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Nuclear Engineer

Engineering

Conduct research on nuclear engineering projects or apply principles and theory of nuclear science to problems concerned with release, control, and use of nuclear energy and nuclear waste disposal.

ScienceElectrical Engineering

Picture the job

Where you'd usually workA process plant

  • Mostly indoors
  • Sitting for most of the day
  • Rarely dealing with the public
  • Regular working hours

An illustration of a typical workplace, not a photo. The work-style notes come from US O*NET data, so read them as a guide.

In Malaysia

Malaysia has no nuclear power plant; its only reactor is the 1 MW TRIGA PUSPATI research reactor run by the Malaysian Nuclear Agency. UTM says most of its nuclear-engineering graduates work in government agencies, hospitals, semiconductors, oil & gas, non-destructive testing and as radiation protection officers, not in power generation.

How people get into it here
SPM → Foundation/Matriculation (science) → Bachelor of Nuclear Engineering (UTM, EAC-accredited) or Mechanical/Chemical/Electrical Engineering or Physics → BEM Graduate Engineer → Nuclear Malaysia, radiation-protection, NDT or O&G roles; Radiation Protection Officer certification under Act 304 is common

Sources:fkt.utm.mynuclearmalaysia.gov.myatom.gov.myemasco.mohr.gov.my

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Mechanical Engineer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Quick answers

How do you become a Nuclear Engineer in Malaysia?

SPM → Foundation/Matriculation (science) → Bachelor of Nuclear Engineering (UTM, EAC-accredited) or Mechanical/Chemical/Electrical Engineering or Physics → BEM Graduate Engineer → Nuclear Malaysia, radiation-protection, NDT or O&G roles; Radiation Protection Officer certification under Act 304 is common. Registration with BEM Graduate/Professional Engineer registration; activities with radioactive material are licensed by the Department of Atomic Energy (Atom Malaysia, formerly AELB) under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 (Act 304) is required to practise.

What should I study to become a Nuclear Engineer?

Related fields of study: Science and Electrical Engineering. SPM subjects that help most: Physics, Additional Mathematics, Design & Technology (RBT) and Invention.

How much does a Nuclear Engineer earn in Malaysia?

We don't yet have a Malaysian source we can cite for Nuclear Engineer pay, so we show no figure.

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Design or develop nuclear equipment, such as reactor cores, radiation shielding, or associated instrumentation or control mechanisms.
  2. 2Monitor nuclear facility operations to identify any design, construction, or operation practices that violate safety regulations and laws or could jeopardize safe operations.
  3. 3Initiate corrective actions or order plant shutdowns in emergency situations.
  4. 4Examine accidents to obtain data for use in design of preventive measures.
  5. 5Direct operating or maintenance activities of nuclear power plants to ensure efficiency and conformity to safety standards.
  6. 6Design or oversee construction or operation of nuclear reactors, power plants, or nuclear fuels reprocessing and reclamation systems.
  7. 7Direct environmental compliance activities associated with nuclear plant operations or maintenance.
  8. 8Prepare environmental impact statements, reports, or presentations for regulatory or other agencies.
  9. 9Prepare technical reports of findings or recommendations, based on synthesized analyses of test results.
  10. 10Write operational instructions to be used in nuclear plant operation or nuclear fuel or waste handling and disposal.
  11. 11Develop or contribute to the development of plans to remediate or restore environments affected by nuclear radiation, such as waste disposal sites.
  12. 12Conduct tests of nuclear fuel behavior and cycles or performance of nuclear machinery and equipment to optimize performance of existing plants.
  13. 13Design fuel cycle models or processes to reduce the quantity of radioactive waste generated from nuclear activities.
  14. 14Consult with other scientists to determine parameters of experimentation or suitability of analytical models.
  15. 15Recommend preventive measures to be taken in the handling of nuclear technology, based on data obtained from operations monitoring or from evaluation of test results.
  16. 16Discuss construction project proposals with interested parties, such as vendors, contractors, or nuclear facility review boards.
  17. 17Perform experiments that will provide information about acceptable methods of nuclear material usage, nuclear fuel reclamation, or waste disposal.
  18. 18Conduct environmental studies on topics such as nuclear power generation, nuclear waste disposal, or nuclear weapon deployment.
  19. 19Design or direct nuclear research projects to develop, test, modify, or discover new uses for theoretical models.
  20. 20Keep abreast of developments and changes in the nuclear field by reading technical journals or by independent study and research.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Engineer
  • Nuclear PM
  • NSSS Engineer
  • Nuclear Officer
  • Safety Engineer
  • System Engineer
  • Nuclear Engineer
  • Nuclear Mechanic
  • Reactor Engineer
  • Weapons Designer

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
InventionDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Engineering and Technology91%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Physics91%

    Physics

  • Mathematics88%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language81%

    English

  • Public Safety and Security79%
  • Chemistry77%

    Chemistry

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherRarely
  • Noisy environmentRarely
  • Time spent sittingMost of the time

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Recommend preventive measures to be taken in handling nuclear technology based on data obtained from operations monitoring, systematic analysis, or evaluation of test results.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points, not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

25%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023, already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

What beginner adverts asked for

We read 16 internship and fresh-graduate adverts in related fields (August 2026). A small sample from one job site, not every vacancy.

12 of 16 were internships

Allowance or pay, when stated

RM800 – RM1,000

5 of 16 adverts printed an amount: usually between RM800 and RM1,000 a month. Many print none.

Minimum CGPA asked

3.00 to 3.00

Stated in 2 adverts. Others did not state one.

Languages named

Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin

An empty line means the adverts did not say, not that employers have no requirement. Check each employer's own advert before you plan around it.

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Nuclear Engineers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org