Nuclear engineering workforce in the United States

In addition to the commercial power industry, employment sectors for nuclear engineers include national laboratories operated by the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA), the military, various other government agencies (e.g., Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration), and academia. [...]the NE workforce is essential to meeting the nation's needs in these and other vital areas. 5.2 DEFINITIONS OF THE PROFESSION Nuclear engineers commonly work in the disciplines of NE, nuclear security, and nuclear criticality safety, as defined later. NE has significant overlap with health physics and medical physics (described in Chapters 2 and 3, respectively) and is also closely allied with mechanical engineering, materials science and engineering, and accelerator physics. 5.2.1 Nuclear engineering Nuclear engineers conduct research and development activities related to the uses of energy produced from nuclear reactions, whether for electricity generation using nuclear power 1 or in the military sector, where US Navy nuclear ship propulsion involves the development, supervision, and operation of naval nuclear reactor plants. The distribution by race, 10 in 2019, was 73% White, 7% Asian, 7% Black or African American, 4% Hispanic, 4% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 5% other. 5.3.1.1 Power production In the United States, the nuclear power industry supports ∼100 000 jobs in a wide range of fields, including engineering and skilled trades. 11 Of these jobs, ∼4200 are nuclear engineers. 12 The tremendous growth in the nuclear energy sector during the 1970s and 1980s created a stable and qualified workforce, with the large demand for workers often being met by former military personnel, construction workers, and university graduates. [...]as of June 2021, there were 93 operating nuclear reactors in the United States, with two new plants under construction.