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Internship Nuclear Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Ocean Atomics LLC

Nuclear Systems Engineer

Bethesda, MD · On-site

$110K - $240K/yr

Role Summary As Nuclear Systems Engineer, you work on the system-level design of the reactor ... Early-career engineers with systems engineering exposure through internships, research, or early ...

New

X Energy LLC

Mechanical Design Engineer

Rockville, MD

$77K - $105K/yr

May include industry internship experience, hobby, or participation in collegiate engineering ... Preferred Qualifications * Experience with commercial nuclear power plant operations.

X Energy LLC

Mechanical Design Engineer

Rockville, MD · On-site

$77K - $105K/yr

May include industry internship experience, hobby, or participation in collegiate engineering ... Preferred Qualifications * Experience with commercial nuclear power plant operations.

Mpr Associates, Inc.

Summer/Co-op Engineer

Alexandria, VA · On-site

$1.0K - $1.4K/wk

Nuclear * Systems * Materials Science * Instrumentation & Controls * Civil/Structural * Software ... We offer a housing stipend for those who incur housing costs during their internship employment, as ...

Mpr Associates, Inc.

Summer/Co-op Engineer

Alexandria, VA · On-site

$1.0K - $1.4K/wk

Nuclear * Systems * Materials Science * Instrumentation & Controls * Civil/Structural * Software ... We offer a housing stipend for those who incur housing costs during their internship employment, as ...

Mpr Associates, Inc.

Summer/Co-op Engineer

Alexandria, VA

$1.0K - $1.4K/wk

Nuclear * Systems * Materials Science * Instrumentation & Controls * Civil/Structural * Software ... We offer a housing stipend for those who incur housing costs during their internship employment, as ...

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All JobsNuclear Engineer JobsInternship Nuclear Engineer JobsInternship Nuclear Engineer Jobs in Washington

Internship Nuclear Engineer information

What is the difference between Internship Nuclear Engineer vs Nuclear Engineer?

AspectInternship Nuclear EngineerNuclear Engineer
Required CredentialsTypically pursuing or recently completed a degree in nuclear engineering or related fieldBachelor's or master's degree in nuclear engineering or related field; professional licensure may be preferred
Work EnvironmentInternship sites, research facilities, or nuclear power plants under supervisionFull-time roles in nuclear power plants, research labs, or engineering firms
Employer & Industry UsageInternship programs offered by nuclear companies, government agencies, or universitiesEstablished nuclear power companies, government agencies, or consulting firms

The main difference between an Internship Nuclear Engineer and a Nuclear Engineer is experience level and responsibility. Internships are entry-level positions designed for students or recent graduates to gain practical experience, while Nuclear Engineers hold full-time roles with greater responsibilities in designing, operating, and maintaining nuclear systems.

Can you intern at a nuclear power plant?

Yes, nuclear engineering interns can work at nuclear power plants, where they gain hands-on experience with reactor operations, safety protocols, and instrumentation. Internships typically require relevant coursework, security clearances, and adherence to strict safety standards. These programs often run during summer or academic breaks and may lead to future employment opportunities in the industry.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an internship nuclear engineer?

To thrive as an Internship Nuclear Engineer, you need a strong foundation in nuclear engineering principles, physics, and mathematics, usually gained through ongoing or completed coursework in a relevant engineering program. Familiarity with simulation software such as MATLAB, AutoCAD, and nuclear-specific codes, as well as safety regulations, is typically expected. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective teamwork and communication skills help interns stand out in this role. These skills are vital for ensuring safety, contributing to complex projects, and successfully collaborating with experienced engineers in regulated environments.

What types of projects or tasks can an internship nuclear engineer expect to work on during their placement?

As an internship nuclear engineer, you can expect to be involved in a variety of tasks such as assisting with safety analyses, supporting reactor operations, conducting research on nuclear materials, or helping with maintenance planning. Interns often collaborate with experienced engineers, technicians, and regulatory staff, gaining exposure to both technical and compliance aspects of the industry. This hands-on experience not only builds your technical skills but also provides valuable insight into the teamwork and communication required in a regulated, safety-focused environment.

What does an internship nuclear engineer do?

An internship nuclear engineer assists experienced engineers in the design, operation, and maintenance of nuclear power systems and related technologies. Typical responsibilities include supporting research projects, analyzing data, performing safety checks, and helping with documentation and regulatory compliance. Interns gain hands-on experience with nuclear equipment, learn about industry standards, and develop skills in problem-solving and teamwork. This role is an excellent opportunity for students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world engineering challenges and prepare for a future career in the nuclear energy sector.
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Internship Nuclear Engineer jobs near you

Nuclear Systems Engineer

Ocean Atomics LLC

Bethesda, MD • On-site

$110K - $240K/yr

Full-time

Posted yesterday

New

Job description

The ocean is the largest undeveloped frontier on earth - and the next chapter of abundant energy will be written at sea. We're building the infrastructure to power it.
About Ocean Atomics (OA)
Ocean Atomics is an American company designing, licensing, and assembling a standardized nuclear electric power plant and the surrounding support systems for maritime applications. We will install these plants on any vessel built to our nuclear-ready standards, and will provide end-to-end sustainment in our planned nuclear lifecycle dockyard. We will help develop the licensed operators to unlock this new capability for your energy intensive application at sea. To move fast and to lead the creation of this new market, we are leveraging the compact, proven systems enabled by water-cooled reactors.
Our mission
Scale nuclear energy. Power generations.
Our vision
A maritime commons thriving with abundant, economical, modern, and safe nuclear-powered activity - built, serviced, and staffed by re-industrialized American shipyards and people.
Role Summary
As Nuclear Systems Engineer, you work on the system-level design of the reactor systems that power our maritime nuclear plant: core, primary loop, power conversion, shielding, auxiliaries, and instrumentation & controls, from early concept studies through integrated design and handoff to build. You resolve the interfaces between nuclear, thermal-fluids, mechanical, structural, and controls disciplines, and keep the design compatible with the regulatory pathway and the constraints of the host vessel: mass, volume, motion, shock, and the marine environment.
This is a role we're hiring at multiple levels (L1 through L4). The work is shared across levels; scope and accountability scale with experience.
This work suits someone who treats interface conflicts as the real design problem rather than paperwork between disciplines, and who knows which trade-offs need to go up for a decision instead of getting resolved by fiat.
What You'll Do
At all levels, you will:
  • Support architecture and integration of primary and secondary reactor systems - core, primary loop, power conversion, shielding, auxiliaries, and I&C - across concept, preliminary, detailed, and final design phases.
  • Contribute to concept selection and trade studies, and help allocate requirements to discipline owners.
  • Coordinate with nuclear, thermal-hydraulic/fluids, mechanical, structural, and controls engineers to resolve interfaces and close integration gaps.
  • Maintain system requirements, interface control documents, margins, and master block diagrams; participate in design reviews and phase gates.
  • Partner with safety, licensing, and naval architecture engineers to keep designs compatible with the regulatory pathway and host vessel constraints (mass, volume, motion, shock, marine environment).

At more senior levels (L3-L4), you will additionally:
  • Own the integrated design baseline and lead architecture decisions across primary and secondary systems.
  • Drive concept selection and trade studies, and allocate requirements down to discipline owners.
  • Run design reviews and phase gates, and surface the trade-offs that need executive decisions.
  • Track risk and manage technical debt across disciplines at the system level.
What You Bring
Required at all levels
  • Bachelor's or advanced degree in Nuclear, Mechanical, or related engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
  • Direct experience with a reactor or comparable complex thermal/energy system, from concept through detailed design - not just analysis of a system someone else designed.
  • Systems engineering fundamentals: requirements, interfaces, verification & validation, configuration control, margin management.
  • Working fluency across nuclear, thermal-fluids, and mechanical domains, enough to challenge each specialty without owning their analyses.

Experience by level
  • L1-L2: Early-career engineers with systems engineering exposure through internships, research, or early-career roles on reactor or complex energy systems.
  • L3-L4: Have taken a reactor system (naval propulsion, microreactor, SMR, or research reactor) from concept through detailed design, and can own an integrated design baseline across disciplines.

Preferred
  • Naval reactors (NR) experience.
  • Shipboard or offshore systems exposure.
  • Licensing experience with the NRC or a maritime classification society (ABS, LR, etc.).

Don't meet every bullet? We'd still like to hear from you. If you're excited by the mission and most of this resonates, apply.
Export control notice
This role involves access to information subject to U.S. export control laws, including unclassified nuclear technology governed by the U.S. Department of Energy under 10 CFR Part 810. Depending on a candidate's status, access may require DOE authorization, which Ocean Atomics may apply for. Any offer is contingent on your ability to work in compliance with these requirements. We evaluate all applicants regardless of citizenship or national origin, except where required by law.
Why this matters
Every industry on Earth needs scalable, clean energy, and the ocean is the ideal place to unlock it. Joining Ocean Atomics means building real, lasting infrastructure - the kind that powers generations. The world needs abundant energy. Let's make it happen.
Ocean Atomics LLC is an equal opportunity employer.
We are committed to a workplace free of discrimination and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations; if you need an accommodation during the application process, contact info@oceanatomics.com.

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