National Application Center :: career details :: Nuclear Monitoring Technicians
Career Details :: Nuclear Monitoring Technicians
Collect and test samples to monitor results of nuclear experiments and contamination of humans, facilities, and environment.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers.
- Measures intensity and identifies type of radiation in work areas, equipment, and materials, using radiation detectors and other instruments.
- Collects samples of air, water, gases, and solids to determine radioactivity levels of contamination.
- Assists in setting up equipment that automatically detects area radiation deviations and tests detection equipment to ensure accuracy.
- Calculates safe radiation exposure time for personnel, using plant contamination readings and prescribed safe levels of radiation.
- Scans photographic emulsions exposed to direct radiation to compute track properties from standard formulas, using microscope with scales and protractors.
- Calibrates and maintains chemical instrumentation sensing elements and sampling system equipment, using calibrations instruments and hand tools.
- Monitors personnel for length and intensity of exposure to radiation for health and safety purposes.
- Places radioactive waste, such as sweepings and broken sample bottles, into containers for disposal.
- Decontaminates objects by cleaning with soap or solvents or by abrading, using wire brush, buffing wheel, or sandblasting machine.
- Enters data into computer to record characteristics of nuclear events and locating coordinates of particles.
- Weighs and mixes decontamination chemical solutions in tank and immerses objects in solution for specified time, using hoist.
- Determines or recommends radioactive decontamination procedures, according to size and nature of equipment and degree of contamination.
- Instructs personnel in radiation safety procedures and demonstrates use of protective clothing and equipment.
- Confers with scientist directing project to determine significant events to watch for during test.
- Prepares reports on contamination tests, material and equipment decontaminated, and methods used in decontamination process.
- Informs supervisors to take action when individual exposures or area radiation levels approach maximum permissible limits.
- Observes projected photographs to locate particle tracks and events and compiles lists of events from particle detectors.
- Biological Technicians
- Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Industrial Safety and Health Engineers
- Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Physics Teachers, Postsecondary
- Soil Conservationists
General Work Activities
- Monitor Processes, Material, Surroundings
- Getting Information Needed to Do the Job
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Processing Information
- Evaluating Information Against Standards
Frequent Work Context
- Consequence of Error
- Responsible for Others' Health & Safety
- Importance of Being Sure All Is Done
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Job-Required Social Interaction