Nuclear Engineers
Architecture and Engineering Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 17-2161.00
Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.000
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.30
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 14 hidden tasks20 rated tasks · 17 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (85.0%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % |
|---|---|
Synthesize analyses of test results, and use the results to prepare technical reports of findings and recommendations.17-2161.00 | 0.106859.5 |
Design and direct nuclear research projects to discover facts, to test or modify theoretical models, or to develop new theoretical models or new uses for current models.17-2161.00 | 0.032618.1 |
Analyze available data and consult with other scientists to determine parameters of experimentation and suitability of analytical models.17-2161.00 | 0.031017.3 |
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.17-2161.00 | 0.00382.1 |
Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research.17-2161.00 | 0.00311.7 |
Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or that could jeopardize the safety of operations.17-2161.00 | 0.00221.2 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.O*NET Task ID 5384 | 1.0 |
Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.O*NET Task ID 5387 | 1.0 |
Design fuel cycle models or processes to reduce the quantity of radioactive waste generated from nuclear activities.O*NET Task ID 19640 | 1.0 |
Prepare technical reports of findings or recommendations, based on synthesized analyses of test results.O*NET Task ID 20956 | 1.0 |
Design or direct nuclear research projects to develop, test, modify, or discover new uses for theoretical models.O*NET Task ID 20957 | 1.0 |
Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.O*NET Task ID 5379 | 0.5 |
Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.O*NET Task ID 5380 | 0.5 |
Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research.O*NET Task ID 5381 | 0.5 |
Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.O*NET Task ID 5383 | 0.5 |
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.O*NET Task ID 5386 | 0.5 |
Conduct tests of nuclear fuel behavior and cycles or performance of nuclear machinery and equipment to optimize performance of existing plants.O*NET Task ID 5388 | 0.5 |
Conduct environmental studies on topics such as nuclear power generation, nuclear waste disposal, or nuclear weapon deployment.O*NET Task ID 19639 | 0.5 |
Develop or contribute to the development of plans to remediate or restore environments affected by nuclear radiation, such as waste disposal sites.O*NET Task ID 19641 | 0.5 |
Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance.O*NET Task ID 19642 | 0.5 |
Prepare environmental impact statements, reports, or presentations for regulatory or other agencies.O*NET Task ID 19643 | 0.5 |
Consult with other scientists to determine parameters of experimentation or suitability of analytical models.O*NET Task ID 20958 | 0.5 |
Discuss construction project proposals with interested parties, such as vendors, contractors, or nuclear facility review boards.O*NET Task ID 20959 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (20)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures. | Core |
| Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations. | Core |
| Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research. | Core |
| Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal. | Core |
| Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems. | Core |
| Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms. | Core |
| Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations. | Core |
| 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. | Core |
| Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal. | Core |
| Conduct tests of nuclear fuel behavior and cycles or performance of nuclear machinery and equipment to optimize performance of existing plants. | Core |
| Direct operating or maintenance activities of nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards. | Core |
| Conduct environmental studies on topics such as nuclear power generation, nuclear waste disposal, or nuclear weapon deployment. | Core |
| Design fuel cycle models or processes to reduce the quantity of radioactive waste generated from nuclear activities. | Core |
| Develop or contribute to the development of plans to remediate or restore environments affected by nuclear radiation, such as waste disposal sites. | Core |
| Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance. | Core |
| Prepare environmental impact statements, reports, or presentations for regulatory or other agencies. | Core |
| Prepare technical reports of findings or recommendations, based on synthesized analyses of test results. | Core |
| Design or direct nuclear research projects to develop, test, modify, or discover new uses for theoretical models. | Core |
| Consult with other scientists to determine parameters of experimentation or suitability of analytical models. | Core |
| Discuss construction project proposals with interested parties, such as vendors, contractors, or nuclear facility review boards. | Core |
0.04/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 17K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 17K
- Change (2025–35)
- +0.4%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $133,970
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23519 | 그 외 기계공학 기술자 및 연구원 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2149Engineering Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
This unit group covers engineering professionals not classified elsewhere in Minor Group 214: Engineering Professionals (excluding Electrotechnology) or in Minor Group 215: Electrotechnology Engineers. For instance, the group includes those who conduct research and advise on or develop engineering procedures and solutions concerning workplace safety, biomedical engineering, optics, materials, nuclear power generation and explosives.
Tasks
- In such cases tasks would include -
- (a) applying knowledge of engineering to the design, development and evaluation of biological and health systems and products such as artificial organs, prostheses and instrumentation;
- (b) designing devices used in various medical procedures and imaging systems such as magnetic resonance imaging, and devices for automating insulin injections or controlling body functions;
- (c) designing components of optical instruments such as lenses, microscopes, telescopes, lasers, optical disc systems and other equipment that utilize the properties of light;
- (d) designing, testing, and coordinating the development of explosive ordnance material to meet military procurement specifications;
- (e) designing and overseeing construction and operation of nuclear reactors and power plants and nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems;
- (f) designing and developing nuclear equipment such as reactor cores, radiation shielding and associated instrumentation and control mechanisms;
- (g) assessing damage and providing calculations for marine salvage operations;
- (h) studying and advising on engineering aspects of particular manufacturing processes, such as those related to glass, ceramics, textiles, leather products, wood and printing;
- (i) identifying potential hazards and introducing safety procedures and devices.
Example occupations
Biomedical engineer · Explosive ordnance engineer · Marine salvage engineer · Materials engineer · Nuclear power generation engineer · Optical engineer · Quantity surveyor · Safety engineer
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- nuclear engineerESCO 2149.7.2Same scope
Nuclear engineers plan and design engineering equipment and processes in nuclear plants and sites. They engage in engineering activities pertaining to nuclear power plants, and develop risk solutions.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| H1225 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure développement nucléaire | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H1230 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure essais vérification et validation (V&V) en milieu nucléaire | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H1306 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure sûreté en industrie nucléaire | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H2508 | Ingénieur / Ingénieure exploitation nucléaire | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H1109 | Chargé / Chargée d'affaires nucléaire | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2439 | Ingenieros no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 2411 | Físicos y astrónomos | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 2469 | Ingenieros técnicos no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 26234 | Berufe in der Energie- und Kraftwerkstechnik - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 42334 | Strahlenschutzbeauftragte - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 089 | その他の製造技術者（開発を除く） | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| 079 | その他の製造技術者（開発） | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources