Nuclear Monitoring Technicians: Career Overview
Collect and test samples to monitor results of nuclear experiments and contamination of humans, facilities, and environment.
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What Tasks Do Nuclear Monitoring Technicians Perform?
The core tasks performed by nuclear monitoring technicians span:
- Brief workers on radiation levels in work areas.
- Calculate safe radiation exposure times for personnel using plant contamination readings and prescribed safe levels of radiation.
- Monitor personnel to determine the amounts and intensities of radiation exposure.
- Inform supervisors when individual exposures or area radiation levels approach maximum permissible limits.
- Provide initial response to abnormal events or to alarms from radiation monitoring equipment.
- Determine intensities and types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.
- Instruct personnel in radiation safety procedures and demonstrate use of protective clothing and equipment.
- Collect samples of air, water, gases, or solids to determine radioactivity levels of contamination.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful nuclear monitoring technicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Nuclear Monitoring Technicians Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Cathodic Protection Technician
- Chemical Radiation Technician
- Decontaminator
- Health Physics Technician (HP Tech)
- Instrumentation Control Specialist
- Laboratory Control Specialist
- Metallographic Technician
- Nuclear Chemistry Technician
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 82,695 nuclear monitoring technicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +10.3% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Nuclear Monitoring Technicians Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $115,968 |
| Hourly median | $55.75 |
| 10th percentile | $80,495 |
| 25th percentile | $98,232 |
| 75th percentile | $133,705 |
| 90th percentile | $151,442 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New York | $121,460 |
| Florida | $118,340 |
| Alabama | $107,680 |
| Virginia | $106,270 |
| New Mexico | $105,350 |
| South Carolina | $105,300 |
| Pennsylvania | $104,650 |
| Michigan | $104,450 |
| North Carolina | $104,240 |
| Illinois | $102,810 |
| Washington | $100,080 |
| Texas | $97,160 |
| Missouri | $96,930 |
| Tennessee | $94,620 |
Where Nuclear Monitoring Technicians Earn the Most
Compensation for nuclear monitoring technicians vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $110,993 | 13.9% | 1.07 |
| Southeast | $105,462 | 47.5% | 4.72 |
| Great Lakes | $103,064 | 27.0% | 3.28 |
| Far Western US | $100,080 | 2.4% | 0.66 |
| Southwest | $97,160 | 4.5% | 0.32 |
| Plains States | $96,930 | 4.7% | 1.60 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | PA | $117,630 | 120 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | VA | $108,690 | 90 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $108,670 | 30 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | GA | $103,120 | 240 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | IL | $78,780 | 480 |
Top Industries Employing Nuclear Monitoring Technicians
The bulk of nuclear monitoring technicians work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 3,740 | $105,300 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,010 | $83,330 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 520 | $92,120 |
| Manufacturing | 330 | $86,800 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 130 | $83,190 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 50 | $108,740 |
| Educational Services | 40 | $62,980 |
Nuclear Monitoring Technicians work in the following industries:
Tools and Technology
- Development environment software: Microsoft Azure software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows Server (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for nuclear monitoring technicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Telephone Conversations
- Exposed to Radiation
Getting Started in This Career
Most nuclear monitoring technicians positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Nuclear Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Calibration Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Non-Destructive Testing Specialists (Supplemental)
- Chemists (Supplemental)
- Chemical Technicians (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Students preparing for nuclear monitoring technicians commonly pursue programs in:
Science Technologies/Technicians
3 programs across 1 majors
Engineering Technologies and Engineering-Related Fields
1 programs across 1 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-4051.02 (Nuclear Technicians).
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