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.
Also called: Licensed Reactor Operator · Nuclear Control Operator · Nuclear Control Room Operator · Nuclear Plant Operator (NPO) · Nuclear Power Reactor Operator · Nuclear Reactor Operator
Median pay (national)
$122,610
$99,300–$152,690 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
5,720
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-15.3%
~400 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for nuclear power reactor operators shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $152,690 versus $99,300 at the bottom 10% — 1.5x. The median of $122,610 leaves roughly 25% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -15.3% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 400 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 5 states with released data, New York pays the most for this role (median $131,520, +7% vs the national median), while North Carolina sits lowest at $107,200 — a 23% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Outage management system OMS as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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.
- 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.
- Dispatch orders or instructions to personnel through radiotelephone or intercommunication systems to coordinate auxiliary equipment operation.
Tools & technology
- Outage management system OMS
- Microsoft Azure software
- Microsoft Power Automate
- Microsoft Power BI
- Structured query language SQL
- Data logging software
- Plant information data entry software
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft SharePoint
Knowledge areas
- Physics
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Engineering and Technology
- Chemistry
- Design
- English Language