How to hire a nuclear reactor engineer

How to hire a nuclear reactor engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step nuclear reactor engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a nuclear reactor engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new nuclear reactor engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the nuclear reactor engineer you need to hire. Certain nuclear reactor engineer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A nuclear reactor engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, nuclear reactor engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of nuclear reactor engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Nuclear Reactor Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Nuclear Reactor Engineer	Nuclear engineers research and develop the processes, instruments, and systems used to derive benefits from nuclear energy and radiation. Many of these engineers find industrial and medical uses for radioactive materials—for example, in equipment used in medical diagnosis and treatment.	$27-75
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Radiation Engineer	Quality/reliability engineers oversee reliability assessment and management of operations that impact products and businesses. The career calls for individuals with speaking, mechanical, writing, and troubleshooting skills, as well as a background in Java... Show more	$35-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Nuclear Safety
   • Nuclear Power

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the implementation of technology for better communicating and displaying radiological data used during emergency response.
   • Generate radiological technology initiatives for new tools and new technologies to improve the process of overhaul.
   • Perform internal and INPO assessments.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your nuclear reactor engineer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A nuclear reactor engineer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, nuclear reactor engineers' average salary in wyoming is 36% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level nuclear reactor engineers 63% less than senior-level nuclear reactor engineers.
   • Certifications. A nuclear reactor engineer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a nuclear reactor engineer's salary.

   Average nuclear reactor engineer salary

   $96,241yearly

   $46.27 hourly rate

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   Entry-level nuclear reactor engineer salary

   $58,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 22, 2025

4. Writing a nuclear reactor engineer job description

   A good nuclear reactor engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a nuclear reactor engineer job description:

   Nuclear reactor engineer job description example

   Work Place Flexibility: Onsite
   
   * This position may be filled as an Engineer I, II, III, or Sr based on the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate*
   
   Job Summary/Purpose:
   
   Provides technical leadership for reactor core performance and monitoring, advocates nuclear fuel reliability, maintains, and revises fuel and special nuclear material management accountability and configuration, and provides technical assistance to Operations that establish conservative reactivity management and conservative decision making.
   
   Job Duties/Responsibilities:
   
   * Manages core performance monitoring and trending, fuel management and configuration control, and the Special Nuclear Material and Accountability program.
   * Evaluates core component lifetime and provides replacement instructions.
   * Supports training of Operations and Engineering on fuel and core related topics. Serves as the site fuel reliability monitor and champions the fuel reliability program.
   * Supports Operations for maneuvers/core analysis/operating limits considerations. Supports Operations in Reactivity Control and Management.
   * Serves as a subject matter expert for the reactor core and associated areas. Manages reactor core-related surveillances and startup testing. Monitors maintenance and revision to Reactor Engineering procedures.
   * Supports dry fuel storage-related activities and irradiated core component disposal. Implements fuel storage and handling requirements. Supports core reload design analysis and batch reload implementation.
   
   Minimum Requirements:
   
   Minimum education required for the position:
   
   * B.S. Degree in Nuclear Engineering or another closely related scientific discipline / physical science generally associated with power plant operations, or equivalent work experience (equivalent experience is defined as demonstrated success at the Engineer/Technical Specialist Level).
   
   Minimum experience required for the position:
   
   * Engineer I: 0+ years of experience in nuclear power design, operations, or equivalent, depending upon engineering level.
   * Engineer II: 2+ years of experience in nuclear power design, operations, or equivalent, depending upon engineering level.
   * Engineer III: 4+ years of experience in nuclear power design, operations, or equivalent, depending upon engineering level.
   * Engineer Sr: 6+ years of experience in nuclear power design, operations, or equivalent, depending upon engineering level.
   
   Minimum knowledge, skills, and abilities required of the position:
   
   * Good to excellent communication skills.
   * Experience/proficiency in PC use and applications, depending upon engineering level.
   
   ANSI Required: Yes
   
   "ANSI/ANS-3. 1-1978 - 4.4.1 - 4.4 Professional-Technical
   
   The on-site professional-technical groups shall include individuals (group leaders) with the following qualifications in the indicated disciplines. A single individual may be qualified and perform in more than one discipline. A suitable organizational depth shall exist to provide for an absence of the principal.
   
   Reactor Engineering:
   
   At the time of initial core loading or appointment to the position, whichever is later, the responsible person shall have a bachelor's degree in Engineering or the Physical Sciences and four years of experience or a graduate degree and three years of experience. Two of these years shall be nuclear power plant experience. The experience shall be in such areas as reactor physics, core measurements, core heat transfer, and core physics testing programs. Successful completion of a reactor engineering training program (such as the 12-week concentrated programs offered by NSS Vendors) may be equivalent to one year's nuclear power plant experience."
   
   Any certificates, licenses, etc. required of the position:
   
   ANSI/ANS Qualifications - For Senior Reactor Engineer Only. Candidates must meet or exceed ANSI/ANS 3.1-1978. ANSI Section 4.4.1 - Reactor Engineering. Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or the Physical Sciences. 4 years of experience in such areas as reactor physics, core measurements, core heat transfer, and core physical testing programs, of which 2 years must be at a nuclear power plant. Or, graduate degree and 3 years of experience as referenced above. Successful completion of a reactor engineering training program (e.g. the 12-week concentrated program offered by NSSS vendors) may be equivalent to one year's nuclear power plant experience. Desired: SRO license or certification on a PWR or BWR; Professional Engineering license.
   
   Primary Location: Louisiana-St. Francisville Louisiana : St. Francisville
   
   Job Function: Nuclear
   
   FLSA Status: Professional
   
   Relocation Option: Level II
   
   Union description/code: NON BARGAINING UNIT-NBU
   
   Number of Openings: 1
   
   
   Travel Percentage:Up to 25%
   
   An Equal Opportunity Employer, Minority/Female/Disability/Vets. Please click here to view the full statement.
   
   WORKING CONDITIONS:
   
   As a provider of essential services, Entergy expects its employees to be available to work additional hours, to work in alternate locations, and/or to perform additional duties in connection with storms, outages, emergencies, or other situations as deemed necessary by the company. Exempt employees may not be paid overtime associated with such duties.
   
   Please note: Authorization to work in the United States is a precondition to employment in this position. Entergy will not sponsor candidates for work visas for this position.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right nuclear reactor engineer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with nuclear reactor engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit nuclear reactor engineers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your nuclear reactor engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit nuclear reactor engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit nuclear reactor engineers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new nuclear reactor engineer

   Once you've found the nuclear reactor engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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