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- Maintain equipment and monitor radiation levels in nuclear power stations
- Requires observation and recording skills and attention to detail
- Use your skills to move into other engineering or power industries
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Carry out planned maintenance work
- Find faults and fix them
- Install new equipment and systems
- Monitor radiation levels in and around the power plant
- Run regular inspections and safety checks
- Work with staff on emergency procedures
- Remove equipment from power stations that have shut down
- Decontaminate machinery
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
As a nuclear technician, you could work in a power plant, at a research facility or in a laboratory. Your working environment may be physically active and humid and you may need to wear protective clothing.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with good observation and recording skills and attention to detail.
You'll need 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English, maths and science and you will need to pass security checks for this role.
You could do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in nuclear engineering, electrical or electronic engineering, mechanical engineering or physics.
You can also do a college course to learn some of the skills you'll need to get into this job. Courses include a Level 3 Certificate in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering, Level 3 Diploma in Integrated Nuclear Engineering and Science, Level 3 Diploma in Maintenance Engineering Technology and Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Nuclear Engineering.
Alternatively, you can do a nuclear technician higher apprenticeship. You can also start a maintenance and operations engineering advanced apprenticeship, then get further training on the job to work in nuclear facilities.
You'll usually need a driving licence to get to work outside of public transport hours.
You can find employers on the Nuclear Industry Association jobs map.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could become a maintenance shift supervisor, radiation safety adviser or nuclear engineer. You could also use your skills to move into other engineering or power industries, or work in hospitals, maintaining radiotherapy and medical imaging equipment.