Not Just Homers –?Nuclear power plants offer a variety of job opportunities

If your vision of a nuclear power plant is Homer Simpson sitting by himself in a nuclear control room while spilling coffee on a safety console, well … you’re probably not the only one who imagines that. Most people don’t have a very good idea of what goes on inside a nuclear station, and the types of jobs needed to make them operate daily. Here's your first hint: No one uses a plutonium rod as a paperweight. Thanks, Homer.

Hint No. 2: Not everyone who works at a nuclear power plant needs a degree in mechanical or nuclear engineering. The fact is, nuclear power plants employ anywhere from 500 to 800 people. Some hold GEDs, some college degrees, some associate degrees –?it’s a broad mix of people with varied educational backgrounds. Nuclear power plant jobs range from security officers, dispatchers, welders, mechanics, technicians and other non-licensed nuclear plant operator jobs to engineers from all specialties, including reactor, chemical, electrical and mechanical engineers.

No 3-eyed fish or giant spiders, either

If you were raised on “The Simpsons,” you might not think of nuclear power plants as producing clean energy. But nuclear energy is by far the country’s largest source of electricity that emits no greenhouse gasses. There are 104 reactors at 65 sites across the U.S., with one in every five homes or businesses relying on clean nuclear energy for their electricity.

In Nebraska, the Nebraska Public Power District operates the Cooper Nuclear Station, which makes of the majority of NPPD’s clean electricity. NPPD –?which supplies power to?84 of Nebraska's 93 counties –?is already 60% carbon-neutral, thanks to its nuclear power plant. It’s all part of NPPD’s effort to implement a sustainable energy future for Nebraska and to reach Net Zero by 2050.

Many NPPD jobs to fill

About 700 workers are employed at Nebraska’s only nuclear power station, which is a boiling water reactor in Brownville, next to the Missouri River. It’s the state’s largest source of emission-free electricity, generating approximately 835 megawatts of electricity. That’s almost enough power to send Marty McFly back to the future! But back in real-time, it’s enough power to supply more than 310,000 residential customers during the hottest summer.

At NPPD,?you get a purpose-driven job – one that offers the fulfillment of providing energy to hundreds of thousands of Nebraskans on a daily basis. What you do every day benefits the greater good of Nebraska, and people are proud to work for the Nebraska Public Power District because of its positive reputation.?

NPPD welcomes skilled teammates of all ages, abilities, military statuses, religion and sexual orientations while offering competitive salaries and best-in-class benefits. Salaries at the Cooper Nuclear Station range from about $42,000 to nearly $150,000.

If any of this sounds appealing, consider these needs and traits for people who work at Nebraska’s nuclear power plant.

In a career at Cooper nuclear power plant, you will:

• Protect the nuclear power plant from internal and external threats.
• Provide protection for the health and safety of personnel, the general public and the environment.
• Take samples, analyze data, monitor and operate various equipment.
• Use special tools to test generation equipment, perform maintenance checks, and identify required repairs.

If you’re interested in a career at NPPD, visit the employment page at?nppd.com/careers.

About NPPD Employment

NPPD employs approximately 1,900 devoted Nebraskans who leverage their skills, talents, ideas and enthusiasm to provide customers with reliable, low-cost energy and outstanding customer service. We work together to create a dynamic, healthy and safe work environment where diversity is valued, individuals are respected and innovation and teamwork are recognized and rewarded.