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Internship Nuclear Plant Operator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

MAMMOTH ENERGY

Plant Operator

Taylor, WI

... operating mobile equipment, and plant equipment, and working in the wash and dry plant running the ... interns.Primary Responsibilities and Duties * Operate all equipment associated with Job tasks ...

Xcel Energy

Nuclear Plant Attendant Apprentice - Welch, MN

Welch, MN · On-site

$30.39 - $46.86/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

We anticipate the need for one or more Nuclear Apprentice Plant Attendant(s) Step 1 at our Prairie ... Required to function under written plant operating and maintenance procedures as appropriate, and ...

NextEra Energy

Nuclear NextGen Operations

Seabrook, NH

$100K - $120K/yr

Program Differentiators * Part-time, multi-term development model rather than a traditional internship. * Direct exposure to nuclear plant systems, operating standards, and operational fundamentals.

NextEra Energy

Nuclear NextGen Operations

Seabrook, NH · On-site

$100K - $120K/yr

Program Differentiators * Part-time, multi-term development model rather than a traditional internship. * Direct exposure to nuclear plant systems, operating standards, and operational fundamentals.

NextEra Energy

Nuclear NextGen Operations

Two Rivers, WI

$132K - $159K/yr

Program Differentiators * Part-time, multi-term development model rather than a traditional internship. * Direct exposure to nuclear plant systems, operating standards, and operational fundamentals.

Morson Talent

Nuclear Engineer IV (2945)

Wilmington, NC

$90 - $100/hr

Nuclear Interview Process: Virtual, 1 round Essential Responsibilities Knowledge of nuclear plant ... Ability to review, test and validate human-system interfaces using a simulator and plant operating ...

MAMMOTH ENERGY

Plant Operator

Taylor, WI · On-site

... operating mobile equipment, and plant equipment, and working in the wash and dry plant running the ... interns. Primary Responsibilities and Duties * Operate all equipment associated with Job tasks ...

NextEra Energy

Nuclear NextGen Operations

Two Rivers, WI · On-site

$132K - $159K/yr

Program Differentiators * Part-time, multi-term development model rather than a traditional internship. * Direct exposure to nuclear plant systems, operating standards, and operational fundamentals.

Ur-Energy

Plant Operator (Lost Creek)

Rawlins, WY

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Plant Operator Positions Open Offering competitive salaries and a robust benefit package, including ... Be a part of the solution: nuclear energy is clean energy! recblid 8m25k43u1ujbd99d42yx73s7nbminw

NextEra Energy

Reactor Operator - License Class

IA · On-site

Other duties as assigned including ensuring safe and efficient operation of the nuclear plant while ... Completes the site Reactor Operator (RO) License * Develops planning, organizing, and directing ...

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Internship Nuclear Plant Operator information

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How much do internship nuclear plant operator jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average hourly pay for internship nuclear plant operator in the United States is $19.25, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.35 and $21.39 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To thrive as an Internship Nuclear Plant Operator, you need a solid understanding of physics, engineering principles, and safety protocols, often supported by coursework in nuclear engineering or related fields. Familiarity with plant simulation software, control systems, and radiation monitoring equipment is typically required. Strong attention to detail, effective communication, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are vital soft skills. These competencies are crucial to ensure operational safety, regulatory compliance, and efficient teamwork in a high-stakes environment.

What does an internship nuclear plant operator do?

An Internship Nuclear Plant Operator assists experienced operators in monitoring and controlling the systems that generate nuclear power. Interns typically learn about reactor operations, safety protocols, and emergency procedures while observing and participating in daily plant activities. Their responsibilities may include data collection, equipment inspections, and supporting routine maintenance under supervision. This role is designed to provide hands-on experience and foundational knowledge for a future career as a nuclear plant operator.

What can I expect in terms of mentorship and hands-on learning during an internship as a nuclear plant operator?

As an intern Nuclear Plant Operator, you will typically be paired with experienced operators and supervisors who provide structured mentorship throughout your placement. Expect to shadow licensed operators, participate in simulator training, and gradually take on basic operational tasks under close supervision. Your daily responsibilities may include monitoring equipment, assisting with routine safety checks, and learning to interpret control room data. The environment is highly collaborative, with regular briefings and teamwork to ensure safety and regulatory compliance. This hands-on experience is invaluable for understanding plant operations and can pave the way for full-time roles or advanced training programs in the field.

What is the difference between Internship Nuclear Plant Operator vs Nuclear Plant Operator?

AspectInternship Nuclear Plant OperatorNuclear Plant Operator
CredentialsTypically in progress or recent completion of relevant training or certificationRequires state licensing and certification
Work EnvironmentTraining environment, supervised, limited responsibilitiesFull operational plant environment, responsible for plant safety and operations
Employer & Industry UsageInternship programs offered by nuclear facilities for training purposesFull-time employees managing plant operations

The main difference is that an Internship Nuclear Plant Operator is a training position focused on gaining experience and certifications, while a Nuclear Plant Operator is a fully licensed professional responsible for the safe and efficient operation of a nuclear power plant.

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Internship Nuclear Plant Operator jobs near you
Infographic showing various Internship Nuclear Plant Operator job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 43% Full Time, 55% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 99% Physical, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $40,032 per year, or $19.2 per hour.

Nuclear Plant Safety Systems Internships

External Engagement and Communications (Lxxx)

Idaho Falls, ID • On-site

$15 - $19.25/hr

Internship

Re-posted 3 days ago

Job description

Idaho National Laboratory University/College Internships-NUCLEAR Plant Safety Systems INTERNSHIPS.

Typical Degree Programs Sought Include: (Electrical Engineering, Human Factors, Statistics, Computer Engineering & Science, Nuclear Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Psychology)
 
Please note that if you are interested in other INL internship categories in addition to this one, you will need to complete the application for each of those categories as well. Most of the information you provide while completing the initial application carries over to your new applications. You will have to review your previously submitted information in each step, ensure it is complete and then click the submit button on the final step.

 

The Opportunity:

 

Internships at Idaho National Laboratory  

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) hosts over 300 undergraduate and graduate students each year to support INL's mission.  Opportunities for interns at INL range from nuclear engineering to cybersecurity and include non-scientific positions in various operations and business disciplines.

Join INL's team and find your exceptional educational experience in a real-world work environment.  INL offers a unique opportunity to learn, collaborate, innovate and conduct research with top researchers and professionals.

The Deliverables:

Interns will spend the first week of their assignment working with their mentor to outline their work scope and to secure resources for a successful internship.  For the next several weeks, the mentor will provide considerable program assistance and guidance to the intern.  In addition to regular activities, interns are invited to attend weekly seminars, tours and community events designed with career development in mind.  Completion of a final project is highly recommended and can be completed through a variety of mediums - a traditional poster, electronic presentation or video.

The Process:

Through this single application, you are considered for all internship projects related to Nuclear Plant Safety Systems and Technology. Simply complete the application questions which will help us identify what knowledge and experience you already have that may be related to the preferred qualifications for each individual internship project. It is common for applicants to receive consideration for multiple projects at varying times throughout the process. Mentors will make direct contact with applicants who meet their project qualifications to share the specific details of the project. On average, INL plans for approximately 300 internships each year.  Most internships provide flexibility with start and end dates to account for varying university term schedules.  We encourage early applications to increase the number of opportunities available to you.

The Projects:

Internship projects will focus on supporting safe operation of both today's nuclear power plants and tomorrow's. In addition to helping the U.S. nuclear industry safely extend the operating licenses of current reactors. INL provides advanced risk and reliability analyses to support complex facilities and processes.  Human factors experts design and test digital instruments and controls. Some projects interns have participated in recently include:

--The INL is seeking interns who are graduate students studying in nuclear engineering, mechanical engineering or related fields. The interns will work on performing nuclear reactor safety analyses. The specific tasks include: 1.) Use the GOTHIC computer code to perform reactor containment safety analysis 2.) Use the OpenFoam computer code to perform reactor containment safety analysis. The students need to perform literature review, prepare for detailed documents, and prepare the input files to run the GOTHIC and OpenFoam codes. The students must have strong background in two phase flow modeling and thermal hydraulics. Previous experience with thermal hydraulic analysis is highly desirable. Education Objective: Students will learn how to solve complex real world reactor containment safety problems with complex thermal hydraulic and CFD tools such as GOTHIC and OpenFoam.

--The seismic research group focuses on advancing seismic analysis and risk assessment procedures for nuclear structures. The goal of the internship is to evaluate the effect on nonlinearity in soil structure systems on the accident sequences and seismic risk. The intern will perform seismic probabilistic risk assessment including structural analysis, fragility analysis and systems analysis. Graduate students with structural or geotechnical engineering background, and experience in structural analysis, seismic probabilistic risk assessment, programming in Python, MATLAB or R will be preferred.

--The student will aid in the characterization of Micro Pocket Fission Detectors. The student would support formal report preparation.

--The candidate would work with large volume of real time raw acoustic data. The candidate is expected to have an excellent signal processing and statistical analysis knowledge. The candidate will be working on analyzing acoustic data collected using vibro acoustic modulation technique and acoustic emission data. The analyzed data will be used to develop structural health monitoring approach for concrete structures in nuclear power plants. The candidate is expected to perform data mining, extract salient features from data, and make statistical inferences.

--As part of ongoing, Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project on Acoustic Measurement Infrastructure of In Pile ATR Monitoring, principal investigator is seeking a summer intern on work on large volume of acoustic data collected real time at Advanced Test Reactor. The data will be in a raw format in a text file. During the internship, the candidate will be required to work with large volume of real time raw acoustic data. All the analysis will be performed in MATLAB. You will also be expected to perform data mining, extract salient features from data, and make statistical inferences.

--Completion of classes in fluids, heat transfer, and introductory electronic circuits is desired. The student will work on a capacitive void sensor to measure vapor formation in an experimental water boiling setup. The student will also work to develop electromagnetic finite element models of the experimental system for sensor characterization and experimental validation. The student would support formal report preparation and preparation of peer reviewed publications.

--Completion of classes in instrumentation, signal analysis, programming, or software development is desired. The student will develop software to interface thermocouples, fiber optics, piezoelectric sensors, neutron detectors, ionization chambers and fission chambers. Most of these sensors are customized or developed to fit the scope of the project. The student will gain wide experience in nuclear instrumentation and common experimentation hardware, software and data acquisition systems. The student should have good programming experience. Knowledge in National Instruments LabVIEW or Programmable Logic Controllers is a plus.

--Programming Intern for Control Room User Interfaces: Looking for Computer Science or Human Computer Interaction undergraduate or graduate student with a strong interest in graphical user interface design and programming. Student will work with human factors to design optimal interfaces for control room use by operators. Student should have solid programming background in Visual Studio tools including Microsoft WPF. Optional experience with Python would be highly desirable. Familiarity with database protocols like OPC is helpful. Student Objectives: Student will refine their skills a programming interfaces to work with control room simulator Student will enhance their specialized programming skills by completing interfaces that communicate with advanced simulation codes like control room simulator. Student will work with interdisciplinary team to create reports and papers that will be published.

--An intern would be working on a Light Water Reactor Sustainability funded online monitoring for active components project. The project involves research, development, and implementation of diagnostic and prognostic models for large electrical machines used in nuclear power plants. Diagnostic and prognostic models will be validated against simulated fault data. Familiarization with MATLAB is required. The candidate must be knowledgeable in area of machine diagnosis and prognosis.

--The INL is seeking an undergraduate or graduate student studying computer science, electrical engineering, computer engineering or a closely related field. Completion of classes in instrumentation, signal analysis, programming, or software development is desired. The student will develop software to interface thermocouples, fiber optics, piezoelectric sensors, neutron detectors, ionization chambers and fission chambers. Most of these sensors are customized or developed to fit the scope of the project. The student will gain wide experience in nuclear instrumentation and common experimentation hardware, software and data acquisition systems. The student should have good programming experience. Knowledge in National Instruments LabVIEW or Programmable Logic Controllers is a plus.

--Develop a report creator software tool that is compatible with the results of an in house probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) software called SAPHIRE. This software will be a server side web based tool which will process data from Web API calls and construct a PDF or other document from various template pieces. There will be three primary areas of software development, 1) uploading SAPHIRE models, 2) API report generator, and 3) report creator user interface (UI). The intern candidate will assist in these tasks must be proficient with the C# (csharp) computer language and a knowledge of Java Script and web development is desired.

--Work on online risk monitoring research projected funded under Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program. The exposure to research will enhance candidates ability to envision risk as a continuous time dependent parameter based on system health indicator rather than traditional boolean approach adopted. In addition, the candidate will interact with other interns and researchers at INL to expand professional experience.


 

Required Qualifications:
All Internship Candidates Must:
  • Have the ability to pass a background check
  • Possess a minimum overall 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA)
  • Complete this application, which is used to place students based on their academic interests, coursework, knowledge and communication skills
  • Enrolled full time student status at an accredited college or university (undergraduate, graduate, PhD).
Note:  Many INL community college interns are hired through the U.S. Department of Energy's Community College Internship Program. We recommend you also apply to DOE's Internship Program at http://science.energy.gov/wdts/cci/
 
Helpful Tips to Prepare You for Your INL Internship Application:
  1. Current resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  2. Unofficial Transcripts (include current and completed degree programs)
  3. Current class schedule and number of credits
Recommendations:
  • Work with your career center to develop a resume or CV that is functional (this is your opportunity for a first impression)
  • Review the INL website and learn more about our business and research programs and how they could enrich your degree plan https://www.inl.gov/
  • Ask your professors if they have collaborated on INL research programs and seek their permission to list them as a reference
  • Review the INL Academic Partnerships web site for valuable information on our internship programs  https://www.inl.gov/inl-initiatives/education/
Internship Programs Specialists: 
 Ali Josephson (ali.josephson@inl.gov)         Brian Rucks (brian.rucks@inl.gov)
Delisa Rogers (delisa.rogers@inl.gov)          Myken Johnson (myken.johnson@inl.gov)      Thomas Steele (thomas.steele@inl.gov)
 
Equal Employment Opportunity
 
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer.  It is the policy of INL to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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