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Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician

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What is a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician?

Position Description Operate equipment used for the release, control, or utilization of nuclear energy to assist scientists in laboratory or production activities.

Life As a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician

  • Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.
  • Calculate equipment operating factors, such as radiation times, dosages, temperatures, gamma intensities, or pressures, using standard formulas and conversion tables.
  • Communicate with accelerator maintenance personnel to ensure readiness of support systems, such as vacuum, water cooling, or radio frequency power sources.
  • Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.
  • Set control panel switches to route electric power from sources and direct particle beams through injector units.
  • Warn maintenance workers of radiation hazards and direct workers to vacate hazardous areas.

What a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician Should Know

When polled, Nuclear Equipment Operation Technicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

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.

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

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

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

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

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

  • Nuclear Fuel Enrichment Technician
  • Nuclear Operations Specialist
  • Nuclear Technician
  • Energy Systems Operator
  • Nuclear Equipment Operator (NEO)

Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician Employment Estimates

In the United States, there were 6,900 jobs for Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician. The BLS estimates 800 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician are Connecticut, Washington, and Missouri. Watch out if you plan on working in Idaho, Virginia, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Salary for a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician

The average yearly salary of a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician ranges between $49,820 and $114,670.

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Nuclear Equipment Operation Technicians who work in California, New York, or Pennsylvania, make the highest salaries.

How much do Nuclear Equipment Operation Technicians make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
California $95,420
Connecticut $78,300
Florida $88,550
Idaho $73,160
Illinois $84,810
Louisiana $61,080
Mississippi $79,890
New York $95,940
North Carolina $86,300
Ohio $73,210
Pennsylvania $93,380
South Carolina $69,130
Tennessee $86,030
Texas $85,990
Virginia $61,010

What Tools do Nuclear Equipment Operation Technicians Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Nuclear Equipment Operation Technicians:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Access
  • Data entry software
  • Word processing software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Structured query language SQL
  • Database software
  • Linux
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
  • VMware
  • Microsoft operating system
  • Data logging software
  • VMWare ESX Server

How to Become a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician

Individuals working as a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician have obtained the following education levels:

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician?

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Nuclear Equipment Operation Technicians Sector

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Nuclear Equipment Operation Technicians work in the following industries:

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Those interested in being a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician may also be interested in:

Career changers with experience as a Nuclear Equipment Operation Technician sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

References:

Image Credit: via Creative Commons CC0

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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