Work at the Idaho National Laboratory in Idaho Falls? (how much, employment)

[thedavidwilson]

My wife and I are looking to relocate to Idaho Falls next summer. The INL seems the most promising employment option. Could any of you answer the following questions:

Is the INL growing/hiring and what does it look like for next year?

What are the salaries like? I am a systems engineer (defense, space systems, satellites) with 8-10 years experience looking for a job as an engineer or program manager. I would be interested in the salary range at the INL for someone with this experience?

Is it a good place to work?

Is the INL a pretty stable place to work, i.e. no layoffs?

Do they provide relocation packages?

To be an engineer there do you have to be a nuclear engineer or do they take in engineers from other diciplines and industries (i.e. defense)?

Are the program/project managers former nuclear engineers or can they come from more management backgrounds or other engineering diciplines.

Do most of the people work out at the site or is there a fair amount in town? How is the communte to the site?


Thanks for this and any other info you can provide.

[cleosmom]

Have you checked the INL's website? I'm thinking that the contractors would have any openings listed on the website.

[thedavidwilson]

Originally Posted by cleosmom

Have you checked the INL's website? I'm thinking that the contractors would have any openings listed on the website.

Yes, I am aware of the current openings. My question was more directed towards the pace of hiring and if they are growing; i.e. is there a stable future there.

[cleosmom]

Best I leave that for someone more familiar to answer as I know before the last contract change several valuable people were let go.

[CafeDelSol]

Originally Posted by thedavidwilson

My wife and I are looking to relocate to Idaho Falls next summer. The INL seems the most promising employment option. Could any of you answer the following questions:

Is the INL growing/hiring and what does it look like for next year?

Yes they are hiring. They can barely hire people fast enough to replace all those leaving due to retirement (or they're just plain sick of the place).

What are the salaries like? I am a systems engineer (defense, space systems, satellites) with 8-10 years experience looking for a job as an engineer or program manager. I would be interested in the salary range at the INL for someone with this experience?

Salaries are some of the best you'll find. For top candidates, salary is negotiable to some extent.

Is it a good place to work?

Define "good". Good pay and fairly decent benefits. Poor employee morale and long commutes. Most managers currently come from a Navy background and therefore know next to nothing about how to actually run a business and produce results. What they CAN do is provide a legendary, world class bureaucracy that chokes innovation and kills employee incentive to perform.

Is the INL a pretty stable place to work, i.e. no layoffs?

It's a highly UNstable place to work since your entire future always depends on the whims of whatever bunch of loons happens to be in power in Washington this year. Currently the future looks great but that doesn't mean much when you're dealing with the government. There have been numerous layoffs over the years, most with no warning. Your first clue that your job is in danger will be when you are being escorted to the gate by armed guards. Seriously, that's how they handle layoffs.

Do they provide relocation packages?

You'd have to check with the individual employers.

To be an engineer there do you have to be a nuclear engineer or do they take in engineers from other diciplines and industries (i.e. defense)?

They hire many different engineering diciplines. Nuclear is only one part of the lab.

Are the program/project managers former nuclear engineers or can they come from more management backgrounds or other engineering diciplines.

Again, a nuclear background isn't a requirement for all jobs.

Do most of the people work out at the site or is there a fair amount in town? How is the communte to the site?

Not sure what the breakdown is but there are lots of jobs in town. The commute to the outlying facilities is a minimum of 35 miles one way to the closest facility.

[thedavidwilson]

Originally Posted by CafeDelSol

Yes they are hiring. They can barely hire people fast enough to replace all those leaving due to retirement (or they're just plain sick of the place).



Salaries are some of the best you'll find. For top candidates, salary is negotiable to some extent.


Define "good". Good pay and fairly decent benefits. Poor employee morale and long commutes. Most managers currently come from a Navy background and therefore know next to nothing about how to actually run a business and produce results. What they CAN do is provide a legendary, world class bureaucracy that chokes innovation and kills employee incentive to perform.



It's a highly UNstable place to work since your entire future always depends on the whims of whatever bunch of loons happens to be in power in Washington this year. Currently the future looks great but that doesn't mean much when you're dealing with the government. There have been numerous layoffs over the years, most with no warning. Your first clue that your job is in danger will be when you are being escorted to the gate by armed guards. Seriously, that's how they handle layoffs.


You'd have to check with the individual employers.



They hire many different engineering diciplines. Nuclear is only one part of the lab.


Again, a nuclear background isn't a requirement for all jobs.



Not sure what the breakdown is but there are lots of jobs in town. The commute to the outlying facilities is a minimum of 35 miles one way to the closest facility.

Thanks! I guess I will have to think about some stuff if I get an offer there.

[CafeDelSol]

Originally Posted by thedavidwilson

Thanks! I guess I will have to think about some stuff if I get an offer there.

Basically, if you can put up with all the baggage that goes with the job it's a good place to work. Most new employees are going through a severe culture chock if they come from private industry. And it will look good on your resume in the future. If you get a good offer I'd take it.
The only thing I'm worried about is when Hillary gets elected she may try to shut the place down again like Bill did during his term. That could get ugly real fast. I don't see that happening this time since the current site programs have good bipartisan support (for now).

You also didn't day which side of the INL you were thinking of. You want to work for BEA not the cleanup side. The cleanup project will probably be laying more people off, not hiring. BEA is hiring whenever they can.

[thedavidwilson]

Originally Posted by CafeDelSol

Basically, if you can put up with all the baggage that goes with the job it's a good place to work. Most new employees are going through a severe culture chock if they come from private industry. And it will look good on your resume in the future. If you get a good offer I'd take it.
The only thing I'm worried about is when Hillary gets elected she may try to shut the place down again like Bill did during his term. That could get ugly real fast. I don't see that happening this time since the current site programs have good bipartisan support (for now).

You also didn't day which side of the INL you were thinking of. You want to work for BEA not the cleanup side. The cleanup project will probably be laying more people off, not hiring. BEA is hiring whenever they can.

I am aiming for the BEA side. I am hoping the global warming hype will continue so people see the benefits in nuclear energy. Thanks for the advice.

[Mtn. States Resident]

CafeDelSol and I may have some different views about INL past and present. And it all could be due to where family members/friends or we worked and what we did, or simply stories we heard that we couldn't verify ourselves.

Of course, so much of what Idaho will be working on next year and decades after, depends on where the huge GNEP projects goes are awarded. Idaho has 2/13 bids. Many feel Idaho won't received all 3, but may bet the R and D component may end up in Idaho.

Also, the CAES program is just completing their building, but started fellowships and working with students nationally and internationally 1-2 years ago. If you like collaborations with MIT, U. of OH, U. of OR, U. of S.C. and o and other specific national universities to bring the brightest mnd universities that specialize in certain aspects of INL work.

A lot of their work right now is quite confidential. I'm not really sure how many local residents realize how deeply in involved some prohects are.

CAES is expected to continue the trend of growth from spin offs or new start ups. Already, spec buildings have been built close to CAES. And everyone I've talk to about this, as CAES grows, employment opportunities will always be present for good engineers and other scientists. Thus, CAES on its own will bring new business, more residents and different opportunities.

I've been much more impressed with BEA's commentment to getting things done on time. I do think morale was low, especially, before BAE taking the reigns/


I might be wrong about this, but it appears more companies and more private businesses, and multi-university collaborations are occurring at INL now than ever before.

INL has diversified a lot, compared to some years in the past. Between their work for the Federal Government on Internet secuirty and other high tech issues which they don't talk about to the new patents for machines such as the one being tested at Wright-Patterson AFB currently as a way to screen for IEDs.

INL is pushing the "Science" part of their missions, so engineers are needed everywhere. If one works at one of the deseret locations, I've alwasys been told that some like the buss rides to catch extra sleep, some work, some read the paper or their favorite book etc. The point is like anything else, a person can make a unique experience better for him/herself daily, if they wish.

Additionally, there is a culture of spinoffs and most recently companies located elsewhere either totally relocating or opening an office in Idaho Falls. So other very similar opportunities exist as most of the spin-offs work some with INL and some with other companies.

You might want to read about North Wind, Inc and how CEO, Sylvia Medina, has built her company: North Wind, Inc. - Home. International Isotopes as two spin offs and what level of work they are doing now. Here is that link: Nuclear Medicine Isotope Supplier - Radioactive Isotopes Medical Applications - Idaho Isotopes - Flood Source Cobalt 57 - Cobalt 60 - Radioisotopes in Medicine. Also, what will often happen is a spin off will be purchased by a larger company both for its services and areas of expertise increasing what the purchasing company can offer future clients. And because of their work with INL.

Energy Solutions, as you know, is based out of Salt Lake City. However, one of their major acquistions was a spinoff in Idaho Falls.

Finally, while I'm sure there are many, this is a website I found one day that discusses various aspects of nuclear energy/work in Idaho, as well as other INL issues. There are many links to other blogs and companies: Idaho Samizdat: Nuke Notes: 4/1/07 - 4/8/07.

I hope this is useful to you as you consider your options. I don't work at INL, but know many who do (including family). IMHO, I think how much people do or don't like work depends on their area of INL. But, that is just the view of one person.

Good luck making your decisions.

[thedavidwilson]

bump.





bump.