Special precautions must be taken by engineers who work with fissionable matter such as reactor fuels and radioisotopic materials. They must wear thermoluminescent dosimeters, film badges, or other devices used for recording cumulative radiation exposure time and, in some areas, must wear protective clothing. Electronic warning systems and alarms are used in work areas to warn of any possible hazards. The strain of this type of work is chiefly emotional. The need to quickly repair defective equipment and to prevent loss of radioactive materials into the surrounding environment can cause considerable stress.
Most jobs require normal physical mobility, eyesight, and hearing.
In California, Nuclear Engineers are employed in governmental agencies, academic and industrial research centers, nuclear power plants, military installations, industrial manufacturing plants, and in private corporations servicing these sectors. The future of nuclear power for certain uses is not clear. In 1990 there were an estimated 1,040 Nuclear Engineers employed in California. By the year 2005 this figure is expected to grow by 150 new jobs with an additional 390 job openings due to separations. This increase in employment is much slower than the average for all occupations.