Occupation Profile

Nuclear Engineers

(SOC Code : 17-2161)

in California

Conduct research on nuclear engineering problems or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and utilization of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Bachelor's degree .

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Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$57.23	$48.82	$56.59	$66.21

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Projections for this occupation in California are not available.

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Possible Licenses Required and Issuing Authority

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License Title

License Authority

Nuclear Engineer

Department of Consumer Affairs
Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists
www.pels.ca.gov

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Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Architectural and Engineering Services

23,211

75.1%

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Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Nuclear Engineering

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About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.

Direct operating or maintenance activities of operational nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards.

Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or that could jeopardize the safety of operations.

Examine accidents to obtain data that can be used to design preventive measures.

Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.

Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.

Prepare construction project proposals that include cost estimates, and discuss proposals with interested parties such as vendors, contractors, and nuclear facility review boards.

Conduct tests of nuclear fuel behavior and cycles or performance of nuclear machinery and equipment to optimize performance of existing plants.

Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal.

Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research.

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Top Skills used in this Job

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

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