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Occupation AtlasNuclear Power Reactor Operators

O*NET · 51-8011.00

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls, and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause, and recommend corrective action.

Also called Control Operator · Control Room Agent · Control Room Officer · Control Room Operator · Licensed Nuclear Control Room Operator · Licensed Reactor Operator · NPO · NSO
15 more

Nuclear Control Operator · Nuclear Control Room Non-Licensed Operator · Nuclear Control Room Operator · Nuclear Operator · Nuclear Plant Operator (NPO) · Nuclear Power Plant Process Control Worker · Nuclear Power Reactor Operator · Nuclear Reactor Operator · Nuclear Station Operator (NSO) · Nuclear Supervising Operator (NSO) · Nuclear Unit Operator · Power Reactor Operator · Reactor Operator (RO) · RO · Unit Reactor Operator

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code RCI35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Nuclear Monitoring Technicians

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RCIRealistic · Conventional · Investigative — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic5.40
  • C Conventional5.14
  • I Investigative3.12
  • E Enterprising2.60
  • S Social2.07
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • High School Diploma or the equivalent50%
  • Post-Secondary Certificate16%
  • Some College Courses6%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree13%
  • Bachelor's Degree15%
Related work experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years (34%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (45%)
On-the-job training
Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (33%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Operations Monitoring4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Monitor machine functions on an automated production line
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Operation and Control4.03.8Level 4 looks like: Adjust the speed of assembly line equipment based on the product being assembled
  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Monitoringbasic3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Active Listeningbasic3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Complex Problem Solving3.83.3Level 4 looks like: Redesign a floor layout to take advantage of new manufacturing techniques
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a loan application for degree of risk
  • Writingbasic3.53.0Level 2 looks like: Write down a guest's order at a restaurant
  • Time Management3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Allocate the time of subordinates to projects for the coming week
  • Coordination3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Quality Control Analysis3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Assess new parts for precision and accuracy to specifications
Show the other 23
  • Speakingbasic3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Active Learningbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
  • Systems Analysis3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Social Perceptiveness3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Troubleshooting3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Identify the circuit causing an electrical system to fail
  • Instructing3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Instruct a new employee in the use of a timekeeping system
  • Learning Strategiesbasic3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Management of Personnel Resources3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Persuasion2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Service Orientation2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Ask customers if they would like a cup of coffee
  • Systems Evaluation2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Sciencebasic2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Conduct standard tests to determine soil quality
  • Mathematicsbasic2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Negotiation2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Management of Financial Resources2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Management of Material Resources2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Programming2.01.3Level 2 looks like: Write a program to sort objects in a database
  • Operations Analysis1.40.5
  • Technology Design1.40.5
  • Repairing1.40.4
  • Equipment Maintenance1.1—
  • Equipment Selection1.0—
  • Installation1.0—

Tasks

13 core · 6 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures.4.9
  2. Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety.4.9
  3. Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired.4.8
  4. Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action.4.7
  5. Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of generator loading on other equipment.4.7
  6. Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment.4.7
  7. Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities.4.5
  8. Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors.4.5
  9. Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests.4.5
  10. Participate in nuclear fuel element handling activities, such as preparation, transfer, loading, or unloading.4.4
  11. Dispatch orders or instructions to personnel through radiotelephone or intercommunication systems to coordinate auxiliary equipment operation.4.3
  12. Review and edit standard operating procedures.4.1
Show the other 7
  1. Conduct inspections or operations outside of control rooms as necessary.3.9
  2. Direct reactor operators in emergency situations, in accordance with emergency operating procedures.4.8
  3. Authorize maintenance activities on units or changes in equipment or system operational status.4.3
  4. Supervise technicians' work activities to ensure that equipment is operated in accordance with policies and procedures that protect workers from radiation and ensure environmental safety.4.3
  5. Authorize actions to correct identified operational inefficiencies or hazards so that operating efficiency is maximized and potential environmental issues are minimized.4.1
  6. Direct the collection and testing of air, water, gas, or solid samples to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment.3.9
  7. Direct measurement of the intensity or types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials.3.7

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Physics4.14.8Level 4 looks like: Calculate the speed of a falling object
  • Mechanical3.94.6Level 4 looks like: Replace a valve on a steam pipe
  • Public Safety and Security3.74.0Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Mathematics3.64.2Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
  • Engineering and Technology3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Design a custom office chair
  • Chemistry3.44.2Level 4 looks like: Use the proper concentration of chlorine to purify a water source
  • Design3.03.2Level 4 looks like: Design plans for remodeling a kitchen
  • Computers and Electronics2.93.7Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
Show all 33
  • English Language2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Education and Training2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Law and Government2.82.8
  • Administration and Management2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Approve a reimbursement request
  • Production and Processing2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Psychology2.22.5Level 1 looks like: Monitor several children on a playground
  • Building and Construction2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Choose the proper type of wood for adding a deck onto a house
  • Customer and Personal Service2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Process a customer's dry-cleaning drop off
  • Administrative1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Direct phone calls to the appropriate staff member
  • Biology1.91.8Level 1 looks like: Feed domestic animals
  • Communications and Media1.91.5Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Telecommunications1.91.4Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.81.5Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Transportation1.51.0Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Medicine and Dentistry1.4—
  • Economics and Accounting1.3—
  • Sociology and Anthropology1.3—
  • Therapy and Counseling1.3—
  • Geography1.2—
  • Sales and Marketing1.2—
  • Foreign Language1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Philosophy and Theology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—
  • Food Production1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Problem Sensitivity4.14.1Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Information Ordering4.04.0Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Oral Comprehension4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Written Comprehension4.04.0Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Deductive Reasoning3.93.9
  • Inductive Reasoning3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Near Vision3.93.8
Show all 52
  • Perceptual Speed3.94.0Level 4 looks like: Read five pressure indicators in 10 seconds to make sure each is within safe limits
  • Written Expression3.63.9Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Speech Clarity3.53.1Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Flexibility of Closure3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Look for a golf ball in tall grass
  • Selective Attention3.43.4Level 4 looks like: Watch security monitors for intruders throughout the night shift
  • Speech Recognition3.33.1Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Category Flexibility3.13.3Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Far Vision3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Read the slides on a presentation from across a room
  • Auditory Attention3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Fluency of Ideas3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Hearing Sensitivity3.02.9Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Mathematical Reasoning3.03.1Level 4 looks like: Decide how to calculate profits to determine the amounts of yearly bonuses
  • Originality3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Time Sharing3.03.0Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Visual Color Discrimination3.03.0Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Control Precision2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Finger Dexterity2.92.8Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Number Facility2.93.0Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Reaction Time2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Speed of Closure2.93.0Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Visualization2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Memorization2.82.9
  • Multilimb Coordination2.62.0Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Response Orientation2.62.5Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Manual Dexterity2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Screw a light bulb into a light socket
  • Depth Perception2.32.1Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Rate Control2.02.1Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Wrist-Finger Speed2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Trunk Strength1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Glare Sensitivity1.80.8
  • Gross Body Coordination1.1—
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.1—
  • Peripheral Vision1.1—
  • Spatial Orientation1.1—
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Dynamic Strength1.0—
  • Explosive Strength1.0—
  • Extent Flexibility1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.0—
  • Stamina1.0—
  • Static Strength1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.75.1Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Getting Information4.54.6Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.55.3Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings4.55.6
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.45.1Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates4.35.2Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
  • Processing Information4.35.0Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.35.5Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
Show all 41
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.24.9Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Controlling Machines and Processes4.15.7
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials4.05.7
  • Analyzing Data or Information3.94.6Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.64.5Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Working with Computers3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.54.2Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.53.9Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Training and Teaching Others3.54.3Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.43.5Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.34.3Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Coaching and Developing Others3.14.1Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates3.13.5Level 4 looks like: Manage a small team of employees in a dynamic workplace
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Developing and Building Teams3.03.5Level 4 looks like: Lead an assembly team in an automobile plant
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.03.8Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.72.9
  • Thinking Creatively2.62.8
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization2.52.5Level 1 looks like: Have little contact with people outside the organization
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.42.5Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Performing General Physical Activities2.32.5Level 1 looks like: Walk between workstations in a small office
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.32.0Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.32.3Level 1 looks like: Apologize to a customer who complains about waiting too long
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.22.1Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.22.2Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.02.0Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Assisting and Caring for Others1.92.0Level 1 looks like: Help a coworker complete an assignment
  • Handling and Moving Objects1.92.0Level 1 looks like: Change settings on copy machines
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources1.92.0Level 1 looks like: Work as a server responsible for keeping track of utensils
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public1.5—
  • Staffing Organizational Units1.5—
  • Selling or Influencing Others1.40.8Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams5.0
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled5.0
  • Telephone Conversations5.0
  • E-Mail4.9
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.9
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team4.9
  • Contact With Others4.7
  • Consequence of Error4.6
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers4.5
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results4.5

Technology

12 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

In demand (1)

  • Outage management system OMS

Hot (9)

  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Azure software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Power Automate
  • Microsoft Power BI
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Structured query language SQL
Other tools (2)
  • Data logging software
  • Plant information data entry software

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Nuclear Technicians
  2. Power Plant Operators
  3. Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
  4. Nuclear Monitoring Technicians
  5. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators
  6. Chemical Plant and System Operators
  7. Gas Plant Operators
  8. Power Distributors and Dispatchers
  9. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
  10. Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.