Nuclear NextGen – ANSTO's Work Experience Intensive Days for 2026

Are you a future Reactor Operator, Shift Manager, Nuclear Analyst, Nuclear Engineer, Mechanical Engineer or Electrical Engineer? 

Explore Australia’s only research reactor, OPAL (Open Pool Australian Lightwater Reactor), and discover how nuclear science leads to real‑world discoveries. You’ll learn how OPAL operates, investigate the engineering and safety systems that protect people and the environment, and see how neutron beams are produced and used for research across science, industry and medicine. 

Throughout the day, you’ll step inside key areas of ANSTO’s reactor precinct, watch how the facility is monitored and controlled in real time, and uncover the teamwork required to keep a nuclear reactor running safely and efficiently. From control room operations to the technology that supports cooling, instrumentation and mechanical systems, you’ll gain a genuine behind‑the‑scenes view of reactor science. 

If you're interested in… Physics, Chemistry, Engineering Studies or Design Technologies, Advanced Science, Mathematics (Methods or Specialist), or General Science. 

Are you a future radiochemist, nuclear medicine technologist, radioisotope production specialist, chemical engineer or laboratory technician? 

Explore how nuclear science helps diagnose and treat millions of patients every year. You’ll discover how medical isotopes are produced, visit key areas inside ANSTO’s nuclear medicine facilities, and take part in simulated radiochemistry activities that show how doses are prepared safely and precisely. From hot cells to hospital‑ready products, you’ll see how chemistry, physics and engineering combine to support modern healthcare and deliver life‑saving diagnostic and therapeutic tools. 

Experience the full journey of a medical isotope — from target material to patient‑ready dose — and gain insight into the scientific, engineering and quality‑assurance processes that keep Australia’s nuclear medicine supply running. 

If you're interested in… Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Investigating or General Science, Mathematics (Methods or Specialist), or Engineering‑related subjects. 

Are you a future nuclear waste specialist, environmental scientist, chemical engineer, materials scientist or facility operations technician? 

Explore how Australia manages radioactive waste safely and responsibly — now and into the future. You’ll tour key waste management facilities, see technologies such as the SyMo immobilisation plant up close, and learn how chemistry, engineering and environmental science work together to contain and stabilise waste materials. This day reveals how innovative science underpins long‑term sustainability and protects both people and the environment. 

From understanding the properties of radioactive materials to seeing how waste is processed, conditioned and stored, you’ll gain insight into the scientific thinking and engineering systems behind responsible waste stewardship. 

If you're interested in… Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Physics, Engineering Studies or Design Technologies, General Science, or Mathematics (Methods or Specialist). 

Are you a future materials scientist, physicist, microscopist, data analyst, engineer or research technician? 

Explore how scientists use powerful imaging tools such as neutron scattering, X‑ray methods and electron microscopy to investigate structures and materials at the atomic and microscopic level. You’ll visit world‑leading research facilities, see how these techniques reveal information that is normally invisible to the human eye, and discover how they are used in medicine, environmental science, engineering and advanced materials research. 

From visualising the internal structure of ancient artefacts to analysing the composition of new technologies, this day shows how small details can lead to major scientific discoveries. 

If you're interested in… Physics, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Engineering Studies or Design Technologies, Advanced Science, Mathematics (Methods or Specialist), or General Science. 

Are you a future mechanical engineer, electrical engineer, drafting officer, design technician or fabricator? 

Explore how engineers turn ideas into real world solutions. You’ll begin in the Drafting Office where designs are created using digital modelling tools, then move into the machining and fabrication workshops to see how components are built with precision. From concept sketches to metal cutting machines, this day highlights how engineering, creativity and problem solving come together to support major scientific facilities. 

You’ll gain insight into the full design and build process and see how engineers, drafting officers and technicians work as a team to create the parts and systems that keep ANSTO’s research infrastructure running. 

If you're interested in… Engineering Studies or Design Technologies, Industrial Technology, Physics, Mathematics (Methods or Specialist), or General Science. 

Are you a future environmental scientist, geochemist, ecologist, hydrologist or laboratory technician? 

Explore how scientists use nuclear and isotopic techniques to understand the world around us. You’ll visit environmental science labs to see how researchers trace pollutants, analyse water systems, study ecosystems and verify food origins using atomic clues. This day shows how invisible signals in nature reveal big stories about environmental health, sustainability and the way our planet changes over time. 

You’ll see how measurements of isotopes, elements and environmental markers help solve real world problems, from tracking groundwater to understanding climate processes and monitoring environmental contamination. 

If you're interested in… Earth and Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, Geography, General Science, Advanced Science or Mathematics (Methods or Specialist). 

Are you a future beamline scientist, accelerator technician, materials researcher, biomedical imaging specialist or experimental physicist? 

Explore how scientists use brilliant synchrotron light to study materials, structures and chemical processes in extraordinary detail. You’ll visit the Australian Synchrotron and rotate through different beamline areas to see how X‑rays are used to analyse everything from fossils and medicines to advanced materials and environmental samples. You’ll see how samples are prepared and how intense synchrotron light reveals information that cannot be seen with conventional techniques. 

Throughout the day, you’ll meet the experts who keep this world‑class facility running and discover how physics, chemistry, biology and engineering come together to support research that benefits industry, healthcare and the environment. 

If you're interested in… Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth and Environmental Science, Engineering Studies or Design Technologies, Advanced Science, Mathematics (Methods or Specialist), or General Science.