Nuclear monitoring technician
A Nuclear Monitoring Technician plays a crucial role in ensuring safety and compliance in environments where radiation and radioactive materials are present. These technicians work in various settings, including nuclear power plants, waste-management facilities, and laboratories, where they monitor radiation levels, assist in research, and teach safety procedures to personnel. Typically requiring an associate's degree in nuclear science and technology, these professionals undergo extensive on-the-job training to familiarize themselves with safety protocols and the operation of complex equipment.
Despite the expected decline in demand for technicians in traditional nuclear energy roles due to automation and competition from renewable energy sources, there remains a need for skilled individuals in nuclear medical technology and waste management safety. The median annual wage for nuclear monitoring technicians is approximately $100,420, although salaries can vary widely based on experience and specific roles. With the ongoing need for vigilance in radiation monitoring, the responsibilities of these technicians are vital for preventing accidents and ensuring the safety of both personnel and the public.
Nuclear monitoring technician
Earnings (Yearly Median): $100,420 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022)
Employment and Outlook: Decline (-2% or lower) (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021–31)
O*NET-SOC Code: 19-4051.02
Related Career Clusters: Government & Public Administration; Health Science; Manufacturing; Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
Scope of Work
Nuclear monitoring technicians work in nuclear power plants, waste-management facilities, laboratories, and other facilities that use radiation or contain radioactive material. In addition to assisting engineers with production and research in nuclear power plants, nuclear technicians are responsible for monitoring and evaluating radiation levels to assess the performance of the plant and ensure the safety of personnel. They operate equipment and chemical instruments for collecting and testing radioactive samples. Another important responsibility is teaching personnel safety procedures, including how to wear protective suits and protocols in the case of an emergency. In laboratories, nuclear monitoring technicians assist physicists and other scientists in the production of nuclear technology, such as fuel cells, reactors, and medications, and conduct experiments and research. Nuclear technicians oversee the disposal of radioactive waste in waste-management treatment facilities.
Education and Coursework
Nuclear monitoring technicians are not required to hold a bachelor’s degree, but they do need either an associate’s degree in nuclear science and technology from an accredited community college or a vocational certificate from a technical school. Mandatory coursework includes foundation classes in math and science and specialized courses in nuclear radiation and equipment operation.
After completing their education, technicians begin training in nuclear power plants under the supervision of professional nuclear technicians. Their training consists of learning the safety procedures and the operation of chemical instruments and machines. Due to the complexity of nuclear equipment and the importance of grasping safety procedures, training may take up to two years to complete, depending on the facility’s requirements. Training for nuclear technicians, however, does not end after two years; the rapid growth of nuclear science and technology requires constant training and further education throughout a technician’s career.
Nuclear monitoring technicians may undergo additional instruction and transition into more advanced operational positions. After working in a plant for some time, it is not uncommon for a technician to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering. A two-year associate’s degree in nuclear science will fulfill some of the foundation courses required for a bachelor’s degree; therefore, finishing in less than four years as a full-time student is possible. Working in a plant full-time and attending school part-time is also possible, and an employer may help fund further education. Experience working in a nuclear plant is excellent and valuable preparation for a successful career as a nuclear engineer or even a nuclear physicist, which requires a doctorate in physics.
There are several societies and organizations nuclear technicians can join to keep up with and promote education and awareness of nuclear technology. The American Nuclear Society, for example, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the advancement of nuclear science. The World Nuclear Association is an organization that connects working professionals and educates them on the nuclear industry. These organizations are committed to promoting public awareness of nuclear science and its benefits.
Career Enhancement and Training
A license is not required to be a nuclear technician, but to be successful, candidates must possess strong critical-thinking, mathematical, interpersonal, problem-solving, and monitoring skills. They need to be proficient in the basic principles and laws of physics and the structure and workings of subatomic particles. Experience with chemistry—specifically, knowledge of chemical properties and their interactions with other chemicals, the unique structures of chemicals, and safe procedures for disposing of chemical substances—is also required.
In addition to formal education, many facilities require two or more years of training in a plant before an applicant is considered for a position. Networking is an important tool for finding a job as a nuclear technician. Joining a professional society or organization, such as the American Nuclear Society, can help a candidate make valuable connections with working professionals in the nuclear industry and may lead to a job. Institutions offering associate’s degrees in nuclear science and technology often have valuable connections with power plants, laboratories, and waste-management facilities. Many programs offer co-ops and internship opportunities.
Daily Tasks and Technology
Most nuclear technicians work standard eight-hour shifts, but working irregular hours and night shifts is not uncommon to monitor equipment and ensure the safety and efficiency of the plant. Some technicians must work or be on call for weekends and holidays.
A nuclear technician’s daily tasks fall into two categories: safety and technical. A technician’s safety responsibilities include monitoring levels of radiation to protect against overexposure, checking employees for high levels of radiation, instructing personnel in safety procedures and how to wear protective clothing, informing supervisors of abnormal radiation levels, orchestrating evacuations in the case of an emergency, inspecting equipment and machinery for safety, and disposing of hazardous waste. Their technical duties include installing equipment to collect and test radiation samples, operating chemical instruments, inputting and organizing data on computers, maneuvering machinery to transport material and install equipment, monitoring and processing chemical samples, conducting research, and developing chemical solutions.
Nuclear technicians use a variety of tools and technology. A dosimeter, for instance, is a measuring device used to evaluate an individual’s radiation level. A gamma counter machine measures radiation, similar to dosimeters, and is used in researching and developing radioactive compounds. Spectrometers and spectroscopes are instruments used to measure electromagnetic waves, including light, gamma rays, X-rays, and other forms of radiation.
Nuclear technicians use basic desktop computers for word processing, spreadsheet creation, and email. They also operate more complex computer software, such as gamma waste assay systems (GWAS) and radiological assessment display and control systems (RADACS).
Earnings and Employment Outlook
The demand for nuclear monitoring technicians is expected to experience a decline between 2021 and 2031. Existing nuclear plants need nuclear technicians to maintain and upgrade their facilities, while closed nuclear power plants will require technicians for infrastructure remediation and cleanup. However, demand is expected to be impacted by automation and pressure from solar and wind power generation facilities. At the same time, demand for technicians is expected to grow in the fields of nuclear medical technology and waste management safety.
According to information accessed from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for nuclear technicians, including nuclear monitors, was $100,420 in 2022. Median salaries at the lowest end of the scale were $60,490 or less per year, while those at the highest end of the scale were $126,600 or more per year.
Related Occupations
• Health and Safety Engineers: Health and safety engineers maintain facilities and machinery and ensure the safety of personnel within a work setting.
• Nuclear Engineers: Nuclear engineers develop the instruments and systems needed to produce nuclear energy.
• Physicists and Astronomers: Physicists and astronomers develop technology and conduct research by studying the universe, space, and matter.
• Nuclear Medicine Technologists: Nuclear medicine technologists are healthcare workers who scan images of the body using radioactive drugs.
• Power Plant Operators and Distributors: Power plant operators and distributors operate the systems and technology that generate energy in a power plant.
Future Applications
According to the World Nuclear Association, only 10 percent of the world’s electricity was generated by nuclear power in 2022. The United States derived approximately 19 percent of its own electricity from nuclear plants that year, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). Nuclear power’s lack of a carbon footprint makes it an appealing source of energy in a time of concern over global warming, but its use has fluctuated in the face of competition from alternative energy as well as concerns over how to dispose of radioactive waste.
Controversy over nuclear power arose on March 11, 2011, when a tsunami and a powerful earthquake damaged the Fukushima Daiichi plant in Japan, one of the largest nuclear plants in the world. The plant sustained considerable damage and suffered a nuclear leak. Due to high radiation levels, a twenty-kilometer evacuation zone was established around the now-disabled plant.
The Fukushima Daiichi plant is the second in history to reach a severity level of 7 on the International and Radiological Event Scale (INES), which rates nuclear accidents on a scale from level 1 anomalies to level 7 major accidents. The only other level 7 accident was the 1986 Chornobyl nuclear disaster. The accident at the Chornobyl plant in what is now Ukraine released a dangerous amount of radioactive material into the atmosphere. It is believed to be the most catastrophic nuclear accident in history, having killed thirty people due to overexposure and subsequent acute radiation illness.
Despite modern safety precautions and technology, fear of nuclear accidents negatively affects the nuclear industry and has inhibited its growth. The potential dangers are also a burden for nuclear monitoring technicians amid radioactive substances. More importantly, nuclear monitoring technicians are responsible for ensuring the safety of personnel and preventing a catastrophic accident.
Bibliography
"Nuclear Explained: US Nuclear Industry." US Energy Information Administration. 24 Aug. 2023, www.eia.gov/energyexplained/nuclear/us-nuclear-industry.php. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.
“Nuclear Technicians.” Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, 8 Sept. 2022, www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/nuclear-technicians.htm. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.
“Summary Report for: 19-4051.02 - Nuclear Monitoring Technicians.” O*NET OnLine. National Center for O*NET Development, 29 Aug. 2023, www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-4051.02. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.