Radiation Protection Technicians

Certification or Licensing

At present, there are no special requirements for licensing or certification of nuclear power plant radiation protection technicians. Some graduates of radiation control technology programs, however, may want to become nuclear materials handling technicians. For this job, licensing may be required, but the employer will usually arrange for the special study needed to pass the licensing test.

Radiation protection professionals may become registered by satisfying work experience/training requirements and completing an examination that consists of 150 multiple-choice questions from the following general categories: applied radiation protection, detection and measurements, and fundamentals. This examination is administered by the National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists. Professionals who successfully complete this examination are known as registered radiation protection technologists. Registration is not the same as licensing and does not guarantee professional ability, but it can help a technician demonstrate their professional competence to prospective employers.