Also called: Full-Scope Simulator Engineer, Simulator Support Engineer
Keeps an exact copy of a nuclear plant's control room and its computer model working, so operators can practice emergencies they hope never happen.
The plant changed a pump, so you update the simulator's computer model so it behaves exactly like the real one. You test a scenario where a pipe breaks and check that every gauge reacts correctly. Tomorrow instructors will use it for a licensing exam.
Estimated from utility and simulator vendor postings.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in nuclear, mechanical or computer engineering.
Ways in: 4-year college, Military. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering.
Growing about average. Every US nuclear plant must have a simulator; new reactor designs add more work.
Medium risk for 10 years. AI helps with code, but making the simulator match the real plant exactly needs human experts.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Computer Science, Calculus.
Official data: O*NET occupation 15-1252.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.