Nuclear Engineers
SOC: 17-2161.00 · Job Zone 4 (Considerable preparation)
Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.
Wage & Employment (2024)
Median Wage
$127,520
per year
Mean Wage
$134,980
per year
Employment
15K
workers
Wage Range
$88,290 - $187,430
10th - 90th pct
Wage Distribution
Task Breakdown
20 tasks analyzed
Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.
Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or that could jeopardize the safety of operations.
Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
Examine accidents to obtain data that can be used to design preventive measures.
Direct operating or maintenance activities of operational nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards.
Recommend preventive measures to be taken in the handling of nuclear technology, based on data obtained from operations monitoring or from evaluation of test results.
Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.
Conduct environmental studies related to topics such as nuclear power generation, nuclear waste disposal, or nuclear weapon deployment.
Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance.
Prepare environmental impact statements, reports, or presentations for regulatory or other agencies.
Prepare technical reports of findings or recommendations, based on synthesized analyses of test results.
Develop or contribute to the development of plans to remediate or restore environments affected by nuclear radiation, such as waste disposal sites.
Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors or power plants or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
Conduct tests of nuclear fuel behavior and cycles or performance of nuclear machinery and equipment to optimize performance of existing plants.
Design or direct nuclear research projects to test or modify theoretical models, develop new theoretical models, or discover new uses for current models.
Design fuel cycle models or processes to reduce the quantity of radioactive waste generated from nuclear activities.
Consult with other scientists to determine parameters of experimentation or suitability of analytical models.
Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal.
Discuss construction project proposals with interested parties, such as vendors, contractors, or nuclear facility review boards.
Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research.
| Task | Category | AI Capability | Risk Score | Time % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 2% |
| Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or that could jeopardize the safety of operations. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 10% |
| Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 10% |
| Examine accidents to obtain data that can be used to design preventive measures. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 3% |
| Direct operating or maintenance activities of operational nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards. | Non-Routine Interpersonal | - | - | 8% |
| Recommend preventive measures to be taken in the handling of nuclear technology, based on data obtained from operations monitoring or from evaluation of test results. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 5% |
| Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal. | Routine Cognitive | - | - | 5% |
| Conduct environmental studies related to topics such as nuclear power generation, nuclear waste disposal, or nuclear weapon deployment. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 5% |
| Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance. | Non-Routine Interpersonal | - | - | 5% |
| Prepare environmental impact statements, reports, or presentations for regulatory or other agencies. | Routine Cognitive | - | - | 5% |
| Prepare technical reports of findings or recommendations, based on synthesized analyses of test results. | Routine Cognitive | - | - | 5% |
| Develop or contribute to the development of plans to remediate or restore environments affected by nuclear radiation, such as waste disposal sites. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 5% |
| Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors or power plants or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 8% |
| Conduct tests of nuclear fuel behavior and cycles or performance of nuclear machinery and equipment to optimize performance of existing plants. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 6% |
| Design or direct nuclear research projects to test or modify theoretical models, develop new theoretical models, or discover new uses for current models. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 5% |
| Design fuel cycle models or processes to reduce the quantity of radioactive waste generated from nuclear activities. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 4% |
| Consult with other scientists to determine parameters of experimentation or suitability of analytical models. | Non-Routine Interpersonal | - | - | 3% |
| Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal. | Non-Routine Analytical | - | - | 3% |
| Discuss construction project proposals with interested parties, such as vendors, contractors, or nuclear facility review boards. | Non-Routine Interpersonal | - | - | 4% |
| Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research. | Routine Cognitive | - | - | 4% |
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