Engineering and architecture
Nuclear engineer
Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.
Median pay
$133,970
Growth to 2035
0%
little or no change
Openings a year
800
Time to qualify*
Minimal
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Nuclear engineer
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Nuclear engineer: 62% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
- Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
- Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.
- Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.
- Direct operating or maintenance activities of nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards.
- Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
- Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance.
- Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.
Also called: Engineer · Nuclear Design Engineer · Nuclear Engineer · Nuclear Licensing Engineer · Nuclear Process Engineer · Nuclear Reactor Engineer · Nuclear Safety Engineer · Nuclear Steam Supply System Engineer (NSSS Engineer)
Outlook and AI
Nuclear engineers held 16,600 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 16,600 by 2035 (0%, little or no change; all jobs: +3.5%).
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