On the Job


Given the security and defense issues involving nuclear energy, which include weaponry (and nonproliferation), power generation, and radioactive waste disposal, one of the biggest employers of nuclear engineers is the federal government.

Nuclear engineers are also in demand at national labs including Argonne, Los Alamos and Sandia, and at many agencies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Departments of Energy and Homeland Security, and NASA. They also work in these industries: nuclear power (Westinghouse Electric, Babcock & Wilcox, Areva, Constellation Energy), medical (IBA, Northstar), defense and engineering (Bechtel). Also, many opt to remain in academia. Research schools with large nuclear engineering programs include the University of Michigan, M.I.T. and Columbia University. Find out more about nuclear engineering.