Nuclear engineers are highly qualified professionals. There job involves developing the processes, equipment and systems that are required for creating nuclear energy and radiation as well as the equipment that makes use of the nuclear energy. They are essentially engineers with specialist knowledge of nuclear processes and technology. They use their knowledge in design, development, construction and research.

A large number of nuclear engineers work as private consultants as well as in government research centers and development laboratories. Those with doctorate degrees may choose to work as either a lecturer or researcher at a university. The rest of them work in nuclear power plants or factories that produce nuclear weapons or machinery.

A lot of nuclear engineers are heavily involved in designing equipment such as devices used to generate nuclear power including nuclear reactors. As well as this they may work on designing and constructing equipment that processes nuclear fuels and dispose of radioactive waste materials. Most nuclear engineers work closely with scientists and other engineers as a team. Communication and team work ability is essential for nuclear engineers.

Some nuclear engineers work as contractors for particular new buildings or factories that are going up. They may overlook and supervise the processes from start to finish of the building of a new nuclear power plant for example. If any problems arise during the construction relating to nuclear energy, nuclear engineers must be able to solve the problem quickly and efficiently as problems can be very dangerous and potentially life threatening when involving nuclear energy.

 

 

Most nuclear power plants have a full time nuclear engineer working there to ensure the smooth and safe running of the factory at all times. The nuclear engineer will usually have to ensure there are safe levels of radiation and also supervise other workers to maintain safety.

It is a very competitive industry, and there is a lot of hard work involved in becoming a nuclear engineer. There is a minimum requirement of a bachelors degree in nuclear engineering for entry level jobs, however many jobs require a minimum of a masters or doctorate degree. Most nuclear engineers begin with a degree in mechanical or chemical engineering then specialize in their advanced degrees. There are only a few purely nuclear engineering bachelor degrees in the USA, and entry is very competitive and challenging. It is easy to enter into nuclear engineering if you have studied different areas of engineering, as much of the knowledge and skills are the same. Much of the training for nuclear engineers is on-the-job as it is a very hands on career. The technology and science surrounding nuclear energy is constantly enhancing, so it is essential that nuclear engineers stay up to date with their training and knowledge. Most employers will cover the cost of this extra training for their employees to ensure they stay ahead.

 

 

 

 

For nuclear engineers wanting to offer their services to the public or whose work affects life, property or health must obtain an engineering license from the state in which they want to work. To qualify for a license you must have a minimum of a bachelors degree plus four years work experience in the industry before you can sit the state engineering exam. Once the exam has been passed you will receive your license.

There are over 15,000 nuclear engineers currently employed in the USA at the moment, with approximately 30 percent of them working in research and development in the physical, engineering and life sciences industries. There are good prospects for nuclear engineers over the coming years, with a projected 7 percent increase in jobs by 2016. Most of the jobs will be in research and development. Many of them are also expected to work in defense-related jobs.

The average salary of nuclear engineers in the USA is approximately $90,220. The highest ten percent of them earn an average of $124,510 and the lowest ten percent earn approximately $65,220 per year. For nuclear engineers graduating with a bachelors degree, they can expect to earn a starting salary of approximately $56,587.