* * * This is NOT a job offer * * * The purpose of this occupational guide is to provide you with useful information to help you make career decisions. If you are searching for a job, please go to CalJobs (for jobs in California)     OR      JOBcentral (for jobs nationwide)

More Occupational Guides

Nuclear Techicians and Technologists

THE JOB

NUCLEAR TECHNICIANS AND TECHNOLOGISTS are members of project teams which 
assist nuclear engineers and scientists in the servicing and maintenance of 
various types of existing facilities and in the Research and development of 
new facilities.  Research and Development Technicians may be involved with 
defense or medical applications.  Other technicians function as reactor or 
accelerator systems operators at existing power, defense or medical 
facilities.

Working under the direction of Nuclear Engineers, Nuclear Technicians set up 
tests, install instruments, operate reactors and assist crafts workers in 
the construction of monitoring equipment for fissionable materials and 
experimental models of nuclear devices and facilities.  They use remote-
controlled hand tools as well as oscilloscopes, ammeters, voltmeters and 
electronic counters in their work, and they must follow rigid safety 
precautions at all times.

Nuclear Technicians are identified by the job they do or the equipment they 
use.  Accelerator operators set up and coordinate the operation of particle 
accelerators such as betatrons.  (Betatrons use magnets to speed up 
electrons to create energies of hundreds of millions of electron volts). 
Gamma Facilities Operators use remote-controlled machines to irradiate 
particles in gamma canals.  Power Reactor Operators operate steam producing 
nuclear reactors, coordinate operation of auxiliary equipment and assist in 
handling nuclear fuel elements.  Radiation Monitors operate instruments to 
detect and measure exposure time of personnel and materials to radiation and 
instruct others in radiation safety measures.  Radioisotope Production 
Operators prepare radioactive samples of blood, oil or water, for tracing 
the path of fluids in systems.  Scanners record details of atomic fusion on 
magnetic tape.  Reactor Operators use neutron and gamma rays to study the 
atomic structure and properties of matter.  Fuel Technicians control chemical 
equipment which processes raw uranium ores, extracts fuels and recovers 
unused uranium from spent nuclear fuel.  Hot Cell Technicians perform 
chemical and other tests on metal and various other materials to determine 
amounts of radioactivity.


WORKING CONDITIONS

These different jobs require a wide range of physical activities from 
sedentary gauge monitoring to heavy labor.  Many jobs require standing and 
walking. Some jobs require heavy lifting.  Nuclear Technicians must have 
good vision, depth perception and color discrimination.  They must be able 
to work under great pressure and be able to make fast, accurate decisions 
and adapt to rapidly changing situations where there is no room for error. 
Most jobs are performed indoors in clean, quiet, well-ventilated, 
well-lighted surroundings. For many jobs, technicians need a security 
clearance; Nuclear Reactor Operators must be licensed by the Nuclear 
Regulatory Commission.  Protective clothing and film badges or dosimeters, 
which show radioactive contamination, must be worn when working around 
radioactive materials.

Technicians working in nuclear power plants are usually members of the 
Utility Workers Union of America, or the AFL-CIO Division of Oil, Chemical 
and Atomic Workers.  Other technicians may affiliate with other craft unions.


EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

The following information is from the California Projections of Employment 
published by the Labor Market Information Division.

Estimated number of workers in 1990               480
Estimated number of workers in 2005               580
Projected Growth 1990-2005                        21%
Estimated openings due to separations by 2005     210

(These figures do not include self-employment nor openings due to turnover.)

In California, Nuclear Technicians are employed by government agencies, 
academic and industrial Research centers, nuclear power plants, military 
installations and industrial manufacturing plants.  Currently, the future of 
nuclear power for certain uses in California is not clear and this situation 
translates into a slow overall job market for Nuclear Technicians.  Hiring 
will be mostly to replace present workers who leave the labor market or 
change careers.  Still, some positions requiring specific types of 
specialized experience are difficult to fill because qualified technicians 
are scarce.


WAGES, HOURS, AND FRINGE BENEFITS

Salaries in both private industry and in government service vary widely, 
depending upon the level of knowledge and experience required.  In the 
private sector beginning employees with at least one year of related 
training or experience can have a starting pay ranging from $8.00 to $12.75 
per hour.  Journey-level workers can earn from $12.00 to $18.00 per hour and 
senior-level technicians can earn from $19.00 to $21.25 per hour. 
Supervisors earn $25.50 per hour or more.

Federal Civil Service wages also vary according to acquired experience and 
established GS Levels.  Hourly earnings may start at approximately $8.50 per 
hour. Experienced individuals may earn from $9.50 to $10.50 per hour.  Fully 
experienced technicians may earn approximately $14.25 to $20.75 per hour.

Some technicians must have a Reactor Operator's license issued by the 
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to perform their specific job duties. 
Those technicians who do have an NRC license and use it on the job can get 
an incentive of several hundred dollars per month, with the specific amount 
of bonus depending on the employer.

The standard workweek is 40 hours.  Time and one-half is paid for overtime. 
Benefits include paid vacations, holidays and sick leave.  Life and accident 
insurance are usually provided.  Many companies offer retirement and profit 
sharing in their benefit package.


ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING

The minimum requirement is high school graduation with heavy emphasis on 
courses in the sciences and mathematics, supplemented by some amount of 
relevant experience (previous U.S. Navy service in nuclear ratings is very 
helpful).  Most employers prefer trainees with two to four years of college. 
College course work should be in mathematics, chemistry, physics and related 
subjects. Jobs involving direct exposure to radiation or responsibility for 
the health of others, such as Radiation Monitors, Radiographers and 
Radioisotope Production Operators, usually require an Associate Science 
degree in Nuclear Health or Nuclear Technology.  Job applicants need 
scientific and mathematical aptitude and should have good manual and finger 
dexterity.  They must be able to sustain a long span of attention and be able 
to follow instructions exactly.  Technical training is conducted on the job 
and is supplemented with classroom instruction.  There are apprenticeship 
programs for technicians working in nuclear power plants.  The U.S. Navy 
conducts a 40-week training course in nuclear power plant operation.


ADVANCEMENT

Technicians with some college background and work experience can be promoted 
to senior and lead technician positions.  Experienced technicians with a BS 
degree can become Nuclear Engineers.  Some employers pay job-related 
educational costs, while others offer work-study plans.


FINDING THE JOB

Those interested in civil service positions should apply at Federal Job 
Information Centers, located in most major metropolitan areas.  Applicants 
should apply directly to private employers engaged in Research, design and 
operation of nuclear facilities or to firms in nuclear medicine.  Branches 
of the U. S. Armed Forces also train and employ Nuclear Technicians.  The 
Employment Development Department Workforce Services Office is often a good source 
of job leads.


ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The Department of Energy
Office of Public Affairs
1000 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC  20585

The American Nuclear Society
555 North Kensington Avenue
La Grange Park, IL  60525

Utility Workers Union of America, Local 246
10355 Los Alamitos Boulevard, Suite F
Los Alamitos, CA  90720
(310) 594-8881


RELATED OCCUPATIONAL GUIDES

Electronics Technicians           No.  60
Nuclear Engineers                 No. 367
Instrumentation Technicians       No. 485


OCCUPATIONAL CODE REFERENCES

DOT (Dictionary of Occupational Titles, 4th ed., Rev. 1)
Chemical Radiation Technician            015.261-010
Accelerator Operator (prof. & kin.)      015.362-010
Gamma-Facilities Operator (prof. & kin.) 015.362-014
Hot Cell Technician (chem.)              015.362-018
Radioisotope Production Operator         015.362-022
Scanner (prof. & kin.)                   015.384-010
Radiation Monitor (prof. & kin.)         199.167-010

OES (Occupational Employment Statistics) System
Nuclear Technicians & Technologists            24508


Source:  State of California, Employment Development Department, 
         Labor Market Information Division, Information Services Group, 
         (916) 262-2162.