All careers

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls, and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause, and recommend corrective action.

What you’d 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.
  • Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests.
  • Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities.

Skills that matter

  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring

How to get there

Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

Also called

  • Nuclear Control Operator
  • Nuclear Reactor Operator
  • Nuclear Station Operator (NSO)
  • Reactor Operator (RO)
  • Licensed Reactor Operator
  • Nuclear Control Room Operator

Related careers

See all careers

  • Nuclear Technicians

    Assist nuclear physicists, nuclear engineers, or other scientists in laboratory, power generation, or electricity production activities.

    Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

  • Power Plant Operators

    Control, operate, or maintain machinery to generate electric power. Includes auxiliary equipment operators.

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one

  • Hydroelectric Plant Technicians

    Monitor and control activities associated with hydropower generation. Operate plant equipment, such as turbines, pumps, valves, gates…

    Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

  • Nuclear Monitoring Technicians

    Collect and test samples to monitor results of nuclear experiments and contamination of humans, facilities, and environment.

    Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

  • Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators

    Operate or maintain stationary engines, boilers, or other mechanical equipment to provide utilities for buildings or industrial processes.

    Medium preparation: usually vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree

  • Chemical Plant and System Operators

    Control or operate entire chemical processes or system of machines.

    Little to some preparation: usually a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs do not need one