Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Nuclear Maintenance Technician

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking a highly skilled Nuclear Maintenance Technician to perform preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance on mechanical, electrical and instrumentation systems in a nuclear power plant environment. The ideal candidate will demonstrate strong troubleshooting ability, rigorous adherence to safety and regulatory requirements (NRC, ASME, ALARA), experience with plant work control systems and CMMS, and the ability to execute work in high-consequence, procedure-driven environments including outages and emergent repairs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Maintenance Mechanic / Industrial Maintenance Technician
Military nuclear technician or nuclear-trained veteran
Electrical Technician / Millwright

Advancement To:

Senior Nuclear Maintenance Technician / Lead Technician
Maintenance Supervisor or Shift Supervisor
Outage Manager / Planned Maintenance Manager
Reliability Engineer or Maintenance Planner

Lateral Moves:

Instrumentation & Control (I&C) Technician
Radiological Protection Technician (RadCon)
Operations Technician / Reactor Operator (with appropriate licensing)
Nondestructive Examination (NDE) Technician

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Perform preventive and corrective maintenance activities on nuclear plant systems including pumps, motors, valves, heat exchangers, diesel generators, compressed air systems, HVAC, and auxiliary systems, following plant procedures, engineering work packages, and manufacturer instructions to ensure safe, reliable plant operation.
Execute complex troubleshooting on mechanical, electrical and electromechanical equipment using diagnostic tools (multimeters, oscilloscopes, vibration analyzers, thermal cameras) to isolate faults and restore systems to service within procedural and regulatory constraints.
Conduct and document in-service and surveillance testing of safety-related equipment (including emergency diesel generators, high-pressure coolant injection, ECCS, and containment-related systems) in accordance with technical specifications, ASME Section XI, and plant surveillance procedures.
Read, interpret and work from P&IDs, electrical one-line diagrams, wiring schematics, loop drawings, and engineering change orders to perform modifications, repairs and alignments while maintaining accurate as-built documentation and turnover packages.
Perform mechanical alignments and balancing of rotating equipment, coupling replacements, bearing and seal replacements, shaft alignments and vibration mitigation tasks to meet equipment performance and reliability targets.
Prepare, review and execute detailed maintenance work packages, including required permit acquisition, hazard analysis, required tooling and test equipment, required clearances (LO/TO), and hold points for quality and regulatory inspections.
Support planned outages and refueling activities by executing heavy maintenance tasks such as valve replacements, steam generator component work support, bolting and unbolting flanged connections, and scope changes while meeting schedule and quality metrics.
Operate and maintain cranes, hoists, rigging and mechanical lifting devices safely; perform pre-use inspections and tag-out per plant lifting procedures and support heavy lifts during outage and maintenance activities.
Perform electrical maintenance tasks such as motor starter and MCC troubleshooting, breaker testing and replacement, cable terminations, relay testing, and insulation resistance testing while adhering to electrical safety and lockout/tagout requirements.
Troubleshoot and calibrate instrumentation and control devices (pressure transmitters, temperature sensors, flow meters, RTDs, thermocouples) and support PLC and control system technicians for logic/IO failures and loop checks.
Execute pneumatic and hydraulic system repairs and preventive maintenance including cylinder servicing, filter and regulator replacements, and pressure system testing to maintain operational readiness.
Perform welding, cutting, grinding and fabrication for plant repairs consistent with plant codes and procedures; coordinate welders and welding documentation, and ensure post-weld NDE and heat treatment requirements are satisfied when required.
Conduct nondestructive examination (NDE) support activities including high-resolution visual inspections, liquid penetrant, magnetic particle support, ultrasonic or eddy current testing coordination and follow-up actions per ASME and plant NDE procedures.
Maintain and manage parts and spares, performing inventory updates in the CMMS (e.g., SAP, Maximo, Oracle) and ensuring critical spare parts are properly identified and staged for outage or emergent work.
Apply radiation protection work controls for in-plant access including use of appropriate PPE, contamination control, work area setup, dosimetry usage and compliance with ALARA principles; coordinate with Radiological Protection personnel when working in controlled areas.
Follow and enforce safety, regulatory and quality assurance programs, including NRC regulatory commitments, plant procedures, technical specifications, and corrective action program (CAP) requirements; identify and enter condition reports for equipment deficiencies.
Perform functional testing of safety systems and support post-maintenance testing and system turnover activities to validate corrective actions and ensure systems meet design and licensing commitments.
Use predictive maintenance technologies and techniques — vibration analysis, oil analysis, thermography, ultrasound — to identify emerging failure modes and recommend corrective actions to maintenance planning and reliability groups.
Mentor and train junior technicians and apprentices, conducting on-the-job training, sharing best practices for safe and compliant maintenance execution, and providing technical guidance for troubleshooting and procedure execution.
Participate in pre-job briefings and job hazard analyses (JHAs), ensuring that all team members understand job scope, risks, radiation considerations, clearance boundaries and contingency plans before work begins.
Execute confined space entries and hot work activities following permit-required confined space procedures and hot work permit controls, including continuous monitoring and rescue readiness when applicable.
Coordinate inter-departmental activities with operations, engineering, radiation protection, and supervisory staff to sequence work, manage system outages, and ensure safe return-to-service of plant systems.
Document maintenance actions thoroughly in the CMMS and maintenance logs, including parts used, calibration records, test data, and as-found/as-left conditions to support regulatory compliance and equipment lifecycle tracking.
Respond to plant emergent conditions 24/7 as part of a shift or on-call rotation, safely triaging failures, implementing temporary repairs or bypasses in accordance with plant procedures, and escalating to engineering and supervision as required.
Support continuous improvement and reliability initiatives by participating in root cause analyses, reliability-centered maintenance reviews, and contributing to work process improvements and outage efficiencies.
Ensure correct disposal and handling of hazardous materials generated during maintenance activities, complying with environmental and hazardous waste regulations and plant-specific protocols.

Secondary Functions

Support maintenance planning and spare parts forecasting by providing failure mode insights, repair durations, and tooling needs to planners and the CMMS team.
Participate in cross-functional improvement teams focused on safety, outage readiness, equipment reliability, and efficiency of maintenance workflows.
Assist engineering with design changes, field walkdowns and post-modification verification activities to ensure constructability and maintainability.
Provide input to training programs by identifying skill gaps and recommending curriculum updates for technician qualification programs.
Perform routine housekeeping, tool control and calibration management to maintain a compliant work environment and reduce unplanned delays.
Contribute to emergency preparedness drills, including maintenance response to plant abnormal events and system restoration exercises.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Mechanical systems troubleshooting and repair (pumps, bearings, seals, couplings, gearboxes, alignment)
Electrical troubleshooting including motor control centers (MCC), breakers, contactors, and basic power distribution
Instrumentation calibration and loop checking (pressure, temperature, flow, level sensors, RTDs, thermocouples)
Reading and interpreting P&IDs, electrical one-line diagrams, wiring schematics, loop drawings and engineering drawings
Experience with CMMS systems (e.g., SAP, IBM Maximo, Oracle) for work order execution, parts management and documentation
Knowledge of nuclear regulatory requirements and codes (NRC regulations, ASME Section XI, ANSI standards)
Hands-on welding and fabrication skills consistent with plant maintenance (SMAW/GMAW, cutting and grinding)
Predictive maintenance tools and analysis (vibration analysis, infrared thermography, oil analysis, ultrasound)
Valve maintenance and troubleshooting (motor-operated valves, pneumatic/hydraulic actuators, safety/relief valves)
Diesel generator and emergency power system maintenance and testing
Confined space entry, crane/rigger operations and rigging competencies
Non-destructive testing awareness or experience and ability to support NDE technicians
Proficient use of handheld test equipment (multimeter, meggers, clamp-on amp meter, thermal camera)
Permit-to-work and lockout/tagout (LO/TO) implementation and compliance
Radiation work controls and ALARA practices, including use of PPE and basic radiation instrumentation
Basic PLC and control system troubleshooting fundamentals (helpful for I&C collaboration)
Strong documentation skills and experience preparing and closing work packages and maintenance records
Knowledge of hazardous materials handling and environmental compliance during maintenance activities

Soft Skills

Excellent problem-solving and analytical thinking under pressure
Strong verbal and written communication, able to brief supervisors and operations clearly
Meticulous attention to detail and commitment to compliance with procedures and regulations
Team player with ability to coordinate across multiple departments and third-party contractors
Adaptability to shift work, overtime during outages, and emergency call-ins
Time management and prioritization in a high-consequence maintenance environment
Coaching and mentoring ability to develop junior technicians
Safety-first mindset with the ability to stop work for safety or quality concerns
Strong initiative and ownership of assigned equipment and systems

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:
High school diploma or GED with technical trade school or accredited apprenticeship training in industrial maintenance, mechanical trades, electrical trades, or nuclear technology.

Preferred Education:
Associate's degree in Mechanical Technology, Electrical Technology, Industrial Maintenance, Nuclear Technology, or related technical field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Nuclear Technology / Nuclear Operations
Mechanical Engineering Technology / Industrial Maintenance
Electrical Engineering Technology / Power Systems
Instrumentation & Control / Industrial Instrumentation

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3–10 years of industrial or power plant maintenance experience; at least 2–5 years preferred in a nuclear plant or nuclear-qualified environment.

Preferred: 5+ years of nuclear plant maintenance or equivalent military nuclear experience, demonstrated outage experience, and a track record of conducting safety-significant maintenance activities in regulated environments.

Certifications and licenses often sought or preferred:

OSHA 10/30 or equivalent safety training
NCCER, Journeyman, or trade certification (mechanical, electrical)
NDE/NDT certifications or experience (PT, MT, UT, ET)
Crane/rigging operator certification and signalperson qualifications
First Aid/CPR, HAZWOPER (if applicable)
Plant-specific training and qualifications (radiation worker, confined space, lockout/tagout)
State electrical or welding certifications as applicable