The UK nuclear industry covers a variety of different industries including defence, power generation, green energy, and healthcare. With the right skills and experience you could become:
- An operations engineer
managing a technical team during the building and running of a power plant. - A nuclear inspector
regulating the storage and disposal of radioactive waste. - A nuclear safety engineer
responsible for making sure all on-site safety requirements are met. - A clinical engineer
researching ways to improve nuclear medicine used in the treatment of disease.
Typically, nuclear engineers work at a power station, in a laboratory, in an office or in a control room, where safety clothing and use safety equipment is a requirement.
Typical Roles
- Occupational safety and health
- Process engineering
- Quality engineering
- Project Manager
- Reactor operator
- Hydraulic Engineer
- Nuclear engineer
- Safety engineer
- Nuclear waste management
- Radiation Engineer
- Radiation physics and radiation protection
- Electrical Engineer
- Reactor Engineer
- Aerospace engineer
- Chemical Engineer
- Navy nuclear propulsion
- Nuclear materials
- Safety analysis
As a nuclear engineer, you might:
- Design and build new nuclear plants and equipment monitor radiation levels plan and carry out maintenance work help to decommission old power stations.
- Research ways to dispose of nuclear waste.
- Design medical equipment that uses nuclear technology work on nuclear propulsions systems for ships and submarines.
- Build power plants to help reduce greenhouse gasses.
- Design energy efficient medical scanners and imaging equipment work on research into nuclear fusion that has the potential to produce large amounts of cleaner energy.
If considering a career in Nuclear Energy, you may need to relocate for work, as Britain's nuclear power stations are spread around the country.
Operational and planned UK Nuclear Power Stations
There are currently 9 operational power stations in 4 locations:
- Hartlepool
- Heysham
- Sizewell
- Torness
Under construction
Planned and proposed
- Sizewell
- Bradwell
Starting a career as a nuclear engineer
For a career as a nuclear engineer you will need:
- Knowledge of engineering science and technology maths knowledge.
- Knowledge of physics to be thorough and pay attention to detail thinking and reasoning.
- Design skills and knowledge.
- Analytical thinking skills.
- Excellent verbal communication skills.
- A thorough understanding of computer systems and applications.
Anyone entering the nuclear industry, will need to pass a security check with the minimum requirement being a BPSS security clearance.
Early Careers
If you are in the early stages of your career and nuclear is your first choice, here are some of the different ways of starting a career as a nuclear engineer.
Obtaining a university degree in:
- nuclear engineering
- chemical engineering
- mechanical engineering
- a graduate training scheme in nuclear technology materials and nuclear engineering
Other routes include a 2-year graduate training scheme called Nuclear Graduates, which is run by nuclear industry employers. On the scheme, you'll receive professional development training in different areas of the nuclear industry. You'll normally need a degree in a science or engineering subject to apply for a place.
To become a nuclear engineer, you will need the following qualifications:
- 2 or 3 A levels, or equivalent, including maths and physics a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship.
You may be able to apply for a place on an apprenticeship, such as: Nuclear Scientist and Nuclear Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship Nuclear Reactor Desk Engineer Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship.
These take around 3 years to complete.
Salary and working the week.
Average salary (a year)
- Starter - £28,000
- Experienced - £58,000
- Head of Department - £70,000
- The working week - 39 to 41 a week
- You could work evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts