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Electrical Engineer
Industry: Energy
Area: Nuclear
Electrical Engineers oversee the routing of electric power in the nuclear power plant to all of its components, which may vary in their power requirements anywhere from 12 volts DC to 765,000 volts AC. Electrical engineers also supervise the conversion of energy by the turbines to electric power that will be transmitted to customers. Finally, electrical engineers monitor the integration of all plant functions through process controls and protection circuitry. More recently, computer/software expertise has become increasingly important for the design and function of new digital instrumentation and control systems. These engineers may replace analogue circuitry with more efficient, automated microprocessor-based systems.
Work Settings
A nuclear power plant is not all that different from coal, oil, or gas fired plants. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), part of our government, licenses the use of nuclear material and inspects users to make sure they follow the rules for safety.
Education
A bachelor's degree in engineering is required for almost all entry-level electrical engineering jobs.
Job Outlook
The number of job openings resulting from employment growth and from the need to replace electrical engineers who transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force is expected to be in rough balance with the supply of graduates. Employment of electrical engineers is expected to increase about as fast for all occupations through 2014.
Salary
The average starting salary for Electrical Engineers at the BS degree level is $52,000 - for MS degree level the average starting salary is $64,000. Wages for experienced electrical engineers vary widely from $47,000 to $108,000.
Work Schedule
Many engineers work a standard 40-hour week. At times, deadlines or design standards may bring extra pressure to a job, requiring engineers to work longer hours.