Reactor operator vs senior reactor operator

The differences between reactor operators and senior reactor operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a reactor operator and a senior reactor operator. Additionally, a senior reactor operator has an average salary of $64,712, which is higher than the $40,533 average annual salary of a reactor operator.

The top three skills for a reactor operator include personnel safety, plant operations and nuclear reactor. The most important skills for a senior reactor operator are NRC, outage, and plant operations.

Reactor operator vs senior reactor operator overview

	Reactor Operator	Senior Reactor Operator
Yearly salary	$40,533	$64,712
Hourly rate	$19.49	$31.11
Growth rate	-15%	-15%
Number of jobs	30,994	28,429
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

Reactor operator vs senior reactor operator salary

Reactor operators and senior reactor operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Reactor Operator	Senior Reactor Operator
Average salary	$40,533	$64,712
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $59,000	Between $37,000 And $110,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between reactor operator and senior reactor operator education

There are a few differences between a reactor operator and a senior reactor operator in terms of educational background:

	Reactor Operator	Senior Reactor Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 44%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	Texas A&M University	Georgia Institute of Technology

Reactor operator vs senior reactor operator demographics

Here are the differences between reactor operators' and senior reactor operators' demographics:

	Reactor Operator	Senior Reactor Operator
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%	Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 1.5% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%	Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 1.5% White, 76.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%
LGBT Percentage	5%	5%

Differences between reactor operator and senior reactor operator duties and responsibilities

Reactor operator example responsibilities.

Operate batch and continuous type reactors, high-pressure reactors, centrifuges, filters and solvent distillation equipment.
Coordinate a team of operators and contractors performing leak rate testing (LLRT) within a 17-day outage window.
Monitor, and adjust: modulation, frequency, audio, and antenna current in compliance with FCC regulations.
Maintain and perform troubleshooting on CD/DVD replication equipment.
Operate heavy machinery such as bobcat equipment and also operate and pave asphalt perform demolition work.
Participate in project teams for critical on-line system outages or refueling outages.

Senior reactor operator example responsibilities.

Need method to proactively manage the business improving cross-functional collaboration & KPI visibility.
Lead compression shift of twenty-one operators and supporting staff in daily operations of manufacturing generic prescription medications in a GMP setting.
Authore multiple watch station examinations and PowerPoint presentations.

Reactor operator vs senior reactor operator skills

Common reactor operator skills

Personnel Safety, 11%
Plant Operations, 8%
Nuclear Reactor, 6%
Control Room, 6%
Corrective Maintenance, 5%
NRC, 4%

Common senior reactor operator skills

NRC, 17%
Outage, 14%
Plant Operations, 11%
Fluid Flow, 9%
License Class, 8%
Federal Regulations, 8%

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Reactor Operator
Reactor Operator vs Senior Reactor Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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