Health Physicist - Radiation Safety Officer

Veterans Health Administration; Charleston (SC); On-site; USD 106,000 - 138,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Telework (ad hoc)

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration in Charleston, SC is seeking a Health Physicist - Radiation Safety Officer to implement and manage the medical center's Radiation Safety Program at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.

The role includes leading training in radiation safety, coordinating with clinical staff and vendors, and ensuring regulatory compliance across facilities. Telework may be discussed; standard work schedule is Monday–Friday, 8:00am–4:30pm, with potential changes based on agency

Responsibilities

• Sets up all work and trains in all areas of radiation safety, including machine-produced radiation and radioactive materials.
• Implements and evaluates tests, procedures, and reporting mechanisms to ensure proper radiation safety measures within the facility.
• Consults with facility medical staff and scientists, equipment vendors, and operations personnel to resolve complex issues arising from radioactivity and radiation-producing equipment.
• Plans and implements a radiation safety program for a clinically complex institution and its satellite clinics.

Job description

Health Physicist - Radiation Safety Officer

• Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

The Health Physicist - Radiation Safety Officer position is located at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC. This position has the primary responsibility for implementing and managing the medical center's Radiation Safety Program.

Key Responsibilities

Duties include, but are not limited to, the following: Sets up all work and trains in all areas of radiation safety, including, but not limited to, machine-produced radiation and radioactive materials; Implements and evaluates tests, procedures, and reporting mechanisms to ensure proper radiation safety measures within the facility; Consults with facility medical staff and scientists, equipment vendors, and operations personnel to resolve very complex and unprecedented issues arising from clinical uses of radioactivity and radiation-producing equipment, research protocols, new X-ray equipment capabilities, applications, or environments; Plans and implements a radiation safety program for a clinically complex institution and its satellite clinics, which typically include clinical consultation and/or research functions; Represents the organization in agency and peer group committees, as well as the affiliated university, to develop new policies and procedures; Develops and recommends evaluation criteria and guidelines for assessing radiation safety programs; Communicates extensively with all regulatory agencies (i.e., the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), National Health Physics Program (NHPP), State Radiation Control Program, Joint Commission, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)).

Serves as a contractor officer representative; Advises medical center administration on all aspects of health physics, including disaster planning for accidents involving radiation exposure or radioactive contamination; Oversees the use of all radioactive materials and radiation-producing machines within the research and clinical domains, responsible for ensuring the required audits, surveys, and QA evaluations of all radiation-producing equipment utilized across the Medical Center; Designs, implements, and evaluates strategies to improve radiation program assurance and quality management; Instructs personnel in the use of monitoring equipment, safe laboratory practices, decontamination methods, and related procedures; Provides initial education and training to new employees on safety procedures for all personnel using radioactive materials and/or radiation-producing equipment, and continuous training to existing employees, including physicians, nurses, biomedical engineers, technologists, etc.; Evaluates all areas of ionizing radiation use for proper security, shielding integrity, usage, and ventilation in appropriate areas.

Develops, implements, and maintains written policies and procedures appropriate for the monitoring, use, and control of radioactive materials and radiation machines; Provides expert, comprehensive quality assurance oversight for imaging to a segment of a large, complex biomedical research facility; and Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm. Work schedule is subject to change based on agency needs.

Telework (ad hoc): This position may be authorized for telework. Telework eligibility will be discussed during the interview process. Position Description/PD#: Health Physicist - Radiation Safety Officer/PD074830 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Requirements & Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Which agency is hiring for this position?

This position is with Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs.

What is the salary for this position?

The posted pay range is $106437 - $138370/yr.

What is the application deadline?

Applications close on 2026-09-29.

Who is eligible to apply?

This position is open under the 'Fed Transition' hiring path.