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Nuclear technician Green Job

Nuclear technicians are involved in the safety and day-to-day running of nuclear power stations.

Annual Salary

£24,000 to £43,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

37 to 42 week

You could work: days / nights / weekends; on shifts

0.5%
Future employment

There will be 0.5% more Nuclear technician jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a nuclear technician, you could:

  • install and test new equipment and control systems
  • monitor radiation levels at power plants
  • find and fix faults
  • run regular inspections and safety checks
  • work with engineers to produce technical reports for managers
  • remove equipment from power stations that have shut down

Possible green job

This job could help the environment.

For a nuclear technician to be a green job, you could:

  • install more energy efficient equipment in power plants
  • work to reduce levels of waste from reactors
  • improve ways to clean up the sites of decommissioned power stations

Find out more about green careers

Working environment

You may need to wear protective clothing.

You could work at a power station, at a research facility or in a laboratory.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
University

You can do a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in:

  • nuclear engineering
  • electrical or electronic engineering
  • mechanical engineering
  • physics

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 1 or 2 A levels, or equivalent, for a foundation degree or higher national diploma
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/
College

You can do a college course to learn some of the skills you'll need to become a nuclear technician.

Courses include:

  • physics and maths
  • mechanical or electrical engineering
  • nuclear engineering and science
  • engineering maintenance

Apprenticeship

To become a nuclear technician, you could apply for a place on a Nuclear Technician Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship.

You can also start a Maintenance and Operations Engineering Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship then get further training on the job to work in nuclear facilities.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide

Requirements and restrictions

You'll need to:

  • You'll usually need a driving licence to get to work outside of public transport hours.
  • pass security checks

More information

Career tips

You can find employers in each part of the country on the Nuclear Industry Association jobs map.

Further information

You can get details about working in the the nuclear industry through:Destination Nuclear; Not Just Labcoats; UK Atomic Energy Authority

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With experience, you could become a:maintenance shift supervisor; radiation safety adviser; nuclear engineer

You could also use your skills to work in other engineering or power industries.

Alternatively, you might move into nuclear medicine, working with radiological instruments, for instance in hospitals, maintaining radiotherapy and medical imaging equipment.

How does this job help to address the impacts of climate change and protect wildlife and nature in the West of England?

Nuclear Technicians are needed to work at Hinkley Point C on the maintenance of equipment used in the production of low carbon nuclear energy in the West of England.

Examples of post-16 courses you could study at local schools or colleges

  • Maths, Sciences A-levels
  • T Level Engineering and Manufacturing (available from 2024)

Click here to find a local provider

Apprenticeships you may be able to take with local employers

  • Level 3 Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician

Click here to search for a local apprenticeship

Examples of post-18 courses you could study at local higher education providers

Click here to search for other university courses

For more information on the different routes you can take to get into working as a nuclear engineer, take a look at the 'Routes into this job' section above. 

Click here for an explanation of the different course and apprenticeship levels.

Local employers 

  • EDF
  • Atkins

For more local employment opportunities see the 'Live job vacancies by region' section above.

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Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of engineering science and technology
  • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • knowledge of physics
  • knowledge of public safety and security
  • observation and recording skills
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • analytical thinking skills
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
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