How to Become a Nuclear Engineer

About Nuclear Engineer

A Nuclear Engineer is a person who works tirelessly to deduce something beneficial from radiation and nuclear energy with the help of systems, instruments and processes which they have developed on their own with extensive research. A nuclear engineer not only renders his/her services in the fields of Engineering and Technology but also in the medical field. A nuclear engineer also sometimes work with other engineers and designers and help them carry out their plans in safe and efficient ways. 

Eligibility to become Nuclear Engineer

The following pointers will explain the eligibility criteria which needs to be fulfilled to become a Nuclear Engineer - 

• Aspirants should have passed their 10+2 qualifying exam from a recognised Board
• Aspirants should have studied Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics subjects at the qualifying level mandatorily along with English
• Aspirants have to appear in an entrance exam and qualify the same for admission into the undergraduate Nuclear Engineering programme
• Aspirants have to appear in GATE (or equivalent) exam for admission into the postgraduate Nuclear Engineering programme

Types of Job Roles Nuclear Engineer

Employment Sectors

A nuclear engineer is in high demand in the following sectors - 

• Nuclear power plants and factories
• Education sector
• Government organisations
• Private organisations

Top Recruiting Organizations

Here is a list of those organisations which are always in the lookout for nuclear engineers - 

• Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR)
• DHIO Research and Engineering Pvt Ltd
• The Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited

Employment Sector/Industry for Nuclear Engineer

The salary of a nuclear engineer in India varies according to the degree the nuclear engineer possess and the number of years the engineer has been working. A nuclear engineer who holds a graduation degree earns something between INR 20,000/- to INR 45,000/- per month during the initial stages of his/her career. A postgraduate nuclear engineer will earn a little more at the beginning. Some organisations offer various other perks to Nuclear Engineers like T.A, D.A etc. 

Books & Study Material to Become Nuclear Engineer

Here is a list of books which a Nuclear Engineering aspirant should definitely read - 

1. Introduction to Particle Physics by M P Khanna
2. An Introduction to Nuclear Physics by Derek A Greenwood D A Greenwood W N Cottingham Greenwood Cottingham
3. An Introduction to the Engineering of Fast Nuclear Reactors by Anthony M Judd
4. An Introduction to Nuclear Waste Immobilisation by W E Lee M I Ojovan L E E Ojovan
5. Nuclear Engineering: A Conceptual Introduction to Nuclear Power by Malcolm Joyce PhD Nuclear Physics University of Liverpool Professor
6. Principles of Fusion Energy by A A Harms and G H Miley
7. Introduction to Nuclear Engineering by Anthony J Baratta and John R Lamarsh
8. Introduction to Nuclear Concepts for Engineers by Robert M Mayo
9. Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Theory” by John R Lamarsh
10. Introduction to Nuclear Engineering” by J R Lamarsh and A J Baratta

Pros of becoming a Nuclear Engineer

Nuclear Engineer as a profession has the following set of advantages or pros listed below - 

• High paying profession
• Exciting nature of work
• Paid holidays, insurance, vacations etc offered by organisations

Cons of becoming a Nuclear Engineer

Listed below are some cons or disadvantages of becoming a Nuclear Engineer - 

• High cost of study 
• High risk of being exposed to radiations
• Cannot relax for even one moment due to hush risk factor associated with nuclear energy