Nuclear Scientist and Nuclear Engineer

On a nuclear scientist and nuclear engineer apprenticeship course, you’ll help ensure nuclear systems and equipment operate safely and efficiently.

As a nuclear scientist and nuclear engineer apprentice, you will learn the skills and knowledge needed to ensure that nuclear systems and equipment operate safely and efficiently.

You will analyse technical and scientific problems and decide which instruments will give the best results for nuclear technologies in decommissioning (such as remote handling and robotics), waste management, reprocessing, and nuclear power generation.

This apprenticeship will prepare you to be an educated and competent engineer and scientist, giving you the skills to design, plant performance improvements, operational management, project management, and safety standard maintenance.

What you’ll learn

On a nuclear scientist and nuclear engineer apprenticeship course, you’ll learn to:

• Work competently in a technical nuclear environment, knowing and encouraging personal responsibility for principles such as Health, Safety, Radiation Protection, Environmental Protection, Quality, Security, Safeguards, and Risk Management.
• Analyse engineering and scientific problems by selecting and using mathematical, engineering, and scientific methods to provide suitable solutions to nuclear applications while considering the whole life cycle of a nuclear plant.
• Develop and apply a critical knowledge of engineering science concepts, principles, and theories relevant to nuclear technology’s interdisciplinary domains.
• Recognise inherent uncertainties and limitations while properly observing, documenting, and drawing conclusions from data and experimental results.

Entry requirements

You’ll usually need:

• Five GCSEs, including English, maths and science; and 96 UCAS points or level 3 qualification, or equivalent for a degree apprenticeship.
• Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this before taking the end-point assessment.

Assessment methods

The End Point Assessment comprises two distinct assessment methods: 

• Portfolio of evidence
• Work-related nuclear project

Restrictions and requirements

You’ll need to:

• pass security checks

Duration, level, subjects and potential salary upon completion

Apprenticeship standard

More information about the Level 6 Nuclear Scientist and Nuclear Engineer Apprenticeship standard can be found here.

Apprenticeship end point assessment

For more information about the End Point Assessment Process, please read the Institute of Apprenticeships’ information page.