1

Senior Nuclear Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

WI · On-site

$80 - $120/hr

Sr Nuclear Instructor - Engineering page is loaded## Sr Nuclear Instructor - Engineeringlocations: Glen Rose, Texas: Oak Harbor, Ohio: Shippingport, Pennsylvaniatime type: Full timeposted on: Posted ...

New

Showing results 21-40

Senior Nuclear Engineer information

See salary details

$59.5K

$126.6K

$183.5K

How much do senior nuclear engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior nuclear engineer in the United States is $126,557.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $104,500.00 and $143,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Senior Nuclear Engineer vs Nuclear Safety Engineer?

AspectSenior Nuclear EngineerNuclear Safety Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Nuclear Engineering, PE license often preferredBachelor's or Master's in Nuclear Engineering, specialized training in safety protocols
Work EnvironmentDesign, develop, and oversee nuclear systems; collaborate with engineers and project teamsAssess safety risks, develop safety procedures, ensure compliance with safety standards
Employer & Industry UsagePower plants, nuclear research, defense contractorsRegulatory agencies, nuclear power plants, consulting firms

While both roles require nuclear engineering expertise, Senior Nuclear Engineers focus on system design and project management, whereas Nuclear Safety Engineers specialize in safety assessments and compliance. Both positions are vital in ensuring safe and efficient nuclear operations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior nuclear engineer?

To thrive as a Senior Nuclear Engineer, you need an advanced degree in nuclear engineering or a related field, strong analytical skills, and several years of industry experience. Familiarity with nuclear simulation software, regulatory compliance systems, and certifications such as Professional Engineer (PE) licensure are typically required. Excellent leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills help you manage complex projects and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams. These competencies ensure the safe, efficient, and regulatory-compliant operation of nuclear facilities while advancing project objectives.

What is a senior nuclear engineer?

Senior Nuclear Engineers are experienced professionals who design, develop, operate, and oversee nuclear power plants and related systems. They are responsible for ensuring the safety, efficiency, and regulatory compliance of nuclear operations, as well as troubleshooting complex technical issues. Senior Nuclear Engineers often lead teams, manage projects, and contribute to research and development in the nuclear energy field. Their expertise is critical in maintaining safe energy production and advancing nuclear technology.

What are some typical challenges senior nuclear engineers face in project management and how can they be addressed?

Senior Nuclear Engineers often encounter challenges such as coordinating multidisciplinary teams, ensuring regulatory compliance, and managing complex technical risks during large-scale projects. Effective communication and strong leadership skills are key to overcoming these obstacles, as is keeping up-to-date with evolving safety standards. Proactively engaging with stakeholders and implementing rigorous project management methodologies help ensure that projects stay on track and meet safety and quality requirements.
More about Senior Nuclear Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Senior Nuclear Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Senior Nuclear Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Nuclear Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Nuclear Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Senior Nuclear Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Senior Nuclear Engineer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Senior Nuclear Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $126,557 per year, or $60.8 per hour.

Nuclear Engineer III or Senior (Mechanical)-Catawba Nuclear Station

Duke Energy

York, SC • Hybrid

$96K - $128K/yr

Full-time

Retirement, PTO

Posted 14 days ago


Duke Energy rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 167 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

10th of 86 rated oil and gas companies


Job description

Important Application Submission Information

In order to ensure your application is successfully received before the job posting expires, please submit your application by 11:59 PM on Thursday, August 6, 2026More than a career - a chance to make a difference in people's lives.

Build an exciting, rewarding career with us - help us make a difference for millions of people every day. Consider joining the Duke Energy team, where you'll find a friendly work environment, opportunities for growth and development, recognition for your work, and competitive pay and benefits.

Catawba Nuclear Plant is seeking a Mechanical Systems Engineer to join the Plant Engineering-Operations Support Engineering team. Join the engineering team and make a measurable impact on plant performance. In this role, candidates will support preventive maintenance initiatives, analyze and trend equipment health, provide technical leadership to Operations and Maintenance, and influence longrange equipment strategies that ensure optimal reliability of critical power plant assets.

Step into a role that combines variety, purpose, and realworld impact. With infrequent overtime and a wide range of responsibilities, you'll work inside an operating nuclear power plant-conducting field inspections, walkdowns, and engineering work that directly supports the delivery of safe, reliable electricity to the community and power grid.

This position offers a 4-day 10h workweek (Mon-Thurs) with a hybrid work schedule (at least 2 of 4 days are in the office, the others may be taken at home). As a Duke Energy employee, you are offered a package of Paid Time Off / Vacation in addition to Holidays, Sick Time, and Dependent Care. Applicants are also eligible for Duke Energy's 401K program, including matching contributions.

This is an Engineer III/senior level of the Engineering classification hierarchy. Employees at this level manage work in engineering areas of specialization, with minimal supervision. Incumbents are expected to develop advanced skills and to have the ability to work independently, with guidance limited to unusual or complex projects or issues. They are fully competent in use of concepts and procedures. They identify problems, develop solutions and take actions to resolve. Senior Engineer represents a level at which career may stabilize for many years.

Responsibilities

  • Demonstrates high conduct of safety culture (personal, nuclear and environmental).
  • Monitor and trend system performance with the intent to identify issues in a preventative space versus a reactive one.
  • Provide input to station management regarding priority of work to be performed on systems to ensure long term reliability.
  • Review system maintenance window scope, including corrective and preventative maintenance, and provide input to work management to prioritize work while minimizing system unavailability.
  • Work with Operations and Maintenance personnel to solve emergent plant issues.
  • Conduct formal self-assessments and benchmarking to ensure Catawba engineering performance remains the industry best.
  • Lead, or support, Catawba Engineering during internal and external audits and inspections.
  • Conduct plant walkdowns and inspections as required for license renewal and other program support activities.
  • Provide general Mechanical Engineering and emergent issue support during plant outages.
  • Develop collaborative relationships with Maintenance and Operations personnel to solve complex and challenging plant issues.
  • Participation in industry groups to share operating experiences and lessons learned.
  • Supports the company's goals and represents the company positively and professionally.

Basic / Required Qualifications - Nuclear Engineer III

Note: This posting is for one open position. Dependent on relevant experience, the level to which a candidate is aligned is outlined below.

  • Graduation from a four-year college or university with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from an ABET accredited program. A Master's degree in engineering will be considered in lieu of the B. S. engineering degree.
  • Minimum of 4 years of engineering experience.

Basic / Required Qualifications - Senior Nuclear Engineer

Note: This posting is for one open position. Dependent on relevant experience, the level to which a candidate is aligned is outlined below.

  • Graduation from a four-year college or university with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from an ABET accredited program. A Master's degree in engineering will be considered in lieu of the B. S. engineering degree.
  • Minimum of 6 years of engineering experience or 5 years of engineering experience with state registration as a Professional Engineer.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

  • Registered Professional Engineer.
  • Direct experience at Catawba or McGuire.
  • Proficient in practices of researching engineering and design issues, evaluating alternatives, making sound recommendations and preparing and presenting recommendations.
  • Ability to deal with a variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
  • Good written and oral communication skills.

Specific Requirements

  • Able to achieve nuclear site Unescorted Access.
  • This position may be required to have Emergency Response Organization (ERO) responsibilities which could include callouts with a defined response time to the site and an on-call duty rotation requiring the employee to be Fit for Duty.

Working Conditions

  • An office environment with some routine work in the plant to conduct inspections and/or walkdowns.
  • Hybrid work posture: At least 2 days per week are supported on-site at the Catawba Nuclear Station after onboarding period.

Travel Requirements

5-15%Relocation Assistance Provided (as applicable)YesRepresented/Union PositionNoVisa Sponsored PositionNo. This is not a Visa Sponsored Position. This role requires the ability to work lawfully in the U.S. without employment-based immigration sponsorship, now or in the future.
Please note that in order to be considered for this position, you must possess all of the basic/required qualifications.

Privacy

Do Not Sell My Personal Information (CA)

Terms of Use

Accessibility


What Duke Energy employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Duke Energy logo

About Duke Energy

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Duke Energy, a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America’s largest energy holding companies. Our electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Our natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. Our company employs 28,000 people.

Industry

Utilities

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Charlotte, NC, US

Year founded

1904