The nuclear industry is changing fast. So are the career opportunities within it.
Across the country, companies are developing advanced reactors, expanding uranium fuel production and investing in technologies designed to meet growing energy demands. Those projects require engineers, operators and technical specialists.
They also depend on another group of professionals whose work often happens behind the scenes: health physicists.
According to Dan Sowers, a certified health physicist (CHP) and the global radiation protection manager at Westinghouse Electric Company, the entire nuclear fuel supply chain is expanding, from uranium mining to the production of reactor fuel needed for both advanced reactors and the existing fleet.
“We are seeing a tremendous uptick in uranium mining and uranium reactor fuel production to support some of these small modular reactors and advanced reactors coming online, as well as supporting the existing fleet already in operation,” Sowers said. “So, it is a very, very busy time and a very good time to be in nuclear.”
Safety Starts With CHPs
Much of the public discussion surrounding advanced reactors focuses on innovative technologies and increased power generation. Sowers said there is another story unfolding behind the scenes. Every reactor, whether it is a new design or an existing facility, depends on professionals who can ensure it operates safely from licensing through daily operation.
“We have to be able to say, ‘Yes, we’re still safe,” he said. “We still have layers of protection. We can do this. Nuclear can put all this electricity on the grid to support these data centers and general industry growth without pumping a whole bunch of CO2 into the air.”
That work creates opportunities across nearly every corner of the profession.
As advanced reactor companies move from the drawing board toward construction, they need more than engineering expertise. They need professionals who understand licensing, environmental reviews, radiation protection, maintenance planning and operational readiness.
“They need an engineering team,” Sowers said. “They also need a licensing team to take it to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy. Part of that is an environmental assessment. It’s also a radiation protection assessment. Then it becomes, ‘How are we going to sit behind a control panel and push buttons and operate this thing?’ That’s a lot of radiation protection as well.”
For experienced health physicists, that means career opportunities are expanding.
Sowers said many of these companies are looking for professionals with broad backgrounds who can apply years of practical experience to projects that have few precedents.
“They’re looking for a single person who has done a whole bunch of stuff to come in and do a whole bunch of new stuff for this company that’s never particularly been done before,” he said.
The result is a job market that looks very different than it did only a few years ago.
“We’re seeing a lot of small startup-style businesses come up,” Sowers said. “So yeah, there’s a lot of nuclear engineering and health physics work that is opening up right now.”
Why Certification Matters
That demand is also creating new opportunities for CHPs.
Unlike many professional credentials, the CHP designation is not required by law to perform health physics work. Instead, it represents a voluntary commitment to professional excellence.
Sowers believes that distinction is exactly what makes the credential so valuable.
“It’s not legally linked to being able to do anything,” he said, “and perhaps that’s exactly what makes the credential so valuable. There’s professional engineer and there’s registered nurse and there’s other things where you have to have this credential because the state says in order to do X, Y and Z. We don’t have that for CHP.”
Instead, Sowers said employers often view certification as evidence that a professional has chosen to pursue a higher standard.
“I’ve always said that the CHP certification reflects very, very highly on the person who goes out and gets it because there is no must-do driving force,” Sowers said. “There is no legal thing that says, in order to get promoted to this next level, I must have this credential. It’s simply that person saying, ‘I’m going to get this because it’s hard and we do things that are hard because those are the most fulfilling.’”
That mindset stands out during the hiring process.
“Anytime I’m doing an interview, that’s always part of it,” Sowers said. “I’ll often ask, ‘Why haven’t you taken the CHP exam yet?’ It’s a fair question because it can reflect poorly on you as a candidate if you’re in the field, especially at an experienced level, but are not willing to go all the way and get it.”
For employers evaluating candidates with similar technical experience, that extra commitment can become an important differentiator.
A Career Opportunity Worth Pursuing
The industry’s growth is also encouraging experienced professionals to explore new opportunities.
Sowers has seen colleagues leave established organizations for advanced reactor startups, attracted by the chance to help shape an emerging sector of the industry.
Those companies are not without risk. Some will succeed, while others may not.
“We’ll be looking back and saying, ‘Those guys didn’t succeed and those guys didn’t succeed,’” Sowers said. “But one or two of them will succeed and their models will probably be mass-produced and deployed throughout power grids across the country.”
For health physicists who want to be part of that future, opportunities are available today.
The industry’s continued growth means organizations will need professionals who understand radiation protection, can navigate complex regulatory requirements and are committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety.
For those who have been considering CHP certification, Sowers believes this is the right moment to move forward.
As Sowers said: “Stop sitting on the sidelines. Now is the time to do it and jump in.”
As the nuclear industry continues to evolve, Sowers believes certified health physicists will play an increasingly important role in protecting workers, the public and the environment. If you’re ready to take the next step, learn more about the CHP credential, explore the certification process and discover the resources available through the American Academy of Health Physics to help you prepare for certification and build your career.