Nuclear technician
Nuclear technicians are involved in the safety and day-to-day running of nuclear power stations.
Also known as: Nuclear operating technician, radiation protection technician
- Starter salary£24,000 a year
- Experienced£43,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 42 a week
- Green jobPotential
What you'll do
As a nuclear technician, you could:
- install and test new equipment and control systems
- monitor radiation levels at power plants
- find and fix faults
- run regular inspections and safety checks
- work with engineers to produce technical reports for managers
- remove equipment from power stations that have shut down
Working environment
You could work at a power station, at a research facility or in a laboratory.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- knowledge of engineering science and technology
- the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- knowledge of physics
- knowledge of public safety and security
- observation and recording skills
- to be flexible and open to change
- analytical thinking skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become a nuclear technician
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
University
You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:
- nuclear engineering
- electrical or electronic engineering
- mechanical engineering
- physics
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You can do a college course to learn some of the skills you'll need to become a nuclear technician.
Courses include:
- physics and maths
- mechanical or electrical engineering
- nuclear engineering and science
- engineering maintenance
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
Apprenticeship
To become a nuclear technician, you could apply for a place on a Nuclear Technician Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship.
You can also start a Maintenance and Operations Engineering Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship then get further training on the job to work in nuclear facilities.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass security checks
You'll usually need a driving licence to get to work outside of public transport hours.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a:
- maintenance shift supervisor
- radiation safety adviser
- nuclear engineer
You could also use your skills to work in other engineering or power industries.
Alternatively, you might move into nuclear medicine, working with radiological instruments, for instance in hospitals, maintaining radiotherapy and medical imaging equipment.
Career tips
You can find employers in each part of the country on the Nuclear Industry Association jobs map.
Guides for this industry
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0