What do Homer Simpson and I have in common (besides a questionable amount of hair loss)?
An unshakable love for nuclear Instrumentation and Control Systems! This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to work at Westinghouse Electric, a nuclear engineering powerhouse based in Pittsburgh. Westinghouse has designed and built over half of the nuclear reactors in the U.S., so it was a dream come true for someone like me, a Computer Engineering and Computer Science student. I joined the hardware engineering team in I&C, which, in the simplest terms, is the brain of every power plant. In this post, I’ll share my journey to landing this internship, tips for making the most out of your internship experience, and my ongoing admiration for Westinghouse.
Disclaimer: Nuclear energy is over 820,000% safer than coal per terawatt hour produced and emits only 55% of the greenhouse gases compared to the next most efficient energy source—wind. These achievements are the result of countless brilliant minds at organizations like Westinghouse, dedicated to creating a sustainable energy future for humanity.
My Internship Journey
Fall
- September: Wrapped up my internship at Lutron Electronics (Mechanical Engineering).
- Updated my resume.
- Created a template cover letter.
- October: Applied to a few jobs, still figuring out my career direction.
- Started working on my startup.
- November/December: Continued exploring opportunities.
- January: Panic mode.
- Applied to over 100 jobs, focusing on hardware engineering and Product Management roles.
- Cold emailed and called connections at various companies, searching for mentors.
- Discovered a hardware position at Westinghouse and submitted my resume.
- February: Prepped and interviewed.
- March: Got the offer!
The key takeaway? Don’t wait until January to hit the panic button. The internship hunt can sneak up on you, and by the time the first career fair rolls around, it might be too late to start grinding out applications. My advice: Identify the roles you’re interested in early, research companies you admire, and actively check their open positions. Even better, connect with someone who works there to get an insider’s perspective on the company culture and the role itself. Be proactive, and don’t be afraid to back out of an offer if a better opportunity arises. Remember, companies are looking out for their best interests, and so should you.
A Summer to Remember
Westinghouse gave me the best summer of my life. Moving from eastern Pennsylvania to Pittsburgh wasn’t too difficult, and the experience was more than worth it. I had the chance to work on multi-billion dollar projects, and received plenty of freedom to learn and grow. While I can’t dive into the specifics of my projects, I can say that the engineering teams at Westinghouse are incredibly talented, and the work is both challenging and rewarding. What’s more, even though I joined as a hardware engineer, I had the opportunity to explore other interests and am now working part-time during the year with a project management team under a different director!
The Nuclear Advantage
Working in the nuclear industry has been incredibly fulfilling. I’ve always been passionate about renewable energy, and Westinghouse offered the perfect platform to contribute to a sustainable future. Without getting too preachy, nuclear reactors provide an unmatched solution to our growing energy needs. They generate massive, constant power at a cost and reliability that wind and solar can only aspire to. To put it in perspective, every joule of energy you’ll use in your entire lifetime could fit within a soda can-sized container of enriched fissile material. As public perception of nuclear energy continues to improve, the industry is experiencing a surge in demand for new plants, creating abundant opportunities for young engineers like us.
Looking Ahead
I’m thrilled to continue working with Westinghouse and am deeply grateful for the experiences I’ve had so far. If you’re seeking advice on navigating the internship process, don’t hesitate to reach out. It can be a grueling journey, but a successful internship is a crucial first step toward a rewarding career.
