Each fall, the MIT Nuclear Reactor Lab hires about five freshmen or sophomore students enrolled in local colleges in any major (you don't have to be in course 22!) who want to get trained and licensed to operate the MITR-II. The first year is spent training for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission licensing exam which is held onsite the following fall (passing the exam is required to operate the reactor). This is a paid position, not a UROP, and starts at $16 per hour. 

2024 Important at-a-glance deadlines and info:

• The deadline to apply for 2024 is 11:59pm on Sunday, October 13^th
• Decisions will be made by Friday, November 15^th (Applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis)
• This is a paid position (not a UROP) starting at $16/hour
• We have 5 to 7 openings for freshmen and sophomores
• You need to be available to work ~10 hours/week fall 2024 and spring 2025; 40 hours/week summer 2025
• Apply by uploading your cover letter, resume, and references to this Dropbox request

Position information:

Being a Student Operator at the NRL is an exciting opportunity where you'll play a crucial role in operating and maintaining our 6 MW research reactor. As a student reactor operator, you'll receive extensive training and have the chance to work with intricate systems that have a mix of analog and digital technology. Not only will you have the unique experience of operating a nuclear reactor, but you'll also have an intellectually stimulating, well-paying job on campus.

Student operators earn $16/hour (students get paid while training for their license) and enjoy a stable income until (or through) graduation. We're particularly interested in local college freshmen and sophomores who can commit to this role for multiple years. If you choose to advance, you can pursue a Senior Reactor Operator’s license, becoming a Shift Supervisor with an hourly wage increase of 25%.

You don't need a background in nuclear science or engineering to join us. We'll provide comprehensive training covering mechanical and instrumentation systems, nuclear science, operational procedures, radiation safety, and health physics.

When hired, student operators start with a year of training, which involves part-time hours (~10 hours/week) during school semesters and full-time work (40 hours/week) during the first summer. Subsequent IAPs and summers are optional to work up to 40 hours/week.

Once licensed, you'll typically support two shifts a week (~16 hours/week) with flexible scheduling around your classes. Whether it's during Nights (12am-8am), Days (8am-4pm), or Swings (4pm-12am), we'll work together to accommodate your availability.

Apply to Be a Student Operator

1. Send us your resume, cover letter, and three references through this Dropbox link by 11:59pm on Sunday, October 13th: 
   https://www.dropbox.com/request/ypmW0oUXjfJzHB1XkprC
   • Make sure to include the names, phone numbers, email addresses, and relationship to you for all of your references! Cover letters can be addressed to "NRL Hiring Committee." Make sure your name is on all documents or in the file name if uploading them separately
2. Expect an interview and a facility tour (if you haven't toured yet) -- you'll hear from someone at the lab when you submit your application
3. References are contacted after interviews
4. Our Training Supervisor will guide you through onboarding and set a training start date
5. The application deadline is Sunday, October 13th at 11:59pm with decisions made by Friday, November 15th,

We can arrange a Zoom call with a current student operator to share their experiences with you, email reactor-job@mit.edu to request to set one up. Email us with any questions you have about the position or application process, but please use the Dropbox link to apply.

About

The MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory employs and trains a select number of MIT and other local college students each year to become fully qualified NRC-licensed reactor operators. The training process involves gaining a broad and deep knowledge of the reactor systems and how they affect each other, and operation of the reactor. Trainees spend several months reading about the reactor systems and drawing components to help them understand how everything is connected. When the trainee has gained sufficient knowledge of the reactor they start to operate the reactor under direct supervision from the training supervisor. Trainees learn to operate the reactor by performing startups, shutdowns, power manipulations and control blade shuffles. Much like driving a vehicle, learning how quickly the reactor responds to control blade movement and temperature change can only gained by practice.

Once the trainee has demonstrated the ability to operate the reactor safely, including responding appropriately to abnormal conditions, the trainee applies for their license. The license exam is conducted over two days by an NRC examiner and includes a multiple-choice written exam, an interview, a tour of the reactor and a reactor startup. If the trainee passes the exam then they become a licensed Reactor Operator (RO). This license only allows the holder to operate the MIT reactor. If the operator moves to a different reactor, they must become relicensed for that specific plant. For that reason, we do not offer any operator training for those who are not employed at our facility.

Top left: Identifying core components; Top right: Practicing startup-up checks; Bottom left: Practicing a reactor startup; Bottom right: Tracing the cooling systems in the equipment room.

A reactor operator may choose to upgrade their license to a Senior Reactor Operator (SRO) license. This requires additional experience operating the reactor, training, and another exam. An SRO license allows an operator to act as the shift supervisor which has the added responsibility that they oversee operations on a given shift and make sure that any work is completed sufficiently and safely.