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Occupation AtlasNuclear Technicians

O*NET · 19-4051.00

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.

Also called Accelerator Operator · Accelerator Technician · Auxiliary Operator · Cell Support Operator · Electric Systems Operator · Energy Systems Operator · Equipment Operation Instructor · Equipment Operator
30 more

Facilities Operator · Gamma Facilities Operator · Gamma Operator · Hot-Cell Technician · Licensed Nuclear Operator · NAPEO · NEO · NLO · Non Licensed Operator · Non-Licensed Nuclear Equipment Operator (NLO) · Non-Licensed Nuclear Plant Operator (NLO) · Non-Licensed Operator (NLO) · Nuclear Auxiliary Operator · Nuclear Equipment Operator (NEO) · Nuclear Fuel Enrichment Technician · Nuclear Fuel Processing Technician · Nuclear Monitoring Technician · Nuclear Operations Specialist · Nuclear Plant Equipment Operator (NAPEO) · Nuclear Power Plant Process Control Worker · Nuclear Reactor Technician · Nuclear Station Operator · Nuclear Technician · Operation Specialist · Operations Technician · Radiation Protection Technician · Radiochemical Technician · Radioisotope Production Operator · Systems Operator · Test and Research Reactor Operator

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic5.75
  • C Conventional5.07
  • I Investigative4.57
  • E Enterprising2.26
  • S Social1.83
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operations Monitoring3.94.1Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Monitoringbasic3.83.5Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Active Listeningbasic3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.63.6Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Quality Control Analysis3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Assess new parts for precision and accuracy to specifications
  • Active Learningbasic3.42.9Level 2 looks like: Think about the implications of a news article for job opportunities
  • Operation and Control3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Speakingbasic3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Writingbasic3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Troubleshooting3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Identify the circuit causing an electrical system to fail
Show the other 23
  • Complex Problem Solving3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
  • Coordination3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Social Perceptiveness3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Instructing3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Instruct a coworker in how to operate a software program
  • Systems Evaluation3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Identify the reasons why a client might be unhappy with a product
  • Time Management3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Allocate the time of subordinates to projects for the coming week
  • Equipment Maintenance2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Clean moving parts in production machinery
  • Repairing2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Persuasion2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Mathematicsbasic2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Sciencebasic2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Systems Analysis2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Service Orientation2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Negotiation2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Equipment Selection2.62.5Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.42.6Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Programming2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Write a program to sort objects in a database
  • Management of Material Resources1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Technology Design1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Adjust exercise equipment for use by a customer
  • Management of Financial Resources1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Operations Analysis1.61.3Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Installation1.4—

Tasks

7 core · 9 supplemental · 2 not yet rated

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.4.8
  2. Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.4.8
  3. Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.4.7
  4. Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.4.6
  5. Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.4.6
  6. Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.4.6
  7. Modify, devise, or maintain nuclear equipment used in operations.4.4
Show the other 11
  1. Monitor instruments, gauges, or recording devices under direction of nuclear experimenters.4.6
  2. Perform testing, maintenance, repair, or upgrading of accelerator systems.4.3
  3. Warn maintenance workers of radiation hazards and direct workers to vacate hazardous areas.4.1
  4. Calculate equipment operating factors, such as radiation times, dosages, temperatures, gamma intensities, or pressures, using standard formulas and conversion tables.4.0
  5. Measure the intensity and identify the types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.4.0
  6. Communicate with accelerator maintenance personnel to ensure readiness of support systems, such as vacuum, water cooling, or radio frequency power sources.3.9
  7. Identify and implement appropriate decontamination procedures, based on equipment and the size, nature, and type of contamination.3.8
  8. Decontaminate objects by cleaning them using soap or solvents or by abrading using brushes, buffing machines, or sandblasting machines.3.7
  9. Collect air, water, gas or solid samples for testing to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment.3.5
  10. Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.
  11. Set up equipment that automatically detects area radiation deviations and test detection equipment to ensure its accuracy.

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Public Safety and Security4.24.6Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Mechanical4.14.7Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Physics4.04.6Level 4 looks like: Calculate the speed of a falling object
  • Engineering and Technology3.74.2Level 4 looks like: Design a custom office chair
  • Education and Training3.64.3Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Chemistry3.54.3Level 4 looks like: Use the proper concentration of chlorine to purify a water source
  • English Language3.53.7Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Computers and Electronics3.44.2Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
Show all 33
  • Mathematics3.33.8Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Law and Government3.02.8
  • Design2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Design plans for remodeling a kitchen
  • Administrative2.72.9
  • Communications and Media2.62.7
  • Production and Processing2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Telecommunications2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Administration and Management2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Building and Construction2.32.6
  • Biology2.12.2Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Psychology2.12.3Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Transportation1.91.9Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Use a band-aid
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.81.4Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Customer and Personal Service1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Process a customer's dry-cleaning drop off
  • Geography1.71.4Level 1 looks like: Know the capital of the United States
  • History and Archeology1.50.9Level 1 looks like: Take a class in US history
  • Therapy and Counseling1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Economics and Accounting1.4—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.4—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.3—
  • Sales and Marketing1.2—
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • Food Production1.0—
  • Foreign Language1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Problem Sensitivity4.03.8Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Information Ordering3.93.5Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Oral Comprehension3.94.3Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Written Comprehension3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Inductive Reasoning3.63.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Oral Expression3.64.0Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Perceptual Speed3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Deductive Reasoning3.53.6
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  • Near Vision3.53.8
  • Speech Clarity3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Speech Recognition3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Written Expression3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Category Flexibility3.33.1Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Far Vision3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Flexibility of Closure3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Selective Attention3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Finger Dexterity3.12.6Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Manual Dexterity3.12.9
  • Time Sharing3.13.3Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Reaction Time3.03.4Level 4 looks like: Press a button to stop operation when a warning light goes off
  • Mathematical Reasoning2.92.9
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.92.6Level 3 looks like: Carve roast beef in a cafeteria
  • Fluency of Ideas2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Multilimb Coordination2.82.5Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Originality2.82.6Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Speed of Closure2.82.8Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Number Facility2.62.8Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Rate Control2.62.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Trunk Strength2.62.4Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Visualization2.62.6Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Auditory Attention2.52.6Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Memorization2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Remember the number on your bus to be sure you get back on the right one
  • Response Orientation2.51.9Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Extent Flexibility2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Depth Perception2.32.0Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Static Strength2.31.8Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Explosive Strength2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Hit a nail with a hammer
  • Gross Body Equilibrium2.11.6Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Stamina2.11.5Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Gross Body Coordination2.01.5Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Spatial Orientation2.01.6Level 2 looks like: Use the floor plan to locate a store in a mall
  • Dynamic Strength1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Glare Sensitivity1.91.1Level 2 looks like: Drive on a familiar road on a cloudy day
  • Peripheral Vision1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Keep in step while marching in a band
  • Night Vision1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Read street signs at dusk (just after sunset)
  • Sound Localization1.61.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a sound system to determine which speaker is working
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.4—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.3—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.75.6
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.66.0Level 7 looks like: Conduct a thorough inspection of an aircraft engine
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.55.3Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.45.2Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.34.9Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Getting Information4.34.1Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.25.4Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.25.4Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
Show all 41
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.14.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.94.3Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Processing Information3.94.7Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.74.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Training and Teaching Others3.74.1Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Working with Computers3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.34.2Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.34.3Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.23.5Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.14.7Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment3.12.8
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.13.2Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.03.3Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.93.6Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Change the oil on a tractor
  • Scheduling Work and Activities2.83.2Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Developing and Building Teams2.72.5Level 1 looks like: Encourage two coworkers to stick with a tough assignment
  • Thinking Creatively2.73.1Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.62.7
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.62.8
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.52.4Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.52.7
  • Assisting and Caring for Others2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.21.9Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public1.71.3Level 1 looks like: Check tickets at a concert
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.71.2Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.8
  • Telephone Conversations4.8
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.8
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.8
  • Exposed to Radiation4.7
  • E-Mail4.6
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled4.5
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.4
  • Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled4.4

Technology

13 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (8)

  • Linux
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
  • Structured query language SQL
Other tools (5)
  • Data logging software
  • Database software
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
  • VMware
  • VMWare ESX Server

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
  2. Nuclear Monitoring Technicians
  3. Power Plant Operators
  4. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
  5. Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
  6. Biomass Plant Technicians
  7. Geothermal Technicians
  8. Aerospace Engineering and Operations Technologists and Technicians
  9. Power Distributors and Dispatchers
  10. Calibration Technologists and Technicians

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.