HEALTH PHYSICIST.

Office of Naval Research; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Office of Naval Research in Washington, DC seeks a Health Physics professional to implement a comprehensive radiological safety program at accelerator facilities and pulsed storage systems. You will perform dosimetry oversight, lab area surveys, and environmental monitoring in contexts with radioactive materials, x-ray units, and electron microscopes.

You will lead safety inspections of laser equipment and manage RF/microwave safety initiatives, ensuring compliance with all federal regulations

Qualifications

• Experience with radiation detection, measurement, and assay equipment.
• Experience in calibrating analytical equipment used in radioassay programs.
• Ability to lead safety inspections of laser equipment and ensure compliance with regulations.

Responsibilities

• Implement radiological safety program at the lab's accelerators and storage systems.
• Complete radiological safety surveys and area monitoring where radioactive materials are used.
• Manage personnel and environmental dosimetry programs to meet industry standards.
• Oversee quality control and activities in the counting room.
• Conduct inspections of laser equipment and ensure HERO precautions.
• Lead RF and microwave safety program activities.

Skills

Radiation detection

Dosimetry programs

Safety inspections

RF/microwave safety

Nuclear safety

Education

Bachelor's degree in health physics, radiological science, or engineering

Tools

Radiation survey instruments

Thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs)

Ionization chambers

Job description

• You will implement the radiological safety program at NRL's nuclear particle accelerators and pulsed storage machines.
• You will complete radiological safety surveys and area monitoring in lab areas where radioactive material, low-energy x-ray units, and electron microscopes are used and stored.
• You will conduct NRL's personnel and environmental dosimetry programs, emphasizing the technical portion of the program by meeting the industry requirements.
• You will oversee the quality control and activities of the counting room.
• You will conduct inspections and surveys of NRL's laser equipment.
• You will conduct an effective radiofrequency (RF) and microwave safety program.

Duties

• You will implement the radiological safety program at NRL's nuclear particle accelerators and pulsed storage machines.
• You will complete radiological safety surveys and area monitoring in lab areas where radioactive material, low‑energy x‑ray units, and electron microscopes are used and stored.
• You will conduct NRL's personnel and environmental dosimetry programs, emphasizing the technical portion of the program by meeting the industry requirements.
• You will oversee the quality control and activities of the counting room.
• You will conduct inspections and surveys of NRL's laser equipment.
• You will conduct an effective radiofrequency (RF) and microwave safety program.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Must be a US Citizen.
• Must be determined suitable for federal employment.
• Must participate in the direct deposit pay program.
• New employees to the Department of the Navy will be required to successfully pass the E‑Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E‑Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit e‑verify.gov
• Within the Department of Defense (DoD), the appointment of retired military members within 180 days immediately following retirement date to a civilian position is subject to the provisions of 5 United States Code 3326.
• Males born after 12‑31‑59 must be registered for Selective Service.
• You will be required to obtain and maintain an interim and/or final security clearance prior to entrance on duty. Failure to obtain and maintain the required level of clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
• This position is considered Key/Emergency‑Essential. You will be required to provide immediate and continuing support to ensure the success of combat operations or the availability of combat‑essential systems.
• This position may require travel from normal duty station to CONUS and OCONUS and may include remote or isolated sites. You must be able to travel on military and commercial aircraft for extended periods of time.
• You will be required to successfully complete a pre‑appointment physical examination.

Qualifications

NP-02 Level: In addition to the basic education requirements, your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-01/04) or pay band (NP-01) in the Federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 1) Using various complex pieces or radiation detection, measuring, and assaying equipment; and 2) Performing tests and calibrations of analytical equipment used in the radioassay program, and analyzing radioactive samples.

NP-02 Level: This position has a selective placement factor that will be used to screen out ineligible candidates. The selective placement factor is: This position requires demonstrated experience with radiation detection, measuring and assaying equipment.

NP-03 Level: In addition to the basic education requirements, your resume must demonstrate at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-05/10) or pay band (NP-02) in the federal service or equivalent experience in the private or public sector. Specialized experience must demonstrate the following: 1) Conducting complex evaluations, shielding calculations, and expected personnel exposure assessments for low‑energy X‑ray machines and radioactive materials; 2) Ensuring all radiation safety, measurement, and monitoring programs comply with federal, state, Navy, and laboratory regulations to maintain operational permits; 3) Leading safety inspections and inventories of industrial and research laser equipment across primary and field sites; and 4) Verifying and updating RADHAZ surveys in accordance with OPNAVINST 5100.23H and ensured strict personnel adherence to Hazards of Electromagnetic Radiation to Ordnance (HERO) precautions.

NP-03 Level: This position has a selective placement factor that will be used to screen out ineligible candidates. The selective placement factor is: This position requires demonstrated experience designing radiation shielding for megavoltage particle accelerators using NCRP 144 and NBS Handbook 97 and evaluating the effectiveness of radiation shielding using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), ionization chambers, and neutron detectors.

Additional qualification information can be found from the following Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/1300/health-physics-series-1306/

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., professional, philanthropic, religious, spiritual, community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

Education

Applicants must meet the following positive education qualifications requirements of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualifications Standards Manual for 1306 job series: Applicants must possess:

• Degree: natural science or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in health physics, engineering, radiological science, chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and/or calculus.

or

• Combination of education and experience -- courses as shown in 1. above, plus appropriate experience or other education; or certification as a health physicist by the American Board of Health Physics, plus appropriate experience and other education that provided an understanding of sciences applicable to health physics comparable to that described above.

In lieu of specialized experience, you may qualify with the following:

NP-02 level: 120 credits or a 4‑year course of study in natural science or engineering that included at least 30 semester hours in health physics, engineering, radiological science, chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics, and/or calculus.

NP-03 level: 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or an equivalent doctoral degree.

Additional information

This announcement uses the direct hire authority for Bachelor or Advanced Degree Candidates at STRL to recruit and appoint qualified candidates to positions in the competitive service.

Vacancies filled from this announcement may be filled at any grade level listed.

If selected below the full performance level, you may be noncompetitively promoted to the next higher grade level after meeting all regulatory requirements, and upon the recommendation of management. Promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

This position is covered by the Department of Defense Priority Placement Program.

Several vacancies may be filled.

A tentative offer of employment will be rescinded if the selectee fails to meet the pre‑employment requirements, including failure to report to any of the scheduled appointments.

Federal annuitant information: The selection of an annuitant is subject to the Department of Defense and Department of the Navy policy on the employment of annuitants. Policy information may be found at:

Veteran's preference does not apply when selecting individuals under this specific hiring authority. However, if you claim veteran's preference, you will be required to submit supporting documentation with your application as described in the Required Documents section below.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full‑time, part‑time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.