Nuclear Technicians
Assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, or other scientists in laboratory, power generation, or electricity production activities. May operate, maintain, or provide quality control for nuclear testing and research equipment. May monitor radiation.
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Quality Control Analysis
- Active Learning
- Writing
Key knowledge
- Public Safety and Security
- Mechanical
- Physics
- Engineering and Technology
- Education and Training
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
What the work involves
- Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.
- Set up equipment that automatically detects area radiation deviations and test detection equipment to ensure its accuracy.
- Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.
- Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.
- Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.
- Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.
- Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.
- Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Conventional, Investigative.
Qualifications and licensing
- 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
- Nuclear Technicians: no education distribution in the dataset.
- Licensing for Nuclear Technicians 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 | Moderate | Lower on contact with others than 55% of occupations compared | — |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 96% of occupations compared | — |
| Teamwork | Very high | Higher on teamwork than 94% of occupations compared | — |
| Freedom to make decisions | Very low | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 95% of occupations compared | — |
| Time pressure | Low | Lower on time pressure than 73% of occupations compared | — |
| Conflict situations | High | Higher on conflict situations than 75% of occupations compared | — |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Moderate | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 59% of occupations compared | — |
| Consequence of error | Very high | Higher on consequence of error than 93% of occupations compared | — |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: low
- Conflict situations: 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.
Is this career right for me? Find jobs with conditions you prefer
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O*NET-SOC 19-4051.00 · SOC 19-4051 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8