Nuclear engineers held about 16,800 jobs in 2014. The industries that employed the most nuclear engineers were as follows:
Electric power generation, transmission and distribution
41%
Federal government, excluding postal service
17
Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences
16
Engineering services
9
Manufacturing
6
They typically work in offices. However, their work setting varies with the industry in which they are employed. For example, those employed in power generation and supply work in power plants. Many also work for the federal government and for consulting firms.
Nuclear engineers work with others, including mechanical engineers and electrical engineers, and they must be able to incorporate systems designed by these engineers into their own designs.
Work Schedules
The majority of nuclear engineers work full time, and about 1 in 3 worked more than 40 hours per week in 2014. Their schedules may vary with the industries in which they work.