Nuclear Engineers

design problem investigative nuclear science equipment process nuclear waste disposal construction nuclear plant operation preventive measure

Engineer, Nuclear Engineer, Nuclear Licensing Engineer, Nuclear Reactor Engineer

What they do:
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.
On the job, you would:
  • Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
  • Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
  • Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.

Knowledge

Engineering and Technology

  • product and service development
  • computers and electronics

Math and Science

  • physics
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Arts and Humanities

  • English language

Safety and Government

  • public safety and security

Skills

Basic Skills

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem
  • using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems

Problem Solving

  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it

People and Technology Systems

  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Abilities

Ideas and Logic

  • notice when problems happen
  • group things in different ways

Verbal

  • communicate by writing
  • communicate by speaking

Math

  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide

Visual Understanding

  • see hidden patterns

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

  • Integrity
  • Attention to Detail
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Dependability
  • Self Control
  • Cooperation

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software

  • SAS Hot Technology
  • The MathWorks MATLAB Hot Technology

Presentation software

  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology In Demand

Development environment software

  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • TOTE code

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Below Average
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
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