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Nuclear Power Reactor Operator

Overview and Key Facts

power plant operator
Education
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Median Pay
Median Pay
$122,610
Job Growth
Job Growth
-15.30%
(Below US Average)
Jobs in 2034
Jobs in 2034
4,900

What Do They Do?

A nuclear power reactor operator could...

 
fuel loading
Provide assistance with the loading and unloading of nuclear fuel.
reactors
Conduct procedures that start up or shut down nuclear reactors at a power plant.
man checking monitor
Monitor sensors to ensure that any radiation leaks are detected and addressed quickly.
submarine
Operate a specialized naval reactor that can propel a submarine.
 
fuel loading reactors man checking monitor submarine

Overview Listen to this section

One in five United States homes and businesses is powered by nuclear power, and nuclear power reactor operators are the people who ensure that those reactors are operating safely and efficiently at all times. They monitor all equipment continuously, and implement procedures if malfunctions are observed. They also control and adjust the amount of power being generated, and the reactor coolant temperature as power demands change through the day and during weather events, like heat waves.
Watch this video to meet Patty Russell, a senior nuclear reactor operator at the Idaho National Laboratory, who practices emergency training procedures with her crew on a simulator.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp5_4jJa4-c

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Nuclear Power Reactor Operator?


  1. Operation and Control: ?
  2. Reading Comprehension: ?
  3. Operations Monitoring: ?
  4. Active Listening: ?
  5. Monitoring: ?
More skills...

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Nuclear Power Reactor Operator might do:
  • 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.
  • Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment.
  • Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities.
  • Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests.
  • Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors.
  • Participate in nuclear fuel element handling activities, such as preparation, transfer, loading, or unloading.
  • Dispatch orders or instructions to personnel through radiotelephone or intercommunication systems to coordinate auxiliary equipment operation.
  • Review and edit standard operating procedures.
  • Conduct inspections or operations outside of control rooms as necessary.

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

Tap or scroll over map to see median salaries for each state
No data available for some states (white on the map)

Future Jobs

Blast-Off:

How Will Nuclear Power Reactor Operator Jobs Grow by 2034?
Projected % Growth
Rapid growth
(10% or higher)
Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)
Faster than average
(5% - 7%)
About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)
Slower than average
(0% - 3%)
Decreasing
Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)
Nuclear Power Reactor Operator jobs (-15.30%)
Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Nuclear Power Reactor Operator

High School Subjects to Study

Aim to study the yellow-shaded subjects.
Math
Algebra 1
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calculus
Calculus
Statistics
Science
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Environmental Science
Physiology
Bio-Medical / Biotech
IT &
Engineering
Computer Science
Applied Technology
Drafting & CAD Training
Core
English
Foreign Language
Business
Psychology / Sociology

Career Pathway Listen to this section

Power plant operators generally need a combination of education, on-the-job training, and experience. Candidates with strong computer and technical skills are generally preferred.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Degree
Post
high school credential
AA
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctoral or Professional Degree

Typical degree for an entry-level position: High school diploma or equivalent ? Types of Degrees and Credentials

Employers often seek recent high school graduates for entry-level operator positions. Workers with college or vocational school degrees will have more advancement opportunities, especially in nuclear power plants. Although it is not a prerequisite, many senior reactor operators have a bachelor's degree in engineering or the physical sciences.

Workers selected for training as power plant operators undergo extensive on-the-job and classroom instruction. Several years of training and experience are required for a worker to become a fully qualified control room operator.

In addition to receiving initial training to become fully qualified as a power plant operator, most workers are given periodic refresher training, especially the nuclear power plant operators. Refresher training usually is taken on plant simulators designed specifically to replicate procedures and situations that might be encountered at the trainee's plant.

In terms of licensure, extensive training and experience are necessary to pass the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) examinations required for nuclear reactor operators and senior nuclear reactor operators. Before beginning training, a nuclear power plant worker must have 3 years of power plant experience. At least 6 months of this must be on-site at the nuclear power plant where the operator is to be licensed. Training generally takes at least 1 year, after which the worker must take an NRC-administered examination. To maintain their licenses, reactor operators must pass an annual practical plant operation exam and a biennial written exam administered by their employers. Reactor operators can upgrade their licenses to the senior reactor operator level after a year of licensed experience at the plant by taking another examination given by the NRC. Training may include simulator and on-the-job training, classroom instruction, and individual study. Experience in other power plants or with Navy nuclear propulsion plants also is helpful.

Companies That Hire Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

On the Job

Role Models

Vinnie Passalacqua explains how manages safety at a nuclear power plant as he has become a senior reactor operator, passing his senior-level test, after initially working on submarines in the military.
Duties depend on the shift I’m on. And then I’m training constantly, to make sure I’m staying sharp and operating safely. It’s very intense. 
Vinnie Passalacqua

Nature of the Work

Electricity is vital for most everyday activities. From the moment you flip the first switch each morning, you are connecting to a huge network of people, electric lines, and generating equipment. Power plant operators control and monitor the machinery that generates electricity.

Power plant operators control and monitor boilers, turbines, generators, and auxiliary equipment in power-generating plants. Operators distribute power demands among generators, combine the current from several generators, and monitor instruments to maintain voltage and regulate electricity flows from the plant. When power requirements change, these workers start or stop generators and connect or disconnect them from circuits. They often use computers to keep records of switching operations and loads on generators, lines, and transformers. Operators also may use computers to prepare reports of unusual incidents, malfunctioning equipment, or maintenance performed during their shift.

Operators in plants with automated control systems work mainly in a central control room and usually are called control room operators or control room operator trainees or assistants. In older plants, the controls for the equipment are not centralized; switchboard operators control the flow of electricity from a central point, while auxiliary equipment operators work throughout the plant, operating and monitoring valves, switches, and gauges.

In nuclear power plants, most operators start working as equipment operators or auxiliary operators. They help the more senior workers with equipment maintenance and operation while learning the basics of plant operation. With experience and training they may be licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as reactor operators and authorized to control equipment that affects the power of the reactor in a nuclear power plant. Senior reactor operators supervise the operation of all controls in the control room. At least one senior operator must be on duty during each shift to act as the plant supervisor.

Work Environment

Operators who work in control rooms generally sit or stand at a control station. This work is not physically strenuous, but it does require constant attention. Operators who work outside the control room may be exposed to danger from electric shock, falls, and burns.

Nuclear power plant operators are subject to random drug and alcohol tests, as are most workers at such plants. Additionally, they have to pass a medical examination every two years and may be exposed to small amounts of ionizing radiation as part of their jobs.

Because electricity is provided around the clock, operators usually work one of three 8-hour shifts or one of two 12-hour shifts on a rotating basis. Shift assignments may change periodically so that all operators share the less-desirable shifts. Work on rotating shifts can be stressful and fatiguing because of the constant change in living and sleeping patterns.

More Information

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