JOB REPORT / 19-4051 · 34 TASKS

Nuclear Technicians.

Can AI do the work of Nuclear Technicians?

Mostly it works alongside you. Here is what shifts, task by task.

YOUR EXPERIENCE MATTERS

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How many tasks do you use AI to assist with at work?

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The mark shows what’s typical for this job.

The parts of your job AI can already do most of:

Calculate safe radiation exposure times for personnel using plant…
Inform supervisors when individual exposures or area radiation levels…
Calculate equipment operating factors

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A guided certificate program in AI-assisted Nuclear Technicians work. It covers the 24 AI-affected parts of your job and ends in a capstone a person reviews.

WHAT WE LOOKED AT

Your job, task by task.

24 of 34 tasks reviewed

This job has 34 core tasks. We went through 24 of them, one at a time.

Task by task, from the work Nuclear Technicians actually do. How we describe AI use in each task is our own read of it, not a measurement of whether AI can replace the job.

TASK 01
Calculate safe radiation exposure times for personnel using plant contamination readings and prescribed safe levels of radiation.
AI DOES
Runs dose-rate calculations and flags when exposure limits are being approached
YOU DO
Verify sensor data, apply site-specific context, and own the safety call
TASK 02
Inform supervisors when individual exposures or area radiation levels approach maximum permissible limits.
AI DOES
Monitors sensor feeds continuously and sends automatic alerts when levels approach limits
YOU DO
Verify readings, judge context, and take responsibility for safety decisions
TASK 03
Calculate equipment operating factors, such as radiation times, dosages, temperatures, gamma intensities, or pressures, using standard formulas and conversion tables.
AI DOES
Runs formulas, converts units, and checks calculations instantly
YOU DO
Verify real conditions, own the safety sign-off, and catch bad inputs
TASK 04
Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.
AI DOES
Watches live sensor feeds, spots patterns, and alerts technicians to unusual readings faster than manual review
YOU DO
Confirm real hazards, make safety calls, and decide on hands-on repairs
TASK 05
Prepare reports describing contamination tests, material or equipment decontaminated, or methods used in decontamination processes.
AI DOES
Drafts report templates, organizes test data, and suggests standard wording for decontamination procedures
YOU DO
Verify all measurements, confirm regulatory compliance, and take professional responsibility for the final report
TASK 06
Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.
AI DOES
Searches decontamination databases, suggests procedures based on contamination type and level, and summarizes regulatory guidelines
YOU DO
Walk the site, judge actual conditions, and take legal responsibility for safety decisions
TASK 07
Monitor personnel to determine the amounts and intensities of radiation exposure.
AI DOES
Analyzes dosimeter readings, spots exposure trends, and sends alerts when levels get too high
YOU DO
Physically verify equipment, assess real conditions on-site, and make final safety decisions
TASK 08
Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.
AI DOES
Looks up decontamination protocols and matches equipment type and contamination levels to recommended procedures
YOU DO
Verify actual site conditions, apply judgment, and take responsibility for safety-critical choices
TASK 09
Brief workers on radiation levels in work areas.
AI DOES
Summarizes radiation monitoring data and generates draft briefing reports
YOU DO
Deliver the briefing face-to-face and handle live safety questions
TASK 10
Monitor instruments, gauges, or recording devices under direction of nuclear experimenters.
AI DOES
Flags unusual readings, logs data automatically, and sends alerts when values go out of range
YOU DO
Stay present at the instruments and apply safety judgment in the moment
TASK 11
Analyze samples, such as air or water samples, for contaminants or other elements.
AI DOES
Reviews sensor readings and helps interpret contamination data patterns
YOU DO
Collect samples safely, run lab equipment, and make final safety calls
TASK 12
Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.
AI DOES
Pulls up relevant procedures, flags checklist gaps, and summarizes policy updates
YOU DO
Stay physically present, use your judgment, and take responsibility for safe operation
TASK 13
Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.
AI DOES
Looks up policy documents, flags procedure updates, and answers questions about safety rules
YOU DO
Stay physically present, read real conditions, and make split-second safety calls on the ground
TASK 14
Instruct personnel in radiation safety procedures and demonstrate use of protective clothing and equipment.
AI DOES
Drafts training scripts, quizzes, and reference guides for radiation safety topics
YOU DO
Show up in person to demonstrate and verify correct use of protective equipment
TASK 15
Set up equipment that automatically detects area radiation deviations and test detection equipment to ensure its accuracy.
AI DOES
Helps review setup procedures, log test results, and flag data patterns
YOU DO
Physically connect, calibrate, and verify equipment on-site
TASK 16
Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.
AI DOES
Helps review test data patterns, flag anomalies in readings, and organize safety records
YOU DO
Be physically present to run tests, verify equipment, and sign off on safety findings
TASK 17
Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.
AI DOES
Analyzes sensor data and flags anomalies in equipment readings
YOU DO
Physically inspect, handle, and verify equipment on-site
TASK 18
Determine intensities and types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.
AI DOES
Logs and analyzes detector readings, flags anomalies, and helps interpret data patterns
YOU DO
Carry the detector, move through the physical space, and make real-time safety calls on the ground
TASK 19
Modify, devise, or maintain nuclear equipment used in operations.
AI DOES
Pulls up manuals, flags anomalies in equipment data, and helps draft maintenance logs
YOU DO
Show up, touch the equipment, and make safety calls in person
TASK 20SOURCE-BACKED TASK
Enter data into computers to record characteristics of nuclear events or to locate coordinates of particles.
AI DOES
Auto-fills standard fields from instrument readings
YOU DO
Verify accuracy and flag anomalies
About this analysis
40% · Methodology: exposure-v1 · Analysis date: unavailable · Confidence: medium
TASK 21
Identify and implement appropriate decontamination procedures, based on equipment and the size, nature, and type of contamination.
AI DOES
Looks up decontamination protocols and suggests procedures based on contamination type and equipment specs
YOU DO
Stay present on-site to assess real conditions, handle equipment safely, and make live safety calls
TASK 22
Measure the intensity and identify the types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.
AI DOES
Helps log readings, flag unusual patterns, and compare data to safety limits
YOU DO
Physically carry and operate detectors in real spaces where safety matters most
TASK 23
Communicate with accelerator maintenance personnel to ensure readiness of support systems, such as vacuum, water cooling, or radio frequency power sources.
AI DOES
Drafts checklists, status update templates, and communication logs for readiness checks
YOU DO
Verify actual system status in person and make safety calls directly with maintenance staff
TASK 24
Provide initial response to abnormal events or to alarms from radiation monitoring equipment.
AI DOES
Flags alarm patterns and pulls up historical data or procedure checklists
YOU DO
Stay physically present, assess the real scene, and make safety-critical calls

START LEARNING AI

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Use your judgment.

There are 24 short lessons for this job, about 15 minutes each. Each one starts from a task above and teaches the part that stays with you.

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AT A GLANCE

Occupation: Nuclear Technicians
SOC code: 19-4051
Tasks reviewed: 24 of 34

How we assess

PAY & OUTLOOK

Compare pay by state

Median pay (national): $110,240 · BLS OEWS 2025
Median pay (Colorado): Not reported for Colorado
Employed (national): 6,470
Employed in Colorado: Not reported for Colorado
Job outlook: −7.7% by 2034 · ~700 openings/yr

Wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. National figures cover the United States. Job outlook is national.

How does this fit your work?

Earn a certificate in your job

Your job, task by task.

Calculate safe radiation exposure times for personnel using plant contamination readings and prescribed safe levels of radiation.

Inform supervisors when individual exposures or area radiation levels approach maximum permissible limits.

Calculate equipment operating factors, such as radiation times, dosages, temperatures, gamma intensities, or pressures, using standard formulas and conversion tables.

Monitor nuclear reactor equipment performance to identify operational inefficiencies, hazards, or needs for maintenance or repair.

Prepare reports describing contamination tests, material or equipment decontaminated, or methods used in decontamination processes.

Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.

Monitor personnel to determine the amounts and intensities of radiation exposure.

Determine or recommend radioactive decontamination procedures, according to the size and nature of equipment and the degree of contamination.

Brief workers on radiation levels in work areas.

Monitor instruments, gauges, or recording devices under direction of nuclear experimenters.

Analyze samples, such as air or water samples, for contaminants or other elements.

Follow nuclear equipment operational policies and procedures that ensure environmental safety.

Follow policies and procedures for radiation workers to ensure personnel safety.

Instruct personnel in radiation safety procedures and demonstrate use of protective clothing and equipment.

Set up equipment that automatically detects area radiation deviations and test detection equipment to ensure its accuracy.

Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.

Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.

Determine intensities and types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.

Modify, devise, or maintain nuclear equipment used in operations.

Enter data into computers to record characteristics of nuclear events or to locate coordinates of particles.

Identify and implement appropriate decontamination procedures, based on equipment and the size, nature, and type of contamination.

Measure the intensity and identify the types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials, using radiation detectors or other instruments.

Communicate with accelerator maintenance personnel to ensure readiness of support systems, such as vacuum, water cooling, or radio frequency power sources.

Provide initial response to abnormal events or to alarms from radiation monitoring equipment.

Practice AI.Use your judgment.

Practice AI.
Use your judgment.