AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 51-8011.00
Will AI replace Nuclear Power Reactor Operators?
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators: AI can already handle 3 of 19 tasks; most of the work is hands-on, and the part AI can address mostly needs a standard-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 19 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, from most to least exposed. 3 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of generator loading on other equipment. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Review and edit standard operating procedures. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Develop or implement actions such as lockouts, tagouts, or clearances to allow equipment to be safely repaired. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Monitor or operate boilers, turbines, wells, or auxiliary power plant equipment. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Dispatch orders or instructions to personnel through radiotelephone or intercommunication systems to coordinate auxiliary equipment operation. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Conduct inspections or operations outside of control rooms as necessary. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Operate nuclear power reactors in accordance with policies and procedures to protect workers from radiation and to ensure environmental safety. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Adjust controls to position rod and to regulate flux level, reactor period, coolant temperature, or rate of power flow, following standard procedures. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Direct reactor operators in emergency situations, in accordance with emergency operating procedures. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Implement operational procedures, such as those controlling start-up or shut-down activities. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Record operating data, such as the results of surveillance tests. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Note malfunctions of equipment, instruments, or controls and report these conditions to supervisors. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Participate in nuclear fuel element handling activities, such as preparation, transfer, loading, or unloading. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Authorize maintenance activities on units or changes in equipment or system operational status. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Supervise technicians' work activities to ensure that equipment is operated in accordance with policies and procedures that protect workers from radiation and ensure environmental safety. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Authorize actions to correct identified operational inefficiencies or hazards so that operating efficiency is maximized and potential environmental issues are minimized. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Direct the collection and testing of air, water, gas, or solid samples to determine radioactivity levels or to ensure appropriate radioactive containment. | Estimated | No tier | |
| Direct measurement of the intensity or types of radiation in work areas, equipment, or materials. | Estimated | No tier |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 19 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 19 of 19. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A standard-tier model or lower covers 31% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 37% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 63% is hands-on.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 5,150
- Median annual wage
- $122,890
- Middle half of earners
- $109,440 to $130,490
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- -15.3%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Nuclear Technicians 78% skill overlap, about 8 months to move Exposure23
- Nuclear Engineers 73% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure52
- Power Plant Operators 72% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure25
- Nuclear Monitoring Technicians 64% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure54
- Chemical Plant and System Operators 63% skill overlap, about 13 months to move Exposure26
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Nuclear Power Reactor Operators and AI
Will AI replace Nuclear Power Reactor Operators?
AI already handles 3 of the 19 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 29 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by -15.3% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Nuclear Power Reactor Operators?
29 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 19 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 19 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Nuclear Power Reactor Operators tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Monitor all systems for normal running conditions, performing activities such as checking gauges to assess output or the effects of generator loading on other equipment; Review and edit standard operating procedures; Respond to system or unit abnormalities, diagnosing the cause, and recommending or taking corrective action. They are the tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A standard-tier model or lower covers 31% of the role's importance-weighted task work, and 63% is hands-on work that no model tier covers. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, and what do they earn?
5,150 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $122,890 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of -15.3% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/nuclear-power-reactor-operators
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