Science & ResearchCompare

Nuclear Technician

O*NET: Nuclear Technicians·19-4051.00

The Verdict:Nuclear technicians perform hands-on maintenance, radiation measurements, and decontamination in contaminated plant environments that resist remote automation. Real-time safety judgments and worker coordination require human adaptation. AI augments data monitoring but cannot execute physical tasks or bear safety accountability. Regulatory needs protect the role.

Resilience Score

/100

Highly Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$104k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

-7.7%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 1 of 18 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role's core work is hard to automate.
13 of 18 tasks require human judgment, presence, or trust. The 22% that are AI-leverage offer an edge — professionals who learn these tools will outperform those who don't.

1exposed

4AI leverage

13human-essential

View all 18 tasks

AI Can Handle This1 task

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

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

AI Leverage4 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

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

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

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

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

Human Advantage13 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.

Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.

Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.

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

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

Perform testing, maintenance, repair, or upgrading of accelerator systems.

Warn maintenance workers of radiation hazards and direct workers to vacate hazardous areas.

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

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

Decontaminate objects by cleaning them using soap or solvents or by abrading using brushes, buffing machines, or sandblasting machines.

Collect air, water, gas or solid samples for testing to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment.

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

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

Resilience Landscape

Nuclear Technician lands in Stable & Well-Paid

Compare with another role Explore all roles