Nuclear engineers design and operate nuclear processes and facilities, including nuclear power plants. They also conduct research on nuclear energy.
Nuclear Power Plants
Nuclear engineers who work at nuclear power plants monitor plant operations to ensure safety and identify problems when they occur.
Some of the tasks they perform include:
- Inspection of reactor vessels equipment, instruments, nuclear fuel, and waste
- Coordination of emergency procedures
- Preparation of technical reports
If engineers find problems at a nuclear power plant, they recommend ways to fix them. They review accidents to prevent them from happening again.
Nuclear Research
Many nuclear engineers conduct and evaluate research. Research is conducted in areas such as:
- Nuclear theories or nuclear fission
- Ways to use radioactive material to make more energy with less waste
- Finding safer ways to use, reclaim, and dispose of nuclear material
Once engineers have collected their data, they analyze it and write reports about their findings. They may also consult with other scientists.
Nuclear engineers may specialize in one of the following areas:
- Disposal of nuclear material
- Construction and operation of systems that reprocess nuclear fuels
- Estimating the cost of constructing new nuclear power plants
- Clean up areas that became polluted with radiation