances. Switching majors at Cal is kinda tough so if I might not be able to switch majors entirely to MechE or EE. Please assuage my worries if you can. Any NucE's want to offer insight for me? Thanks a lot.

 

[paul143]

Need career guidance! Nuclear Engineering..or??

Hi everyone!

I just graduated from an undergraduate degree in physics...and now I'm stumped as to what i should be doing next. I'm thinking of working at a local company for a year then proceed to taking higher degree courses. As of now, I live in the 3rd World country called the Philippines which is suffering the worst Electricity-Shortage problem in our history...If only we had 300MW more of power..oh yeah! there was this one nuclear powerplant that was constructed many years back but was not put into operation because of fears (unbased fears).

That is why I thought I would pursue a Master's degree in Nuclear Engineering in the future. Of course we don't have that kind advanced course here in our country, that is why i prefer to study somewhere abroad. I have this extended family in the city of Melbourne, Australia...that is why I would like to ask if is there anyone around here that has an idea if there are competent universities that offer such a course as above? By the way, I do not come from such a well-off family and would prefer that the university I enroll in would offer scholarships. In terms of academic background, I could say I am not that much lacking. I graduated Magna Cum Laude and have a couple of extra-curricular awards and activities.

On the other hand, I predict that solar technology would become our primary source of energy in the future. So I also thought that if not Nuclear, let's go solar! So which do you thing would be better than both? What Master's Degree should I take if I wanted to be an credible expert (redundant yes?) in Solar technology? Are there any known universities in Australia that offer such a course?

Any help will be very much appreciated!

 

[RedTape2]

career guidance ! HELP! (from nuclear engineering)

Greetings every1...I am currently studying a 4 yr chemical and nuclear engineering (MEng) course in imperial college london and I need career guidance. I tried getting an internship in the nuclear industry here in the UK but sadly from what I've heard from my college internships in the UK only apply to locals ( and I'm not) , which kind of screwed me over. Right now I am confused and not sure where (grad school?,nuclear plants in asia?) I should apply to in order to gain more technical knowledge . The field I'm probably looking for is radiation detection , waste mngt or maybe reactor design but def NOT thermal hydraulics or computational things . So if any1 has any ideas where I should start after uni please write back , or else I'll up in boring life in banking T T .

 

[CodyEdwards]

Hello, I am currently attending UTK and studying in their nuclear engineering program. I think this is a great program of study that will pay off well, even with just a bachelors degree. However I am really interested in astrophysics. Job market in astrophysics is a little riskier than the engineering side I beleive. So my question is would it make since to get a bachelors in nuclear engineering and then masters and PHD astrophysics. Does this make since or should I just skip nuclear and head straight towards astro bachelor or forget astrophysics altogether? Also, what would I do with a astrophysics degree? Any and all opinions or advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Cody

 

[Criticality]

Hello everyone. this is my first post since I've joined the forums.
Ever since i was younger (age 14ish) I've always been fascinated with sciences. especially nuclear sciences. I would sit for hours with encyclopedias reading about elements on the periodic table, chemistry of the elements. radiation, etc. I am starting classes this coming fall at a community college near me, and I am very interested in the way reactors work, interaction of radiation on matter, neutron activation of other elements. what causes a heavy nuclei to fission, why most fissile isotopes are odd numbered such as U-235 Pu239, the decay chains of isotopes. the types of radiation released. etc etc. So i was wondering if i could get the communitys input on what areas of study to look into, and the jobs i could go into with it.

also i have a question about the neutron capture of U238.(bear with me if it sounds stupid, again I have no PHD and I have barely started college)

In reactor grade uranium there's an enriched mix of U238 and U235. and during the reactors operation there's a lot of neutrons released by the fissioning of the U235 to sustain a chain reaction, and U238 captures the slowed thermal neutrons from the chain reaction creating u239 which beta decays to Np239 then to Pu239. so the fertile u238 is turned into fissile Pu239 which can then be processed into more fuel for a reactor or purified lessening the spontaneous fission isotope Pu240 for weapons grade plutonium.

I was wondering if a optimally mixed alloy of U238 and a neutron reflector such as beryllium or tungsten carbide, in an optimum arrangement for higher neutron capture by the u238.

-the resulting mixture would produce a quantity of pu239 in low amounts?
-since the u238 has a long half-life and thus is decaying and releasing less alpha particles and thus less neutrons are being produced. it would take millions of years for any measurable mass of Pu239 to be created correct?

 

[dannyboy4]

Hey everyone,

I'm currently going into my second year of psychology, and I was thinking about picking up the first year physics and calculus courses to take a double major in psych and physics. Anyways, my end goal will likely have something to do with space or nuclear fusion (admittedly, scifi movies sometimes get me thinking "I would love to do that").

My question: after graduating with a B.Sc. in psych and physics, are there any graduate level programs in aerospace/space physics or engineering that I would be able to take, or would I be best to go on with a masters in nuclear engineering?

Edit: I probably should have posted this to academic guidance

Thanks for the help!

-Dan

 

[sliebsch]

I'm about to graduate with a BS in nuclear engineering. My GPA is 2.85. I have not had an internship or any work experience. Should I be trying to get an internship, or should I be trying to get a real job? Seems like experience is necessary to get most jobs, and it seems like most internships require that I be a student, which is weird because I should think that having the degree makes me more than qualified for an internship. I just need to get my foot in the door somewhere, and I'm not really sure how to go about it.