3 ms·

Also: That competence (the radiation safety technician).

by tpmx 3y ago

dylan604 3y ago
I would hope that at some place like Los Alamos the technicians are a little more qualified than your run of the mill techs.
- tpmx 3y ago
  I suppose the downside of all that secrecy is balanced with the upside of having lots of competent and smart colleagues. In my experience that is worth even more than a very high salary for your quality of life. (That 1958 article morkalork dug up and presented below, seems historically interesting at least. Thanks for making an effort to show it.)
  - morkalork 3y ago
    You might lose your mind a bit if you're surrounded by them 247 though. >Although the town is trim and neat, With cozy houses on every street, Though saying so is indiscreet, >I hate it. From: https://web.archive.org/web/20201126185123/https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1958/9/13/deep-river-almost-the-perfect-place-to-live https://web.archive.org/web/20201126185123/https://archive.m...
- Eumenes 3y ago
  National labs have alot of smart people, but alot of paper pushers too
- jupp0r 3y ago
  Do you think they would be paid more?
  - zamnos 3y ago
    Nope. Government salaries are public information, and are reported all over the usual sites (levels.fyi, glassdoor, indeed, etc) More importantly though, the government doesn't give out stock options with a vesting schedule. Meanwhile, techs who were at Tesla and got a small grant when it was at $20 are likely pretty happy with the stock being at $170. (Tech's that got grants at $400, less so.)
- roywiggins 3y ago
  You'd hope so, but... https://www.science.org/content/article/near-disaster-federal-nuclear-weapons-laboratory-takes-hidden-toll-america-s-arsenal https://www.science.org/content/article/near-disaster-federa...
bitL 3y ago
I presume that the technician had at least one PhD. I had a colleague who worked at Los Alamos with a top PhD and he was basically driving around placing and collecting data from some sensors all day long.

Also: That competence (the radiation safety technician).

by tpmx 3y ago

Also: That competence (the radiation safety technician).

I would hope that at some place like Los Alamos the technicians are a little more qualified than your run of the mill techs.

tpmx 3y ago
I suppose the downside of all that secrecy is balanced with the upside of having lots of competent and smart colleagues. In my experience that is worth even more than a very high salary for your quality of life. (That 1958 article morkalork dug up and presented below, seems historically interesting at least. Thanks for making an effort to show it.)
- morkalork 3y ago
  You might lose your mind a bit if you're surrounded by them 247 though. >Although the town is trim and neat, With cozy houses on every street, Though saying so is indiscreet, >I hate it. From: https://web.archive.org/web/20201126185123/https://archive.macleans.ca/article/1958/9/13/deep-river-almost-the-perfect-place-to-live https://web.archive.org/web/20201126185123/https://archive.m...
Eumenes 3y ago
National labs have alot of smart people, but alot of paper pushers too
jupp0r 3y ago
Do you think they would be paid more?
- zamnos 3y ago
  Nope. Government salaries are public information, and are reported all over the usual sites (levels.fyi, glassdoor, indeed, etc) More importantly though, the government doesn't give out stock options with a vesting schedule. Meanwhile, techs who were at Tesla and got a small grant when it was at $20 are likely pretty happy with the stock being at $170. (Tech's that got grants at $400, less so.)
roywiggins 3y ago
You'd hope so, but... https://www.science.org/content/article/near-disaster-federal-nuclear-weapons-laboratory-takes-hidden-toll-america-s-arsenal https://www.science.org/content/article/near-disaster-federa...

bitL 3y ago

I presume that the technician had at least one PhD. I had a colleague who worked at Los Alamos with a top PhD and he was basically driving around placing and collecting data from some sensors all day long.