Will “Nuclear Station Operator” be Automated?

Core Skills & Abilities

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

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

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

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

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

• Test plant equipment to ensure it is operating properly.

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

• Apply safety tags to equipment needing maintenance.

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

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

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

• 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.

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

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

• Conduct surveillance testing to determine safety of nuclear equipment.

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

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