The nuclear energy landscape in the U.S. is changing rapidly as demand for clean power rises and the nation strives to meet its climate goals. The people who build, operate and maintain nuclear power plants are highly trained, hard-working and well-paid. While some workers have engineering and science degrees, you don’t have to be an engineer to work in nuclear energy. According to the Department of Energy, here are seven career fields you can enter to work in the nuclear energy sector:
Reactor Operator
Reactor operators are responsible for a nuclear plant’s most essential functions, from starting and stopping the reactor to raising and lowering control rods, monitoring sensor data and more. Some spend most of their time in the control room, while others roam the plant, taking readings and adjusting equipment to keep things humming.
Operators undergo years of rigorous, employer-provided training to get proficient at reading and manipulating plant controls. But to get started as a reactor operator, you don’t need anything more than a high school degree.
Many reactor operators start in the Navy before transitioning to the energy industry. Entry-level workers can start as non-licensed operators and work towards positions with higher levels of responsibility and higher salaries.
Radiation Protection Technician
Safety is paramount in nuclear energy, and the industry has the track record to prove it. Radiation exposure is a potential hazard whenever nuclear material is present, but safety personnel carefully manage that risk at nuclear power plants.
Radiation protection technicians monitor radiation levels throughout the plant and help ensure compliance with NRC guidelines. These dedicated team members also work on emergency preparedness, ensure that workers who spend time in radioactive areas follow safety procedures and keep track of plant employees’ radiation exposure. Getting started as a radiation protection technician is possible with a high school diploma and a week-long training course.
Construction Worker
Nuclear power plants are massive construction projects. According to estimates, building a sizeable light-water reactor like the ones currently operating in the U.S. employs an average of 7,000 workers at peak construction. Construction workers on a nuclear energy project handle excavation, pouring concrete, operating heavy machinery and moving enormous quantities of materials like steel rebar.
Some of tomorrow’s advanced reactors will be smaller and faster to build thanks to advancements in standardized, modular construction—but plenty of labor will still be needed to deploy them across the U.S.
Welder/Welding Inspector
The basic function of a nuclear reactor is to use the heat from the fission reaction to boil water and create steam, which drives a turbine to generate electricity. That heat and pressure make it essential to regularly inspect the reactor’s metal components, from pipes to valves to the reactor vessel. Welding inspectors examine these components for wear and tear and can even deploy tools like X-rays and ultrasonic machines to reveal invisible flaws before they become problematic. Welders fix trouble spots wherever they arise—even underwater—to keep the reactor and steam generator running smoothly around the clock.
Welding is a skilled trade with several paths to entry, including community college courses, training centers and apprenticeships.
Diver
Many nuclear power plants use water from lakes, rivers or the ocean to cool their reactors. Divers inspect those intakes and outflows regularly to keep them clear of obstructions like debris and shellfish. Inside the plant, inspections and repairs sometimes need to be done underwater. Highly trained divers wearing protective gear venture into places like the spent fuel pool or reactor vessel to conduct critical maintenance work that no one else can reach.
Many community colleges and diving academies across the U.S. offer commercial diving certifications.
Outage Planner
One beauty of nuclear energy is that it’s always on. Commercial nuclear plants in the U.S. operated at full power a staggering 93% of the time in 2023, higher than any other energy source. These plants only go down when they need to be refueled. Inspections are conducted during that time.
Nuclear plants only need to be refueled every 18 to 24 months, so shutting down the reactor to swap out the spent fuel rods is a big deal. Outage planners carefully orchestrate every step of the process far in advance so all the refueling, repairs and preventative maintenance happen without a moment wasted—and the plant can get back to generating carbon-free electricity.
Planners don’t need an engineering degree—just solid organizational ability, an eye for detail and project management skills that can be developed on the job or at technical institutions.
Physical Security
Physical security personnel protect the plant’s perimeter, control access to sensitive areas, screen and monitor visitor movements and safeguard nuclear material—including the spent fuel stored securely on site at nuclear plants.
Security accounts for roughly 20% of the staffing at nuclear plants. Nuclear security teams train continuously to prepare for a wide range of potential threats to plant security—no engineering degree required—although military and law enforcement experience can be a plus.
The Department of Energy wants to connect with people who are passionate about working on critical, world changing efforts. YOU can be part of the team! Search and apply today at https://www.energy.gov/careers/search.
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