Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Production
The job is running a nuclear reactor according to procedure: moving control rods, starting and stopping equipment, and watching gauges so flux, coolant temperature, and power stay in range. Operators also handle boilers, turbines, wells, and other plant equipment, write readings and test results in logs, and follow start-up and shut-down procedures. When something is abnormal, they diagnose it and take or recommend corrective action; lockouts, tagouts, and clearances are used so equipment can be repaired safely. Radiation protection and environmental rules apply to every step. It suits people who like watching complex systems, following written procedures, and making careful decisions from instrument readings.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$122'890
Median Wage Market Position
$122'890
What you might do
- Operate the reactor under plant safety rules
- Move control rods to set power and temperature
- Check gauges for normal running conditions
- Lock out equipment so crews can repair it
- Find the cause of a fault and correct it
- Record test results and operating data
Skills that matter
- Positioning rods to regulate reactor flux
- Checking how generator load affects other systems
- Diagnosing the cause of unit abnormalities
- Reading reactor start-up and shut-down procedures
- Logging surveillance tests and operating data
- Issuing lockouts so equipment can be repaired
AI & the future of this role
Strict licensing, liability, and emergency judgment keep human operators central even as software improves monitoring. Routine control adjustments and data scanning may become more automated, but hands-on reactor safety oversight still tends to hold up.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details