After graduating from ENSI Bourges engineering school with a specialisation in nuclear energy, Sabine, who is originally from Brest, soon realised that she wanted to use her expert skills in the naval field. Naval Group gave her that opportunity. “I have to admit that very few students at my school considered combining the sea and nuclear energy; most of them only had power plants in mind.” After completing her end-of-studies internship at the Nuclear Safety of Infrastructures department1 and working for a year as an external service provider for Naval Group, Sabine was finally hired in 2014. She began her career as a Nuclear Safety Studies Engineer, before becoming a Nuclear Installation Specialist Engineer (NISE).
What does an NISE do?
I provide support to Installation Managers in ensuring that the requirements set out in the operating guidelines are met. I also work alongside other engineering departments: I help them analyse technical events and provide the Safety Authority with evidence that our installations comply with the regulations in force. I monitor the evolution of installations, ensuring compliance with the requirements of nuclear regulations, while assessing operating requirements. NISEs also have a key role in capitalising on experience, sharing feedback with design and operations teams.
Who do you work with?
Acting as an interface in Through Life Support (TLS) programs for nuclear submarines means that I work with a variety of technical trades, and I am actively involved with the engineering and operational teams with whom I interact on a daily basis. And that is what makes my job so attractive.
So, what exactly do you love about your job?
Working in such a unique industrial context and being out in the field brings a special dimension to my every day activities: the duration of the programs, the complexity of the ships, the technical requirements to guarantee nuclear safety, the level of technicality and trade expertise. I learn something new every day from working with other people and from their extensive experience. My job requires constant development and continuous improvement to ensure the safety of both people and the environment.
1Installations (IST) are the ship support installations: electrical supply, cooling systems, quay batteries, supervision, handling, etc.