Health Physicist (Radiation Safety)

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville, KY, is seeking a Medical Physicist to serve as the Radiation Safety Officer and lead the facility's radiation safety program.

The position requires a health physics-focused bachelor's degree (or ABHP certification) and specialized experience; duties include maintaining NRC license compliance, OSHA requirements, and staff training to uphold safety standards.

Qualifications

• Requires English proficiency for written and spoken communication.
• Bachelor's degree in natural science or engineering with at least 30 semester hours in health physics, engineering, radiological science, chemistry, physics, biology, mathematics or calculus. Transcript required.
• Specialized experience: one year at GS-11 level or equivalent in radiation safety and health physics, knowledge of radiology, nuclear medicine, brachytherapy, and lab services.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the radiation safety program to ensure compliance with directives, NRC license/permit conditions, OSHA requirements, and applicable regulations.
• Develop, implement, and maintain radiation safety policies, procedures, and training.
• Detect and measure ionizing radiations; manage facility-wide radiation safety program.
• Document duties, responsibilities, and hours per week for experience credit.

Skills

Radiation safety

Regulatory compliance

Safety program management

Nuclear medicine knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in natural science or engineering with health physics coursework

ABHP certification (American Board of Health Physics)

Tools

Regulatory frameworks (NRC/OSHA)

Job description

This position is located at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville, KY. The Medical Physicist functions as the Radiation Safety Officer and is responsible for the radiation safety program to assure that guidelines are followed and policy is executed.

English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.

-AND-

Basic Educational Requirement: Successfully completion of a bachelor's degree (or higher) 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. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education will not be credited without documentation.

-OR-

A combination of education and experience that includes courses as shown above, plus appropriate experience or other education; or certification as a health physicist by the American Board of Health Physics (copy of certification must be submitted with your application), plus appropriate experience and other education that provided an understanding of sciences applicable to health physics comparable to that described above. NOTE: If you select this option, you must submit a copy of your transcript with your application. Education will not be credited without documentation. Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

In addition to the English Language Proficiency and the Basic Educational Requirement, you must also meet the Specialized Experience requirement:

Specialized Experience Requirement: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) in the Federal Service that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. Specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: applying radiation safety and health physics using knowledge that consists of radiology, research, nuclear medicine, brachytherapy, and lab services; detecting and measuring the types of ionizing radiations used by a medical center, such as wide energy range of X rays, gamma rays, and beta particles; and managing a facility-wide radiation safety program, ensuring full compliance with directives, NRC license/permit conditions, OSHA requirements, and all applicable federal, state, and local regulations by maintaining current policies, procedures, and training that reflect the latest regulatory and accrediting agency expectations. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must clearly indicate the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position. Your experience must be fully documented in your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of standing, sitting, walking, and bending with occasionally carrying moderate to heavy items.