Principal Radiation Protection Specialist

NHS; Leeds, Glasgow, North East; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

An esteemed role at a leading healthcare organization, this position involves overseeing radiation protection services and ensuring compliance with safety standards. Key duties include advising clients, leading training services, and responding to radiation incidents, offering an exciting opportunity for a qualified expert to influence safety in healthcare.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in operational radiation protection.
• Ability to assess complex situations and interpret detailed documents.
• High degree of self-motivation.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of radiation protection specialists.
• Provide training and supervision for new staff.
• Act as a radiation protection advisor for various clients.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Analytical Skills

Education

Honours degree in a scientific subject

A-levels in science and maths

Certificated Radiation Protection Adviser

Tools

MS Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Teams

Job description

The job holder will lead the work of a topic group of radiation protection specialists and radiation protection scientists who collectively focus on a particular area of radiation protection work. This will involve the development of internal policy and guidance on scientific and technical aspects of the work in addition to co-ordinating smooth service delivery, with emphasis on occupational exposure, patient exposure and exposures to members of the public.

Main duties of the job

The primary roles/functions are:

• The provision of commercial radiation protection services to a wide range of clients, advising on and assisting with regulatory compliance and implementation of effective safety management programmes for work with ionising and non-ionising radiations. This is achieved through visits to client premises, situation analysis/risk assessment and the preparation of persuasive and authoritative reports
• Contribution to the development and delivery of radiation protection training services, including acting as course manager for training courses
• Responding to enquiries on a wide range of radiation protection issues from the public, industry and local and national agencies
• Responding to radiation events and incidents on behalf of commercial clients
• Support and contribute to UKHSA's emergency response role for radiological incidents and, when required, non-radiological events
• Training and supervising new and less experienced staff in RPA and RWA/LPA/MPE and other related activities
• Supporting UKHSA activities relating to the development of standards, legislation etc with respect to operational radiation protection issues

Please see the job description for the full list of duties and responsibilities.

About us

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.

UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.

Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers

Job responsibilities

Technical and scientific

To lead the work of a topic group of radiation protection specialists and radiation protection scientists who collectively focus on a particular area of radiation protection work. This will involve the development of internal policy and guidance on scientific and technical aspects of the work in addition to co-ordinating smooth service delivery, with emphasis on occupational exposure, patient exposure and exposures to members of the public.

Duties include:

• Leading scientific, technical and professional development for a particular area of radiation protection work, including development of internal policy and guidance, and ensuring written advice is of high quality
• Identifying, prioritising, leading and coordinating scientific and technical development needs for a particular area of radiation protection work
• Significant input into national standards, (e.g. drafting publications recommending revised national DRLs for patient exposure, involvement in development of guidance/protocols for emergent technologies, presentations at conferences) and input into international standards (eg commentary on draft revised standards, reviews of draft papers)
• Responsibility for all relevant equipment and facilities
• Financial responsibility for the income and expenditure in relation to the particular area of radiation protection work including preparation of bids for capital and revenue budgets and monitoring expenditure
• To act as a radiation protection adviser (RPA) and at least one of radioactive waste adviser (RWA), laser protection adviser (LPA) or medical physics expert (MPE) in support of RCEs radiation protection consultancy services.
• To provide expert advice on compliance with all relevant radiation safety legislation, which may include novel interpretation of complex legal requirements
• To develop, plan and conduct complex radiation safety audits at clients premises
• To critically examine and analyse newly installed equipment capable of emitting ionising radiation
• To give expert advice on the decommissioning of facilities where radioactive materials have been used
• To act as a specialist point of reference, providing expert advice on the design of new facilities and techniques where radiation is used

Radiation protection training

• Contributing to the development and delivery of scheduled and customised training courses at occupational and professional levels, including courses provided to senior radiation protection professionals
• To contribute to the development and training of developing RCE RPA and RWA/LPA/MPE staff through practical demonstration and instruction in the application of legislation, the use of radiation monitoring equipment, contamination control, and restriction of exposure. This will include checking the written work of developing and certificated RPAs and RWAs or LPAs or MPEs in accordance with the UKHSA RPA Body QA protocols

Health protection

• To provide written and verbal advice on protection of the public from radiation hazards and provide information to the public and others on radiological issues as appropriate
• Participation in scientific meetings and conferences, presenting papers on radiation protection matters. These may be at internal (UKHSA), national or international level. Disseminate information and knowledge gathered from participation at workshops, seminars and conferences to colleagues

Emergency response

To participate in emergency response to incidents where UKHSA has a response role, in particular:

• To participate in UKHSAs emergency response to radiological incidents, including terrorist incidents, as co-ordinator of environmental and personnel monitoring or leader of a radiation monitoring unit deployed for mass screening of contaminated populations
• To lead, the response to radiological incidents involving commercial RPA clients
• Honours degree in a scientific subject (for example, physics, chemistry, biology) or equivalent, or equivalent substantive experience in operational radiation
• A-levels in science and maths (Grade C or above), or equivalent
• Certificated Radiation Protection Adviser
• Proven experience in operational radiation protection with evidence of particular expertise in one or more areas of interest
• Ability to assess complex situations and interpret detailed documents that may include legislation
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels, formally, informally, orally and in writing to customers, UKHSA staff and representatives from other organisations
• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans
• High degree of self-motivation and the ability to motivate others, along with high personal integrity
• Well-developed capability with basic software tools (eg MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams etc)
• Must be willing and able to travel within the UK and abroad in support of UKHSA on national and international activities.
• Full, clean UK driving licence
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships

Selection Criteria

This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your qualifications, knowledge and experience and / or skills and abilities outlined in the essential criteria.

Stage 1: Application & Sift

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed essential criteria that have been selected from the job description, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
• 1000 word Statement of Suitability.

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

The Application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

• Meets all essential criteria
• Meets some essential criteria

Please note only those applications meeting all essential criteria will be taken through to shortlisting.

Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:

• Proven experience in operational radiation protection with evidence of particular expertise in one or more areas of interest

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.

Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

You will be invited to a remote interview.

Knowledge, experience, skills & abilities will be tested at interview.

There will be a presentation at interview. The subject of this will be sent to you prior to interview.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Location

This role is being offered as hybrid working based at one of our labs in either Chilton (Oxforshire), Glasgow or Leeds.

We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, averaged over a month).

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Counter-terrorist Check clearance.

For meaningful National Security Vetting checks to be carried out individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years as the role requires Counter Terrorism Check (CTC) clearance. UK residency less than the outlined periods may not necessarily bar you from gaining national security vetting and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder / Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Person Specification

• Application Form and Statement of Suitability
• Questions on experience, knowledge and skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£54,416 to £66,415 a yearper annum, pro rata + market pay supplement of £15K

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time,Part-time,Job share,Flexible working