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Nuclear Engineers

SOC 17-2161.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers nuclear engineering practice across commercial power generation, research reactor, and fuel reprocessing environments, from entry-level design and monitoring tasks through executive-level program leadership and regulatory strategy.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Nuclear reactor system components — identify and describe under direct supervision during introductory facility walkthroughs at a licensed nuclear power plant.
  2. Safety regulations and operational protocols — read and interpret with guidance from senior engineers in a nuclear facility control room environment.
  3. Basic radiation shielding principles — apply to entry-level design tasks using analytical software under the direction of a licensed nuclear engineer.
  4. Nuclear plant operational data — monitor and record using standard instrumentation panels under close supervision during routine shift activities.
  5. Technical drawings and engineering specifications for reactor cores — review and annotate with oversight from a senior design engineer in a CAD-supported environment.
  6. Introductory nuclear physics and chemistry concepts — use to support equipment inspection tasks under direct mentorship at a research or power reactor facility.
  7. Draft operational instructions for nuclear fuel handling procedures — prepare in structured templates following established formats under supervisor review.
  8. Mathematical and scientific software tools — operate to perform basic nuclear engineering calculations under the guidance of an experienced project engineer.
  9. Incident and near-miss reports — read and summarize key findings under supervision to support accident prevention data collection at a nuclear facility.
  10. Environmental compliance documentation requirements — identify and compile relevant data under direct instruction from a regulatory affairs team in a nuclear plant setting.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Reactor core design parameters — evaluate and refine using CAD and analytical software with moderate oversight on assigned projects at a commercial nuclear power plant.
  2. Nuclear facility operations — monitor for deviations from safety standards and report anomalies to senior engineers during routine operational periods.
  3. Radiation shielding configurations and associated instrumentation — design using established engineering methods with limited supervision on discrete project scopes.
  4. Plant efficiency metrics and safety conformance data — analyze and compile into technical reports for review by senior engineering staff at a nuclear facility.
  5. Corrective action procedures — initiate and document for non-emergency operational discrepancies in accordance with plant procedures and regulatory requirements.
  6. Operational instructions for nuclear fuel and waste handling — draft, revise, and validate against current safety regulations with peer and supervisor review.
  7. Accident investigation findings — synthesize into structured engineering analyses used to recommend design improvements at an operating nuclear power plant.
  8. Environmental compliance activities associated with plant maintenance — coordinate across internal teams with guidance from a regulatory compliance manager.
  9. System performance evaluations — conduct using systems analysis methods to identify operational inefficiencies at an assigned nuclear facility or reprocessing site.
  10. Nuclear engineering calculations involving mathematics and physics — perform independently and verify against industry standards for assigned plant systems.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Nuclear reactor cores, power plant systems, and fuel reprocessing configurations — design and oversee autonomously across full project lifecycles at commercial or research nuclear facilities.
  2. Nuclear facility operations — evaluate comprehensively for compliance with NRC safety regulations and internal engineering standards, initiating corrective actions as warranted.
  3. Emergency shutdown orders and corrective responses — initiate and lead with full decisional authority in response to plant safety incidents or equipment failures.
  4. Accident data and root cause analyses — conduct independently to produce engineering design recommendations that prevent recurrence across nuclear plant systems.
  5. Operating and maintenance activities of nuclear power plants — direct cross-functional teams to achieve efficiency targets and sustained regulatory conformance.
  6. Construction and operation of nuclear reactors and associated fuel systems — oversee from design authorization through commissioning at a licensed nuclear facility.
  7. Operational procedures and technical specifications — author and approve for nuclear plant operation, fuel handling, and radioactive waste disposal in accordance with regulatory frameworks.
  8. Complex non-routine nuclear engineering problems — resolve using advanced analytical software, deductive reasoning, and multi-disciplinary technical judgment.
  9. Environmental compliance programs for nuclear plant operations — lead and assure through independent audits, corrective action plans, and regulatory agency coordination.
  10. Instrumentation, control mechanisms, and safety system designs — evaluate using systems analysis and operations monitoring to optimize performance across reactor facility environments.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Nuclear equipment design strategies and facility safety frameworks — establish and champion organization-wide, setting standards that govern reactor core and shielding development across multiple projects.
  2. Enterprise-level nuclear facility safety culture — cultivate by leading policy development, regulatory engagement, and workforce integrity programs at an organizational or fleet-wide scale.
  3. Nuclear emergency management protocols and shutdown authority frameworks — define and institutionalize, ensuring preparedness across all facility operations and regulatory jurisdictions.
  4. Accident prevention design philosophies — develop by synthesizing fleet-wide incident data and directing research initiatives that advance industry safety practices.
  5. Strategic direction for nuclear plant operations and maintenance programs — set and oversee, aligning efficiency, safety, and regulatory objectives across multiple plant sites.
  6. Nuclear reactor construction and fuel reprocessing program governance — lead at the executive level, coordinating regulatory approvals, contractor oversight, and capital investment decisions.
  7. Environmental compliance and regulatory strategy for nuclear operations — direct at the corporate or agency level, shaping policy interpretation and long-term stewardship commitments.
  8. Organizational knowledge development and technical training curricula — design and sponsor for nuclear engineering teams, advancing disciplinary capability across career levels.
  9. Cross-functional nuclear engineering teams and technical leads — mentor and develop, building organizational depth in reactor physics, systems analysis, and operations monitoring competencies.
  10. Nuclear industry standards and regulatory frameworks — influence through participation in professional bodies, interagency committees, and public safety rulemaking processes.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Authoritative source data identified for 998 occupations

How a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline; click a citation chip to verify the source.

Emerging
  1. AI-assisted literature review — submits regulatory documents and technical standards to an LLM to extract key safety thresholds and design constraints, then verifies every extracted value against the primary source before use WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  2. Basic simulation query delegation — pastes well-defined neutron flux or shielding calculation inputs into an AI tool to generate a first-pass numerical estimate, while independently confirming results with established nuclear codes.
Developing
  1. Incident data synthesis — directs an AI assistant to pattern-match across historical accident reports and near-miss logs, then applies domain judgment to filter spurious correlations before incorporating findings into preventive design measures Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Regulatory compliance cross-referencing — uses an LLM to map plant operational procedures against NRC regulations and flag potential violations, then conducts authoritative human review before any corrective action is initiated WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Design parameter documentation — employs AI-assisted drafting to produce initial technical specifications for reactor cores or radiation shielding, retaining full engineering authorship over every safety-critical parameter Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
Proficient
  1. Anomaly monitoring augmentation — integrates AI-driven sensor-data analysis into facility monitoring workflows to surface statistically unusual readings in real time, while the engineer retains sole authority to interpret findings and order operational changes WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  2. Failure-mode scenario generation — instructs an AI tool to enumerate potential failure pathways for a given reactor subsystem using structured prompting, then evaluates each scenario against probabilistic risk assessment criteria with deep disciplinary expertise Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Emergency procedure stress-testing — uses an LLM to simulate operator decision trees under hypothetical emergency conditions, then identifies procedural gaps and updates shutdown protocols based on engineered judgment rather than AI output alone.
  4. Maintenance optimization scoping — delegates scheduling-pattern analysis of plant maintenance records to an AI assistant, then applies nuclear safety standards to approve, modify, or reject any operationally consequential recommendations.
Advanced
  1. AI capability boundary setting — establishes organizational standards for which nuclear engineering tasks are suitable for AI delegation versus those requiring unassisted human expertise, grounding the boundary in the moderate automation feasibility of core Science skills in this occupation Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Cross-disciplinary AI workflow design — architects integrated computational pipelines that couple AI-assisted thermal-hydraulic modeling, shielding optimization, and regulatory gap analysis, ensuring every pipeline output passes physics-based validation before influencing plant design decisions WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. Accountability framework authorship — authors governance protocols that define human sign-off requirements for every AI-generated artifact used in nuclear facility design or operations, preventing automation bias in high-consequence decision contexts Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Evidence pack
SAFI positioning
Top skill: Science
Score: 53.1 / 100
precision: category_estimate
WEF cluster
Computational Thinking
computational_thinking
Sources:WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.

Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency/role levels for each occupation. Each statement is aligned to the Pathsmith taxonomy, derived from trusted grounding data and mapped to occupation-specific O*NET tasks and skills.

1Communication10 statements
Emerging
  1. Technical documentation — drafts basic operational procedures for nuclear equipment using standardized templates and established regulatory language Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Safety briefing participation — conveys observations about plant conditions to senior engineers during routine status meetings O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Operational instruction writing — composes clear, unambiguous nuclear plant operating procedures that technicians and operators can execute without clarification Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Incident reporting — translates complex radiological event data into structured written reports for regulatory submission and internal review O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Cross-functional listening — actively captures maintenance crew feedback on equipment anomalies to inform design or operational adjustments Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Regulatory communication — presents safety compliance findings and corrective action plans to NRC inspectors and oversight bodies with precision and technical credibility Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Emergency directive issuance — communicates shutdown orders and emergency response instructions to plant operators under time-critical conditions with clarity and authority Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Accident investigation reporting — synthesizes post-event findings into comprehensive technical reports that drive design improvements and preventive measure implementation O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Stakeholder briefing leadership — translates nuclear safety risk analyses and engineering decisions for non-technical executives, regulators, and public audiences with accuracy and appropriate scope Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Knowledge transfer authorship — develops and refines organization-wide technical communication standards for nuclear procedures, ensuring clarity, regulatory compliance, and operational safety across all plant documentation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
2Leadership9 statements
Emerging
  1. Task ownership — takes individual accountability for assigned nuclear design calculations and monitors own work outputs against safety specifications Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Peer guidance — shares regulatory knowledge and technical observations with junior technicians during routine plant monitoring activities O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Operational oversight — directs day-to-day activities of plant operators and maintenance personnel to maintain efficiency and conformity to safety standards Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Corrective action initiation — exercises independent judgment to order plant operational adjustments or limited shutdowns when safety violations are identified O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Emergency command — initiates and leads plant shutdown procedures and emergency response protocols, maintaining coordinated team action under high-stakes conditions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Environmental compliance direction — leads cross-functional teams executing nuclear plant environmental compliance programs, assigning responsibilities and tracking corrective actions to closure O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Design team leadership — directs engineering teams designing reactor cores, shielding systems, and control mechanisms, ensuring integration of safety, performance, and regulatory requirements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Strategic safety culture leadership — shapes organizational safety culture across nuclear facilities by modeling accountability, elevating safety concerns, and developing next-generation nuclear engineers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Program-level authority — assumes full technical and operational authority for major nuclear plant construction or reprocessing system projects, driving outcomes from concept through commissioning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
3Metacognition8 statements
Emerging
  1. Knowledge gap recognition — identifies personal limits in nuclear physics or reactor design knowledge and seeks targeted resources to address deficiencies before applying them in safety-critical contexts Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Calculation verification — monitors own engineering computations for errors by applying independent checks before submitting safety-related design documentation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Analytical strategy selection — evaluates which modeling approach or analytical method is most appropriate for a given reactor design problem before committing to a solution path Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Post-incident self-assessment — reflects on personal decision-making during plant anomalies to identify where engineering judgment could be sharpened for future events Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Regulatory reasoning awareness — monitors own interpretation of NRC regulations during design review to detect potential bias or assumption creep that could compromise compliance Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Learning strategy adaptation — adjusts technical study and professional development plans based on evolving nuclear technology standards, emerging reactor designs, and regulatory updates Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Expert blind-spot management — actively interrogates long-held nuclear engineering assumptions during design reviews, modeling scenarios where established practices may be insufficient for novel reactor configurations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Mentored metacognitive development — coaches junior engineers to examine their own problem-solving processes during safety analyses, building reflective practice into team engineering culture Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
4Critical Thinking10 statements
Emerging
  1. Data interpretation — analyzes reactor monitoring data to distinguish normal operational variance from anomalies requiring escalation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Assumption identification — identifies underlying assumptions in nuclear equipment design specifications before accepting them as constraints in problem-solving Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Safety violation analysis — evaluates plant operational practices against regulatory standards to identify design, construction, or procedural non-conformances Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Accident causation reasoning — applies root cause analysis techniques to nuclear incident data to distinguish proximate causes from systemic contributing factors O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Evidence-based design evaluation — assesses competing reactor component design alternatives using physics principles, performance data, and safety margin calculations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Complex problem decomposition — breaks down multi-variable reactor safety problems into analyzable components, applies validated models, and synthesizes findings into defensible engineering decisions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Preventive measure design validation — critically evaluates proposed safety improvements from accident investigations against failure mode logic to confirm effectiveness before implementation Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Regulatory risk judgment — weighs technical evidence, probabilistic risk assessment data, and regulatory precedent to reach well-reasoned compliance determinations O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Novel failure mode anticipation — reasons beyond documented incident history to identify latent failure modes in new reactor core or shielding designs using first-principles physics and systems thinking Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-disciplinary synthesis — integrates insights from nuclear physics, materials science, chemistry, and systems engineering to evaluate design trade-offs that span disciplinary boundaries Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
5Collaboration9 statements
Emerging
  1. Multidisciplinary team participation — contributes nuclear engineering expertise to joint design teams alongside mechanical, electrical, and control systems engineers during equipment development Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Regulatory coordination — works cooperatively with safety officers and compliance staff to align design documentation with current NRC requirements O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Operations-engineering interface — collaborates with plant operators and maintenance crews to translate engineering design intent into executable operational and maintenance procedures Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Environmental team coordination — partners with environmental compliance specialists to ensure nuclear plant maintenance activities meet discharge, waste, and reporting standards O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Cross-site knowledge sharing — shares incident findings and corrective action outcomes across plant sites to prevent recurrence through collaborative learning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Emergency response team integration — coordinates with plant operations, health physics, emergency management, and regulatory liaisons during nuclear events, maintaining shared situational awareness Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Vendor and contractor collaboration — directs external engineering contractors in nuclear equipment fabrication and construction activities, aligning work outputs with plant safety and design specifications O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Inter-agency collaborative leadership — leads joint engineering working groups with NRC, DOE, and industry partners to develop updated safety standards or new reactor design guidelines Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Organizational boundary bridging — resolves competing priorities between operations, safety, environmental, and regulatory teams by facilitating shared understanding of nuclear risk and design constraints Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
6Character8 statements
Emerging
  1. Safety-first accountability — consistently reports observed plant conditions accurately, including anomalies that may reflect negatively on own work, without omission or minimization Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Regulatory honesty — discloses potential design non-conformances to supervisors promptly rather than self-correcting without documentation to preserve the integrity of safety records Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Ethical design practice — refuses to approve engineering documentation that does not meet safety standards, even under schedule or cost pressure, upholding professional engineering obligations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Procedural integrity — follows nuclear facility operating procedures as written and formally initiates procedure revision processes rather than taking unauthorized shortcuts Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Public safety stewardship — prioritizes protection of public health and environmental integrity in every plant operational and design decision, treating safety regulations as minimum thresholds rather than targets Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Incident transparency — leads accident investigations with full objectivity, presenting findings that implicate organizational or management failures without distortion or suppression Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Safety culture modeling — establishes and sustains a culture of uncompromising professional ethics across engineering teams, where raising safety concerns is normalized and protected Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Whistleblower courage — takes formal action to report systemic safety violations to regulatory authorities when internal corrective processes fail, accepting professional risk to uphold public safety obligations Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
7Creativity8 statements
Emerging
  1. Design alternative generation — proposes multiple conceptual approaches to reactor shielding or instrumentation challenges before converging on a solution for detailed analysis Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Analogical problem-solving — applies principles from similar nuclear or industrial engineering problems to generate novel starting points for unfamiliar design challenges Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Instrumentation innovation — conceives novel control mechanism configurations that improve reactor monitoring sensitivity while meeting existing spatial and regulatory constraints Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Preventive measure invention — designs original safety improvement strategies derived from accident investigation data that extend beyond corrective maintenance to eliminate root cause conditions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Novel reactor concept development — develops innovative reactor core configurations or fuel cycle designs that advance safety, efficiency, or waste reduction objectives beyond current industry standard practice Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Reclamation system design — engineers creative approaches to nuclear fuel reprocessing and waste reclamation systems that optimize material recovery while minimizing radiological and environmental impact O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Paradigm-shifting design leadership — champions and technically validates transformative reactor technologies or safety architectures that redefine industry standards and inform next-generation nuclear plant design Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-domain creative synthesis — draws on advances in materials science, computational modeling, and systems engineering to conceive nuclear solutions that no single discipline would produce independently Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
8Growth Mindset8 statements
Emerging
  1. Technical feedback acceptance — incorporates design review feedback from senior nuclear engineers without defensiveness, treating revision cycles as learning opportunities Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Regulatory learning orientation — studies evolving NRC regulations and industry standards as expected professional development rather than as burdensome compliance requirements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Incident-driven learning — extracts engineering lessons from plant accidents and near-misses, applying insights to personal design practice and contributing findings to team knowledge bases Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Emerging technology pursuit — proactively studies advances in reactor design, neutronics modeling, and nuclear materials to expand technical capabilities beyond current role requirements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Challenge-seeking behavior — volunteers for complex reactor design or safety analysis assignments that stretch current expertise, viewing difficulty as a signal of high-value learning opportunity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Persistence through technical failure — sustains engineering effort through repeated design iterations or failed safety analyses, treating each unsuccessful attempt as data that refines the solution path Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational learning leadership — institutionalizes post-incident review and knowledge capture processes that ensure nuclear engineering lessons propagate across the organization rather than residing with individuals Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Field-advancing curiosity — pursues research questions at the frontier of nuclear engineering that have no established solution, modeling intellectual humility and sustained effort for the broader engineering team Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
9Mindfulness8 statements
Emerging
  1. Attention management in monitoring — maintains sustained focus during extended nuclear facility monitoring shifts, recognizing when attentional fatigue increases the risk of missed anomalies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Emotional regulation in safety review — manages stress responses during regulatory inspections to communicate accurate technical information without defensive or reactive behavior Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Intentional procedure execution — approaches each step of nuclear operating or maintenance procedure with deliberate attention rather than habitual autopilot, reducing error probability in routine tasks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Pre-decision pause practice — pauses before initiating corrective actions in ambiguous plant situations to verify situational understanding and avoid premature or incorrect interventions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. High-stakes composure — maintains cognitive clarity and measured decision-making during plant emergencies by managing arousal and focusing attention on actionable information rather than noise Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Bias-aware design review — notices when fatigue, deadline pressure, or confirmation bias is influencing safety analysis judgment and deliberately resets before finalizing engineering decisions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Team mindfulness cultivation — builds deliberate attention and situational awareness practices into nuclear engineering team workflows, reducing latent error rates in safety-critical design and operations activities Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Systemic awareness integration — maintains broad, present-moment awareness of how decisions in one plant system propagate risk or consequence across interconnected nuclear facility systems Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
10Fortitude8 statements
Emerging
  1. Uncertainty tolerance — continues systematic problem-solving on novel reactor design problems despite absence of established precedent or clear solution pathway Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Pressure resistance — maintains safety-first decision-making under schedule or production pressure without compromising engineering standards Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Sustained investigation commitment — perseveres through lengthy accident investigations, maintaining analytical rigor and objectivity across extended periods of ambiguous or incomplete data Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Regulatory adversity navigation — sustains engineering advocacy for technically sound safety positions when challenged by regulatory, managerial, or operational opposition Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Emergency response endurance — maintains professional performance and sound engineering judgment across extended emergency response operations, including plant shutdown management under sustained high-consequence conditions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Design iteration persistence — continues reactor or shielding design refinement through multiple failed analyses or prototype failures, sustaining confidence in the engineering process without premature convergence Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational courage under safety threat — confronts entrenched organizational resistance to necessary safety corrections, including escalation to regulatory bodies, accepting career risk to uphold engineering integrity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Long-duration program resilience — sustains technical leadership and team morale across multi-year nuclear construction or decommissioning projects, navigating regulatory setbacks, technical failures, and resource constraints without loss of mission focus Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Atomic Process Engineer · Core Measures Abstractor · Engineer · Engineering Officer · Instrumentation and Controls Engineer · Nuclear Criticality Safety Engineer · Nuclear Design Engineer · Nuclear Electrician · Nuclear Engineer · Nuclear Equipment Design Engineer · Nuclear Equipment Research Engineer · Nuclear Equipment Test Engineer
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
ScienceCritical ThinkingMonitoringReading ComprehensionComplex Problem SolvingActive ListeningWritingMathematicsJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningSpeakingSystems AnalysisSystems EvaluationOperations AnalysisOperations MonitoringCoordinationTime ManagementQuality Control AnalysisPersuasionTroubleshootingLearning StrategiesNegotiationInstructing
Knowledge domains
Engineering and TechnologyPhysicsMathematicsEnglish LanguagePublic Safety and SecurityChemistryDesignComputers and ElectronicsMechanicalEducation and TrainingAdministration and ManagementLaw and GovernmentBuilding and Construction
Abilities
Problem SensitivityWritten ExpressionDeductive ReasoningInductive ReasoningInformation OrderingCategory FlexibilityMathematical ReasoningWritten ComprehensionOral ExpressionNear Vision
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityIntegrityCautiousnessIntellectual CuriositySelf-Control
Technology
Analytical or scientific softwareObject or component oriented development softwareComputer aided design CAD softwareDesktop publishing softwareDevelopment environment softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareOperating system softwareData base user interface and query softwareSpreadsheet softwareOffice suite software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
  2. Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
  3. Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.
  4. Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.
  5. Direct operating or maintenance activities of nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards.
  6. Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
  7. Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance.
  8. Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.
CIP education codes
14.2301

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.