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Nuclear engineer
Nuclear engineers are involved in the production of electricity from nuclear energy. They develop technology, design nuclear plants, supervise the manufacture of nuclear equipment and operate nuclear installations. They are also involved in environmental monitoring, radioactive waste management and decommissioning (closing down) installations.
Also known as:
- Atomic engineer
Work activities
In a nuclear power station, some nuclear engineers are responsible for operations engineering. They work in a central control room, where they operate and monitor all the essential plant systems on a round-the-clock basis. Nuclear engineers deal with routine operations such as starting up and shutting down the plant. They deal with emergency situations and plant faults. They manage a wide range of electromechanical systems, including boilers, turbines, fuelling machines, diesel-powered emergency generators and seawater cooling pumps. Nuclear engineers are responsible for maintaining a safe environment in the installation and the wider area. They consider possible accident scenarios and ensure that suitable systems and working practices are in place to minimise risk. An important part of this is ensuring that all staff are properly trained and aware of safety procedures.
Nuclear engineers manage the process by which nuclear power plants are shut down for routine maintenance and inspection. These periods are known as outages. They ensure that the installation, testing and commissioning of all machinery and systems meet time, budget and quality targets. Some nuclear engineers are responsible for business plans and financial budgets. They provide engineering solutions to technical issues as they come up, as well as planning and delivering programmed plant upgrades and modifications. Nuclear engineers manage maintenance and repair programmes, working in a team with chartered and incorporated engineers, and engineering technicians. If necessary, they design new equipment or systems, using computer-aided design (CAD) technology. Other long-term work involves planning ways to close down and make safe redundant nuclear reactors and other installations – this is called decommissioning.
Nuclear engineers consider how to retrieve, treat and store any waste from the site. At the start of a decommissioning project, they evaluate all the options, leading to a timetable, budget and risk-assessment strategy. Environmental safety and radiological protection are essential concerns for nuclear engineers. They advise on all aspects of radioactive waste management. For example, they develop waste management strategies. They design and develop special containers (or flasks) to transport used or “spent” fuel to scientists for recycling or safe storage. It’s vital that the containers are secure and made from the right materials, to stop the radioactive waste from leaking.
Personal qualities and skills
As a nuclear engineer, you need:
- Excellent engineering knowledge.
- A logical, methodical and thorough approach to solving problems.
- Good teamworking skills to support colleagues.
- To be able to communicate well with other engineers and scientists.
- To be committed to protecting the safety of the public and the environment.
- To be willing to learn and develop new knowledge, as well as keep up to date with environmental issues and public concerns about nuclear safety.
- To be responsible for planning timetables and budgets and have strong organisational and written skills.
- The ability to stay calm and work well under pressure.
- A disciplined and methodical approach to a safe working environment.
- Numerical skills.
- Strong computer skills to use, and in some cases to develop, a wide range of sophisticated computer technology.
You’ll probably lead and train maintenance teams, so you should be able to encourage and motivate others. Normal colour vision is usually required for this job.
Pay and opportunities
Salaries for nuclear engineers vary, depending on employer, role and responsibilities. Nuclear engineers start on about £25,000 per year, rising to around £58,000 with experience.
Nuclear engineers usually work around 39-41 hours a week, Monday to Friday. However, many engineers in power stations work on shift rotas to provide 24-hour plant operation. You may need to start early, finish late or work weekends.
Opportunities for nuclear engineers are likely to be with:
- The electricity supply companies who operate the nuclear power stations, either at the stations or in central support.
- Consultants providing technical support to the supply companies.
- Construction companies that design, develop and build the power plant.
- The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority in research and consultancy work.
- Companies handling radioactive materials.
- Bodies overseeing the operational safety and environmental aspects of the nuclear industry.
Where are vacancies advertised?
Vacancies are advertised in local/national newspapers, trade industry publications, and on the Government’s Find a Job and Find an Apprenticeship services. Vacancies can also be found through specialist engineering recruitment agencies, internet job boards and the websites of professional engineering bodies and energy organisations.
Entry routes and training
An apprenticeship is a great place to start. A number of higher and degree apprenticeships are available:
- Nuclear technician (level 5 / higher)
- Nuclear reactor desk engineer (level 6 / degree)
- Nuclear scientist and nuclear engineer (level 6 / degree)
You could work your way up, via technician roles, into more senior engineering positions.
Nuclear engineers sometimes complete a relevant engineering or science degree, foundation degree or HND. Nuclear engineers come from a wide range of engineering and scientific disciplines, including mechanical, chemical, control, electrical and electronics engineering, physics, chemistry, mathematics and materials science. A small number of degree courses are available related to nuclear engineering. Foundation degrees may enable you to progress on to an accredited degree course. It’s also possible to take postgraduate training courses, such as those offered by the Nuclear Technology Education Consortium (NTEC). It’s essential to check prospectuses carefully to make sure the course you choose is relevant to the branch of engineering you want to follow.
Depending on their qualification, nuclear engineers can progress by taking on more responsibility for the management of engineering projects and teams of engineers. Some engineers choose to become self-employed or take contract work on a freelance basis.
Qualifications
To enter a relevant degree course in engineering, the usual requirement is:
- Two to three A-levels.
- GCSEs in your A-level subjects at grades 9-4.
- A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4.
Maths and a science or technology subject, e.g. physics, are normally required at A-level. English, maths and a science subject are usually required at GCSE at grades 9-4.
To enter a higher or degree apprenticeship course, you will need:
- Two relevant A-levels.
- GCSEs in English and maths.
Adult opportunities
Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.
If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (e.g. Access to Engineering) could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.
