Nuclear skills report
What skills and certifications do nuclear employers ask for?
We analysed 1591 real nuclear job postings to see which certifications, security clearances, and skills employers list most.
1859
Listings total
86%
With skills data
10
Certifications tracked
2146
Unique skills
Credentials
Most-requested training & certifications
SRO License leads — required or preferred in 179 of 1591 skilled listings (11%). Operating licenses (SRO, RO, NRC) dominate, alongside professional engineering (PE) and project management (PMP) credentials. An active SRO or RO license keeps you competitive across the widest range of plant roles.
Access
Security clearance & site access
Most plant roles require unescorted site access — granted after a background check and fitness-for-duty screening. A handful of roles also call for DOE clearances.
Most in demand
Top 20 skills across all listings
Beyond credentials, employers consistently expect regulatory fluency (NRC regulations, 10 CFR, ASME and ANSI standards), reactor-type knowledge (PWR, BWR, AP1000), and radiation protection awareness.
% shown as share of 1591 listings with skills data. Skills extracted from job descriptions using AI and normalized to a shared vocabulary.
By role