Robert48,
Like so many "prestigious" jobs...ie those that pay the BIG MONEY (whether it is welding or any other profession)...it's more of being in the right place at the right time, or who you know. I haven't work nuke since 1984 and have been told you have to have recent nuke experience, documentable within the last 12 months. The infamous double edge sword!
Savanna, PA., Surrey, VA. and Diablo Canyon (SanLouis Obispo, CA) are starting or already in progress for their Fall Outages. You can get on RoadTechs website, research the contractors involved and go from there.
My experience in "Hot Nuclear" work is not for the faint of heart. YES! it is true, you spend very little time in the containment area. Most time is spent planning/prepping, staging and changing clothes in to Anti-Contamination Suits. Then the real horror begins. It would take many minutes to screw yourself into some ungodly twisted mess of iron in a 120F environment. Not able to even wipe the sweat from your eyes and then set up a mirror to make a weld 5 inches behind the left ear! Talk about fire in the hole!
That being said, it does give one a dubious sense of self worth and accomplishment knowing few would attempt and even fewer could make the grade.
Yes there are opportunities for structural welders in the nukes, and like everything else in the nuke, the workmanship is made to the highest of standards. And NO, not all the work is under such adverse circumstances. If it is easy, clean and readily accessible, the plant maitenance crew will take care of that.
It is a close knit group and will take some effort or sheer luck to slide in to a nuclear project.
Of course there are "supposedly" about 6 new nukes being built, even now as we speak. They are breaking ground right now in a town near you!
Best of luck to you in your endeavors.
John
ps. No, spelling is not mandatory. I tell the newbies starting out..."All the readin, ritin and rithmaticin a welder needs to know is where to sign the application. You're hired from the shoulder to the holder!"