As of June 2026, Nuclear Technicians has an AI-exposure score of 65/100 (High exposure) on the AI-Safe Careers index, blending O*NET tasks, the Anthropic Economic Index, the Penn/OpenAI study, and BLS data. This is an estimate of task exposure, not a prediction of job loss.
Nuclear Technicians
More exposed than 81% of the roles we track. Median pay ~US$110,240. About 700 projected openings a year (BLS 2024–34 — growth plus replacement).
Pay & demand figures are US medians (BLS, in USD) — your local figures will differ. Your exposure score applies broadly.
How you compare to similar Science roles
Your tasks, by AI exposure
- Monitor instruments, gauges, or recording devices under direction of nuclear experimenters.
- Calculate equipment operating factors, such as radiation times, dosages, temperatures, gamma intensities, or pressures, using standard formulas and conversion tables.
- Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.
- Set up equipment that automatically detects area radiation deviations and test detection equipment to ensure its accuracy.
- Modify, devise, or maintain nuclear equipment used in operations.
- Decontaminate objects by cleaning them using soap or solvents or by abrading using brushes, buffing machines, or sandblasting machines.
- Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.
- Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.
- Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.
- Collect air, water, gas or solid samples for testing to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment.
- Measure the intensity and identify the types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.
- Perform testing, maintenance, repair, or upgrading of accelerator systems.
- Warn maintenance workers of radiation hazards and direct workers to vacate hazardous areas.
- Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.
- Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.
- Identify and implement appropriate decontamination procedures, based on equipment and the size, nature, and type of contamination.
- Communicate with accelerator maintenance personnel to ensure readiness of support systems, such as vacuum, water cooling, or radio frequency power sources.
- Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.
No durable tasks identified for this role — its real, individually-assessed tasks consistently read as augmentable (56%).
Safer adjacent roles
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