Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
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.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Operations Monitoring
- Operation and Control
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
Key knowledge
- Physics
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Chemistry
- Design
- English Language
What the work involves
- Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures.
- 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.
- Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities.
- Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors.
- Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment.
- Dispatch orders or instructions to personnel through radiotelephone or intercommunication systems to coordinate auxiliary equipment operation.
- Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (50.1% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (33.5%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (33.2%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | High | Higher on contact with others than 76% of occupations compared | 69% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 91% of occupations compared | 53% of surveyed respondents chose “Not important at all” |
| Teamwork | Very high | Higher on teamwork than 97% of occupations compared | 89% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 97% of occupations compared | 38% of surveyed respondents chose “Limited freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very high | Higher on time pressure than 81% of occupations compared | 61% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | Very high | Higher on conflict situations than 85% of occupations compared | 38% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Moderate | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 56% of occupations compared | 42% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Very high | Higher on consequence of error than 98% of occupations compared | 82% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very high
- Conflict situations: very high
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: moderate
- Consequence of error: very high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 0%
- Contact with others about half the time: 0%
- Contact with others most of the time: 31.12%
- Constant contact with others: 68.88%
n = 41, Incumbent 07/2014
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 53.01%
- Fairly important: 8.76%
- Important: 18.37%
- Very important: 12.28%
- Extremely important: 7.58%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2014
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 0%
- Important: 0%
- Very important: 10.58%
- Extremely important: 89.42%
n = 41, Incumbent 07/2014
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 7.15%
- Very little freedom: 25.16%
- Limited freedom: 37.58%
- Some freedom: 17.78%
- A lot of freedom: 12.34%
n = 41, Incumbent 07/2014
Time pressure
- Never: 3.58%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 8.79%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 5.02%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 21.31%
- Every day: 61.31%
n = 41, Incumbent 07/2014
Conflict situations
- Never: 1.86%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 17.66%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 26.78%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 38.29%
- Every day: 15.42%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2014
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 5.94%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 42.26%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 26.19%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 7.67%
- Every day: 17.94%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2014
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 5.1%
- Fairly serious: 0%
- Serious: 5.18%
- Very serious: 7.98%
- Extremely serious: 81.74%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2014
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O*NET-SOC 51-8011.00 · SOC 51-8011 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8