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How exposed to AI is a Nuclear Engineer?

Of the 20 tasks O*NET lists for nuclear engineers, 5 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 6 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
EngineerNuclear Design EngineerNuclear EngineerNuclear Licensing EngineerNuclear Process EngineerNuclear Reactor EngineerNuclear Safety EngineerNuclear Steam Supply System Engineer (NSSS Engineer)Radiological EngineerReactor Engineer
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
20
tasks rated for this occupation
100%
hold a degree, from a survey of 21
13k
people do this job in the US
22 of 56
least protected in architecture and engineering

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

5
  • Recommend preventive measures to be taken in the handling of nuclear technology, based on data obtained from operations monitoring or from evaluation of test results
  • Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal
  • Prepare environmental impact statements, reports, or presentations for regulatory or other agencies
  • Design or direct nuclear research projects to develop, test, modify, or discover new uses for theoretical models
  • Discuss construction project proposals with interested parties, such as vendors, contractors, or nuclear facility review boards

Only with software built on top

9
  • Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations
  • Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms
  • Conduct environmental studies on topics such as nuclear power generation, nuclear waste disposal, or nuclear weapon deployment
  • Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance
  • Prepare technical reports of findings or recommendations, based on synthesized analyses of test results
  • Develop or contribute to the development of plans to remediate or restore environments affected by nuclear radiation, such as waste disposal sites
  • Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems
  • Design fuel cycle models or processes to reduce the quantity of radioactive waste generated from nuclear activities
  • Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research

Cannot be sped up

6
  • Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations
  • Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures
  • Direct operating or maintenance activities of nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards
  • Conduct tests of nuclear fuel behavior and cycles or performance of nuclear machinery and equipment to optimize performance of existing plants
  • Consult with other scientists to determine parameters of experimentation or suitability of analytical models
  • Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.