Skills it runs on
The capabilities O*NET rates most important for this occupation — the human ground the work is built on.
See all skills →Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Occupation · SOC 51-8011.00
Operate or control nuclear reactors. Move control rods, start and stop equipment, monitor and adjust controls, and record data in logs. Implement emergency procedures when needed. May respond to abnormalities, determine cause, and recommend corrective action.
Also called: Nuclear Control Operator · Nuclear Reactor Operator · Nuclear Station Operator (NSO) · Reactor Operator (RO) · Licensed Reactor Operator · Nuclear Control Room Operator · Nuclear Plant Operator (NPO) · Nuclear Power Reactor Operator · Nuclear Supervising Operator (NSO) · Nuclear Unit Operator · Control Operator · Control Room Agent
Job family: Production Occupations
Take this to your AI
A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch
/roles/role-51-8011-00/context.md directly.
AI work map
A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.
Market signal
Independent published positions, read together — not a forecast.
- Declining employment outlook (-15.3% by 2034)
- 400 openings/yr
- Low AI exposure
- Median pay $122,610/yr
- Work is mostly on-site (not teleworkable)
- 2013 flagged this for computerization (89th); today's AI task-overlap is comparatively low (41st)
41st-percentile task overlap — yet about 400 openings a year (-15.3% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →
AI & job outlook
What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.
Exposure to current AI
Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.
| Measure | Rank vs all occupations | Percentile | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) Moderate | 66th | 0.8 | |
| LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Moderate | 41st | 0.5 | |
| AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low | 21st | 0.1 |
OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.2), with simple added tooling (β 0.3), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.5). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.
This job mostly cannot be done remotely (Dingel–Neiman) — its hands-on tasks sit outside what software-based AI reaches.
Mixed signals. Today's AI/LLM studies show relatively low exposure for this job, but the older (2013) Frey–Osborne work rated it higher for computerization and robotics. Different eras, different technologies — the AI measures above reflect the current state.
Historical automation estimate (2013)
A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
Frey–Osborne probability 0.9 · 89th percentile among occupations · High
Job outlook
Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.
| Outlook | Declining · -15.3% by 2034 |
| Projected annual openings | 400 |
| Employment 2024 → 2034 | 5,700 → 4,900 |
“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.
Where this work sits on the global GenAI gradient
The ILO's 2025 global study scores generative-AI exposure on the international ISCO-08 occupation system, not US SOC. Bridged through the published (and approximate, many-to-many) IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 crosswalk, this US occupation corresponds to the international occupation below. Exposure here means how much of the work's tasks today's AI can attempt — task overlap, not automation, adoption, or jobs lost.
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators sits at the 51st percentile of 427
occupations on the global GenAI task-exposure gradient
— exposure eased from 2023 to 2025. Each dot is one occupation; the
ringed one is this work. Exposure is task overlap, not automation or jobs lost.
28% mean task exposure (2025)
51st percentile of 427 placed occupations
−7 pts shift 2023 → 2025
| International occupation (ISCO-08) | Task exposure (2025) | Most tasks fall in |
|---|---|---|
| Power Production Plant Operators · 3131 | 28% | Not exposed |
Read the whole six-band gradient on the GenAI exposure gradient page. The crosswalk is approximate: a US occupation can map to several international ones, and the ILO scores describe the international occupation, not this exact US role.
Tasks
All 20 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.
- Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety. Core · importance 4.9
- Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures. Core · importance 4.9
- Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired. Core · importance 4.8
- Direct reactor operators in emergency situations, in accordance with emergency operating procedures. Supplemental · importance 4.8
- Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action. Core · importance 4.7
- Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of generator loading on other equipment. Core · importance 4.7
- Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment. Core · importance 4.7
- Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities. Core · importance 4.5
- Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests. Core · importance 4.5
- Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors. Core · importance 4.5
- Participate in nuclear fuel element handling activities, such as preparation, transfer, loading, or unloading. Core · importance 4.4
- Authorize maintenance activities on units or changes in equipment or system operational status. Supplemental · importance 4.3
- Supervise technicians' work activities to ensure that equipment is operated in accordance with policies and procedures that protect workers from radiation and ensure environmental safety. Supplemental · importance 4.3
- Dispatch orders or instructions to personnel through radiotelephone or intercommunication systems to coordinate auxiliary equipment operation. Core · importance 4.3
- Authorize actions to correct identified operational inefficiencies or hazards so that operating efficiency is maximized and potential environmental issues are minimized. Supplemental · importance 4.1
- Review and edit standard operating procedures. Core · importance 4.1
- Direct the collection and testing of air, water, gas, or solid samples to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment. Supplemental · importance 3.9
- Conduct inspections or operations outside of control rooms as necessary. Core · importance 3.9
- Direct measurement of the intensity or types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials. Supplemental · importance 3.7
- Identify or direct implementation of appropriate decontamination procedures, based on equipment and the size, nature, and type of contamination. Supplemental
Work activities
- Direct operational or production activities.
- Operate energy production equipment.
- Plan production or operational procedures or sequences.
- Document organizational or operational procedures.
- Operate energy distribution equipment.
- Diagnose equipment malfunctions.
- Maintain sustainable energy production equipment.
- Advise others on ways to improve processes or products.
- Monitor equipment operation to ensure proper functioning.
- Watch operating equipment to detect malfunctions.
- Notify others of equipment repair or maintenance needs.
- Exchange information with colleagues.
- Record operational or production data.
- Move products, materials, or equipment between work areas.
- Inspect facilities.
Knowledge, skills & abilities
O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).
Abilities
| Problem Sensitivity | 4.1 | |
| Oral Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Written Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Oral Expression | 4.0 | |
| Information Ordering | 4.0 | |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.9 | |
| Inductive Reasoning | 3.9 | |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.9 | |
| Near Vision | 3.9 | |
| Written Expression | 3.6 | |
| Speech Clarity | 3.5 | |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.4 | |
| Selective Attention | 3.4 | |
| Speech Recognition | 3.3 | |
| Category Flexibility | 3.1 | |
| Far Vision | 3.1 |
Knowledge
| Physics | 4.1 | |
| Mechanical | 3.9 | |
| Public Safety and Security | 3.7 | |
| Mathematics | 3.6 | |
| Engineering and Technology | 3.5 | |
| Chemistry | 3.4 | |
| Design | 3.0 |
Essential skills
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | |
| Active Listening | 3.9 | |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 | |
| Monitoring | 3.9 | |
| Writing | 3.5 | |
| Speaking | 3.3 | |
| Active Learning | 3.1 | |
| Learning Strategies | 3.0 |
Transferable skills
Skills in demand
Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.
Tools & technology
| Example | Category | |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Access | Data base user interface and query software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Azure software | Development environment software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Power Automate | Enterprise application integration software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft Power BI | Business intelligence and data analysis software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | Hot technology |
| Microsoft SharePoint | Document management software | Hot technology |
| Structured query language SQL | Data base user interface and query software | Hot technology |
| Outage management system OMS | Industrial control software | In demand |
| Data logging software | Data base user interface and query software | |
| Plant information data entry software | Data base user interface and query software |
Work context
How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.
How to get in
- Job zone
- Zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
- Related experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Preparation level
- SVP (6.0 to < 7.0) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.
What to study: Science Technologies/Technicians . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.
Education of current workers
Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.
| High School Diploma | 50.1% | |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 15.7% | |
| Bachelor's Degree | 15.3% | |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 12.6% | |
| Some College Courses | 6.2% |
Interests & work styles
The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.
Work styles
| Dependability | 8.0 | |
| Attention to Detail | 7.0 | |
| Integrity | 6.0 | |
| Cautiousness | 5.0 | |
| Achievement Orientation | 4.0 | |
| Self-Control | 3.0 | |
| Stress Tolerance | 2.7 | |
| Perseverance | 2.2 |
Interest areas
| Engineering | 5.7 | |
| Mechanics/Electronics | 5.1 | |
| Physical Science | 4.0 | |
| Mathematics/Statistics | 2.5 |
Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)
| Realistic | 5.4 | |
| Conventional | 5.1 | |
| Investigative | 3.1 | |
| Enterprising | 2.6 |
Wages & employment
U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)
| 10th percentile | $99,300 |
| 25th percentile | $107,170 |
| Median (50th) | $122,610 |
| 75th percentile | $131,520 |
| 90th percentile | $152,690 |
| People employed | 5,720 |
Industries that employ this occupation
Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.
| Industry | Workers | National median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Utilities · Sector | 4,460 | $122,810 |
| Nuclear Electric Power Generation · National industry | 4,310 | $122,810 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 460 | $113,130 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises · Sector | 50 | $122,470 |
| Educational Services · Sector | 30 | $71,570 |
Where this work is most concentrated
Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).
| Industry | Concentration | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Electric Power Generation · National industry | 3128.13× | 4,310 |
| Utilities · Sector | 207.48× | 4,460 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services · Sector | 1.15× | 460 |
Related occupations
Part of the Energy & Natural Resources career cluster.
- Nuclear Technicians · 19-4051.00 Compare →
- Power Plant Operators · 51-8013.00 Compare →
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians · 51-8013.04 Compare →
- Nuclear Monitoring Technicians · 19-4051.02 Compare →
- Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators · 51-8021.00 Compare →
- Chemical Plant and System Operators · 51-8091.00 Compare →
- Gas Plant Operators · 51-8092.00 Compare →
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers · 51-8012.00 Compare →
- Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers · 51-8093.00 Compare →
- Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators · 51-8031.00 Compare →
- Nuclear Engineers · 17-2161.00 Compare →
- Chemical Engineers · 17-2041.00 Compare →
Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.
What you can do with this
Options the data surfaces for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.
Skills that travel
Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.
Adjacent roles
Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.
Paths in
How people typically prepare for this work.
- High school diploma or equivalent · typical entry level
- Job zone 3 — Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed · preparation tier
- Science Technologies/Technicians · field of study
Zoom out
On the global GenAI exposure gradient this work sits around the 51st percentile of 427 international occupations.
Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators show 41st-percentile AI task overlap — and about 400 annual U.S. openings
- Nuclear Power Reactor Operators rank in the 41st percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
- The occupation is projected to see about 400 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- BLS projects employment to be declining (-15.3%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
- Median annual pay is $122,610, across about 5,720 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators show 41st-percentile AI task overlap — and about 400 annual U.S. openings • Nuclear Power Reactor Operators rank in the 41st percentile (Moderate band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE) • The occupation is projected to see about 400 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • BLS projects employment to be declining (-15.3%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34) • Median annual pay is $122,610, across about 5,720 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024)) Source: Singulariki — "Nuclear Power Reactor Operators". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-8011-00 Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom
Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.
Sources for this page
Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.
- O*NET 30.3 U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai Microsoft Research
- “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130 OpenAI / academic
- AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans academic
- ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025 International Labour Organization
- IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022 Institute for Structural Research (IBS)
- Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation academic
- Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome academic
Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.
Cite this page
Plain
Singulariki. "Nuclear Power Reactor Operators." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-8011-00
APA
Singulariki. (2026). Nuclear Power Reactor Operators. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-8011-00
BibTeX
@misc{singulariki-role-51-8011-00,
title = {Nuclear Power Reactor Operators},
author = {{Singulariki}},
year = {2026},
note = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130; AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) Felten, Raj & Seamans; ILO / Gmyrek et al. GenAI exposure gradient 2025; IBS O*NET-SOC ↔ ISCO-08 occupation crosswalk 2022; Frey & Osborne (2013) frey-osborne-automation; Dingel & Neiman (2020) dingel-neiman-workathome. Accessed June 7, 2026},
url = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-51-8011-00}
} Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.