Description
Operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls, and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause, and recommend corrective action.
Interests
- Realistic
- Conventional
Work Values
- Support
- Working Conditions
- Achievement
Work Styles
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Stress Tolerance
- Analytical Thinking
Tasks
- Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety.
- Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures.
- Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired.
- Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action.
- Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of generator loading on other equipment.
Work Activities
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Documenting/Recording Information
Detailed Work Activities
- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
- Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
- Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
- Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Technology Skills
- Data base user interface and query software
- Presentation software
- Spreadsheet software
- Document management software
- Development environment software
Abilities
- Problem Sensitivity
- Information Ordering
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
Skills
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge
- Physics
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
Most Common Education Level
The “Most Common Education Level” refers to the level of education held by the majority of workers in a given occupation. For example, if the highest percentage of workers in a role have an Associate’s Degree, that suggests this is the typical educational requirement. Knowing this helps you plan how many years of education you may need to pursue that career.
Certificates
Certificate name
Nuclear Facility Licensed OperatorCertifying Organization
United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Coating Inspector Program Level 2Certifying Organization
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance
Type
Specialty
Certificate name
ANDE Personnel CertificationCertifying Organization
American Society of Mechanical Engineers International
Type
Advanced
Certificate name
Oil Monitoring Analyst ICertifying Organization
Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers
Type
Core
Certifying Organization
The Association for Materials Protection and Performance
Type
Specialty
Income Percentile
The income percentiles show how earnings are distributed within a profession. The 10th percentile means that 10% of workers earned less than that amount. The median (50th percentile) indicates that half of workers earned more, and half earned less. The 90th percentile reflects what the top 10% of earners in the field make.
| Income Percentile | Annual Income |
|---|---|
| Low (10%) | $79,240 |
| Median (50%) | $105,730 |
| High (90%) | $107,115 |
Income by Experience
This table shows how income typically grows with experience—from entry level (0–2 years), to mid-level (3–5 years), to senior level (6–8 years), to expert level (8+ years).
| Experience | Income |
|---|---|
Entry Level  | $78,254 |
| Mid Level | N/A |
| Senior Level | N/A |
| Expert Level | N/A |
Employability
There are currently 5,800 jobs in this career path. Over the next 10 years, that number is expected to decrease to 5,200 positions, reflecting a projected decline of -10%.
The Projected Job Growth figure refers to the expected increase or decrease in employment within a specific career field over a certain period of time.
Projected Job Growth of -10%
Related Careers
The career information and data on this site incorporates information from O*NET Web Services, Lightcast, CareerOneStop, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). For more details regarding the data sources and the specific information sourced, click here.
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