Occupation Details
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.
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Interests
Realistic
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Investigative
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Conventional
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Work Values
Working Conditions
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Support
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.
Salary & Job Outlook
Starting Salary
$78,330.00
New York StateMedian Salary
$121,000.00
New York StateExperienced Salary
$127,330.00
New York StateNational Average for Comparison
New York State Job Market Outlook
Jobs Right Now (2018)
26,550
professionals in NYFuture Job Growth (2030)
30,050
+350 jobs/yearNew Jobs Every Year
3,744
new opportunities yearlyGrowth Rate
0.1%
projected increasePreparation: Experience, Training, and Education
The list below outlines the prior educational experience required to perform in this occupation.
College Helps - Some college classes or training
Experience Requirements
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Education Requirements
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Training Details
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Transferrable Skills and Experience
These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
School Programs
The following lists school programs which are applicable to this occupation.
Licensing & Certification
State License and Certifications Requirements are not currently associated with this occupation.
Skills
The list below includes the skills required by workers in this occupation; skills are what allow you to learn more quickly and improve your performance.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Operations Monitoring
Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Operation and Control
Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Skill level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Knowledge
The list below includes knowledge items, the principles and facts required by this occupation.
Public Safety and Security
Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Mechanical
Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
Physics
Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Knowledge level is measured on a seven point scale, where one means 'some competence required for this occupation' and seven means 'a high level of expertise required for this occupation'.
Work Environment
The list below includes the physical and social factors that influence the nature of work in this occupation.
Hover over or tap each factor to see its description.
Work Styles
Included in the list below are the personal work style characteristics that can affect how well a worker is likely to perform in this occupation.
Achievement/Effort
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Analytical Thinking
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Attention to Detail
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Cooperation
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Dependability
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Initiative
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Integrity
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Self-Control
Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Stress Tolerance
Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
Tools & Technology
This list below describes the machines, equipment, tools, software, and information technology that workers in this occupation will use.
Tools
- Air compressors
- Airline respirators
- Area gamma monitors
- Atmosphere supplying respirators
- Condensate demineralizers
- Contamination probes
- Control rod drives
- Cryostats
- Digital ratemeters
- Digital spectrum analyzers
- Eddy current testing equipment
- Emergency diesel generators
- Fuel handling systems
- Gamma exit/entrance contamination monitors
- Gantry cranes
- Hot cell remote viewing devices
- Leak detection equipment
- Level transmitters
- Master-slave manipulators
- Metal active gas MAG welding equipment
- Metal inert gas MIG welding equipment
- Multichannel analyzers
- New fuel elevators
- Non-contact thermometers
- Personal computers
- Pipe camera inspection systems
- Plasma arc cutting torches
- Pocket dosimeters
- Portable two way radios
- Portal monitors
Technology
- Database software
- Linux
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Windows
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft operating system
- Spreadsheet software
- Structured query language SQL
- Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
- VMWare ESX Server
- VMware
Duties
Duties are job behaviors describing activities that occur on multiple jobs. The generalized and detailed work activities described in the list below apply to this occupation.
- modify electrical or electronic equipment or products
- test equipment as part of engineering projects or processes
- communicate technical information
- improve test devices or techniques in manufacturing, industrial or engineering setting
- prepare technical reports or related documentation
- inspect facilities or equipment for regulatory compliance
- operate industrial or nondestructive testing equipment
- use precision measuring tools or equipment
- operate precision test equipment
- operate metal or plastic fabricating equipment/machinery
- use electrical or electronic test devices or equipment
- use laboratory equipment
- operate nuclear power equipment
- use chemical testing or analysis procedures
- use knowledge of materials testing procedures
- use knowledge of metric system
- read blueprints
- read schematics
- read technical drawings
- understand engineering data or reports
- understand service or repair manuals
- understand technical operating, service or repair manuals
- record test results, test procedures, or inspection data
- monitor equipment or machine operation to detect problems
Tasks
The list below outlines specific tasks that a worker in this occupation is called upon to do regularly.
- Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.
- Set up equipment that automatically detects area radiation deviations and test detection equipment to ensure its accuracy.
- Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.
- Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.
- Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.
- Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.
- Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.
- Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.
- Monitor instruments, gauges, or recording devices under direction of nuclear experimenters.
- Modify, devise, or maintain nuclear equipment used in operations.
- Perform testing, maintenance, repair, or upgrading of accelerator systems.
- Adjust controls of equipment to control particle beam movement, pulse rates, energy or intensity, or radiation, according to specifications.
- Warn maintenance workers of radiation hazards and direct workers to vacate hazardous areas.
- Calculate equipment operating factors, such as radiation times, dosages, temperatures, gamma intensities, or pressures, using standard formulas and conversion tables.
- Measure the intensity and identify the types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.
- Communicate with accelerator maintenance personnel to ensure readiness of support systems, such as vacuum, water cooling, or radio frequency power sources.
- Set control panel switches to route electric power from sources and direct particle beams through injector units.
- Identify and implement appropriate decontamination procedures, based on equipment and the size, nature, and type of contamination.
- Decontaminate objects by cleaning them using soap or solvents or by abrading using brushes, buffing machines, or sandblasting machines.
- Prepare reports to communicate information such as contamination test results, decontamination results, or decontamination procedures.
- Collect air, water, gas or solid samples for testing to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment.
Learning Resources
More information on this occupation may be found in the links provided below.
American Nuclear Society
The core purpose of the American Nuclear Society is to promote the awareness and understanding of the application of nuclear science and technology.
Learn MoreEnergy Kid's Page
Follow along with Energy Ant at the Energy Kid's Page and explore classroom projects, games, energy basics and more.
Learn MoreScience technicians
Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.
Learn More