Emma Radebaugh
Welding is an industry where experience and willingness to tackle hard jobs can net you a bigger paycheck. Some of those hard jobs include working for the nuclear industry, offshore oil rigs, and industrial pipelines. Today, letâs take a look at what itâs like to be a nuclear industry welder.
Daily Responsibilities
Working as a nuclear industry welder usually means working for a nuclear power plant or in a shipyard. In power plants, your job is to weld the components of nuclear reactors and other equipment. In a shipyard, youâll be working on naval vessels that use nuclear energy. In either situation, your job could involve protecting nuclear secrets, since you may get to see diagrams of nuclear equipment.
Required Education and Experience
Like most welding jobs, you donât really need a college degree, though having a background in physics or another STEM field certainly canât hurt. However, what matter most are your actual welding skills and whether you have a welding certification. If you work at a shipyard, you could also need to pass a swimming test to weld underwater.
Pay Range
Working in the nuclear power industry is one of the highest-paid welding careers. Thatâs because thereâs a high level of skill needed to weld such high-risk pieces of equipment. In other words, when a nuclear welder makes a mistake, it tends to be a fairly big deal. Therefore, the average salary for this position in the US is between $70,000â$80,000.
Industry Risks
As you can probably imagine, there is a high level of risk when working in the nuclear industry. While your job as a welder might not involve welding radioactive materials, exposure is a constant risk. Nuclear sites also contain highly combustible materials, and there are risks to welding in tight spaces on ships or underwater.
We hope youâve found what itâs like to be a nuclear industry welder interesting and helpful. If youâre looking for a high-paying welding job, the nuclear industry is a good option to consider.
