Production
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Also called: Licensed Reactor Operator, Nuclear Control Operator, Nuclear Control Room Operator, Nuclear Plant Operator (NPO)
US median pay
$122,890
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-5.9%
declining
Openings a year (US)
400
5,200 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
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 they do day to day
- 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.
- Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors.
- Participate in nuclear fuel element handling activities, such as preparation, transfer, loading, or unloading.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operations Monitoring4.0/5
- Operation and Control4.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.8/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5/5
- Time Management3.4/5
- Quality Control Analysis3.2/5
- Coordination3.2/5
- Systems Analysis3.1/5
Knowledge
- Physics4.1/5
- Mechanical3.9/5
- Public Safety and Security3.7/5
- Mathematics3.6/5
- Engineering and Technology3.5/5
- Chemistry3.4/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma50%
- Post-secondary certificate16%
- Bachelor's degree15%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.