Nuclear Engineering

What is Nuclear Engineering?

When you work in Nuclear Engineering, you’ll examine and leverage nuclear concepts which form the foundation of our universe. These concepts can be applied to a number of industries today and are helping create the technologies of the future. Nuclear science and technology can be used in nuclear energy as well as nuclear medicine and aerospace.

Why study Nuclear Energy?

There’s a growing need for highly-skilled engineers to maintain and operate nuclear facilities around the world. Nuclear Energy is one of the cutting-edge fields you can work in, where potential new uses are constantly emerging in the energy sector and beyond. If you’re a forward thinker or a trailblazer this is the area for you. UNSW engages with international forums that tackle the big questions surrounding nuclear technology in Australia and the world.

Why choose UNSW?

UNSW offers the first Nuclear Engineering program in Australia. Studying Nuclear Engineering at UNSW opens doors to a world of unparalleled opportunities and innovation. We're ranked #1 in Australia and #25 globally for Engineering and Technology (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2025). UNSW's Faculty of Engineering is the largest of its kind in Australia. You'll get to learn from top nuclear scientists who are making an active impact in their field and be well-connected to industry and research organisations for industry placements, career development, and research projects. We also house the UNSW Nuclear Innovation Centre, which is a cross-disciplinary, cross-industry hub for advancing Australia's nuclear science industry, which includes interests in medicine, irradiated materials, waste management, space exploration and mining.

What about careers?

Career prospects for graduates of this study area are robust. There is a global skills shortage in qualified nuclear engineers and nuclear graduates are highly employable. Domestically, Australia's nuclear workforce must grow to 10,000 - 30,000 jobs to meet AUKUS deal requirements, aligning with government initiatives to expand domestic nuclear capabilities. You’ll be ready to seek global employment opportunities in the energy sector, as well as a variety of nuclear careers in Australia.

In addition to the increasing number of new generation nuclear energy plants, existing reactors require maintenance, servicing, operations and eventual decommissioning

Career options include:

• Nuclear medicine
• Nuclear science research
• Advanced manufacturing
• Aerospace
• Defence

Full scholarships available

The Defence Nuclear Science and Engineering Undergraduate Scholarship supports:

• High-performing STEM students studying disciplines relevant to nuclear science and engineering.
• Candidates for up to 3 years of study who have an interest in a career in Defence.
• Applicants must be Australian Citizens who are studying at an undergraduate level.
• The scholarship has a value of $20,000 per student per annum.