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hunter1

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Hello everyone

My name is Hunter and would like to learn more about the PE pursuit. I am a test engineer for a sub-business unit of Fluke that specializes in radiation detection equipment for nuclear power plants. I've been in this role for 2 years, and I graduated with a bachelors in nuke from the University of Florida (Go Gators).

I ultimately want to get into contract engineering work / run my own show in ANY technological or engineering industry. Like I said, I am interested in obtaining a PE. The type of PE that would be relevant to my current job would be nuclear and maybe civil/mechanical. I do a lot of qualification testing and calibrations for our systems. EMI/RFI, seismic, environmental, that sort of thing. I could utilize a civil/mechanical PE for the seismic qualification portion of my work. A nuclear PE would be all around useful as that is the industry we work in. I do not work with anyone in my building (solon, oh) who has a PE in either of the mentioned fields. The Fluke mothership is in Everett, Washington. I have yet to contact anyone there for a reference. I passed the FE other disciplines exam in 2014.

Any advice or suggestions are welcome for this noob.

In the small amount of spare time I have I like to read eat and work out. Go Cavs, Go Gators, screw Ohio State

I look forward to meeting like minded people on here

Hunter 

 
Welcome, Hunter!

It sounds like you have some interesting background experience. I'm probably not the best person to give you advice, but it sounds like a mechanical PE might be of use to you. I feel like that's where the testing and calibrations fits the best. Nuclear also makes sense, but I am not really familiar with what having a nuclear engineering PE license will do for you (I work in structures). Otherwise, civil might work if you're doing heavy civil infrastructure projects and working with utility infrastructure and the like.

Have you looked into what the Ohio Board's requirements are to obtain a PE license?

Also, what do you mean by "seismic qualification portion" of your work?

Otherwise, welcome to the board!

 
Thanks! 

I don't know what a Nuclear PE would allow me to do exactly (i think they can sign off on reactor designs in companies like Westinghouse), but it would offer a level of professionalism/legitimacy to our small group if I could sign off on isotopic calibrations or MCNP models. I agree, a mechanical would be useful. Typically the customer (a nuke plant) gives us a spec and we have to qualify the equipment per that spec. For example, "safety-related" systems usually need seismic, environmental, and EMI/RFI qualification testing prior to installation. They would provide the details, such as the response spectra for seismic qualification, and we would take the equipment to a facility with a shake table and shake it to those specs. The equipment has to function properly and the accelerations experienced during testing must envelope the accelerations specified by the plant.

I have looked into the board's requirements:

  • I need 5 referrals, 3 of which must be from PE's who are "familiar with my work."
  • 4 years of experience under the direct supervision of a PE registered in the US 
  • pass FE exam
  • Bachelors Degree
My concern is getting experience that will count towards the four years since I have no interactions with a PE.

Hunter

 
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