Radiation protection officer
Also called radiation protection advisor, radiation protection manager, radiation protection supervisor
Radiation protection officers are responsible for the protection from harmful effects caused by exposure to ionising radiation. They ensure compliance with legislation and regulations by enforcing safety measures. Furthermore they develop radiation protection plans in particular for nuclear plants and facilities.
What you'd do
Environmental and occupational health and hygiene professionals · ILO- Developing, implementing and reviewing programmes and policies to minimize potential environmental and occupational risks to health and safety
- Preparing and implementing plans and strategies for the safe, economic and suitable disposal of commercial, industrial, medical and household wastes
- Implementing prevention programmes and strategies for communicable diseases, food safety, waste water treatment and disposal systems, recreation and domestic water quality, contaminated and hazardous substances
- Identifying, reporting and documenting hazards, and assessing and controlling risks in the environment and workplace and advising on compliance with relevant law and regulations
- Developing, implementing and monitoring programmes to minimize workplace and environmental pollution involving chemical, physical and biological hazards
- Advising on methods to prevent, eliminate, control or reduce the exposure of workers, students, the public and the environment to radiological and other hazards
- Promoting ergonomic principles within the workplace such as matching furniture, equipment and work activities to the needs of employees
- Providing education, information, training and advice to persons at all levels on aspects of occupational hygiene and environmental health
- Recording and investigating injuries and equipment damage, and reporting safety performance
- Coordinating arrangements for the compensation, rehabilitation and return to work of injured workers
- Indoors
- A mix of sitting and standing
- Constant contact with people
- Good freedom to decide
- Usually 40 hours a week
- Deadlines most weeks
- Very repetitive tasks
Will there be jobs?
Yes, good prospects9 EU countries are short of environmental and occupational health and hygiene professionals now, and many jobs will need filling by 2035.
Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.
What does it pay?
Well above averagePay depends a lot on the country: from about €1,800 a month (Bulgaria) to €9,700 (Luxembourg), before tax.
Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.
Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat
What do I need to study?
Usually a degreeA degree in physics is the usual route.
697 institutions in the EU offer science and maths bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.
Will AI change it?
Very littleAI could help with only small parts of the tasks.
Average task score 0.28 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).
See the score for each of the 10 tasks
Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for environmental and occupational health and hygiene professionals. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).