Experts give your tips for recent graduates

[The Prince]

Hi there ,

I am a recent graduate from nuclear engineering and I need some tips from nuclear experts :

Should I start looking for a job or pursuing a master degree? and what about getting MBA?
What is the most promising research area one should get involved to increase my job opportunities in nuclear industry ?
What do you think about studying Health physics or biomedical imaging ?
What is the most important required skill in nuclear industry?
What are the best paid states for nuclear engineers in US?

Thanks for your cooperation

 

[laxsu19]

Should I start looking for a job or pursuing a master degree? and what about getting MBA?

It depends what you want to do. To work supporting the currently operating power reactors, I'd recommend looking for a job first off. The company will likely have a way to educate you further if you or they desire so.

If you want to do research at a national lab, then you likely need to get a Masters first.

An MBA will only be of use to you if you want to be more of an engineer manager as opposed to an engineer (do you want to keep working with the technical details, or to deal more with people and money?)

What is the most promising research area one should get involved to increase my job opportunities in nuclear industry ?

Honestly, the material condition of the plants seems to be a hot topic now-a-days - so maybe studying the properties of reactor materials under irradiation would be a way to go. In the end, whatever you want to study you can, for all fission-based areas there seem to be plenty of jobs.

What do you think about studying Health physics or biomedical imaging ?

Very useful fields, but that is an area I have no idea what the demand is like. I suppose a benefit is that you can work wherever there is a nice hospital.

What is the most important required skill in nuclear industry?

Is technical competence considered a skill? If so, that. Otherwise it depends highly on the exact job position you are looking in to.
Maybe my final answer is inquisitiveness.

What are the best paid states for nuclear engineers in US?

I've only worked in one, and will leave this up to others.

 

[DR13]

What are the best paid states for nuclear engineers in US?

Check out http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes172161.htm"to the bureau of labor statistics info page on nuclear engineering