NEPA Health Physicist/Nuclear Engineer

SC&A Inc; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee-owned company

Impactful work

Cross-disciplinary teamwork

Job summary

SC&A Inc is seeking a NEPA Health Physicist/Nuclear Engineer to support federal environmental reviews, focusing on radiological impact analyses and regulatory compliance. You will apply radiation protection expertise to evaluate potential impacts of proposed federal actions and prepare defensible analyses for NRC and DOE projects.

You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to translate complex technical results into clear documentation, ensuring scientifically sound and transparent

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Health Physics, Nuclear Engineering, Radiation Protection, or related field.
• Experience supporting NEPA environmental reviews with EIS/EA projects identified in federal records.
• Experience preparing or reviewing radiological impact analyses or radiological sections of environmental documents.
• Familiarity with NRC/DOE environmental review processes and regulatory requirements (NUREG-1555, 10 CFR Part 51, NRC licensing).
• Experience using radiological dose assessment tools such as RESRAD, MicroShield, RASCAL, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and refine radiological impact assessments for NEPA documents (EIS/EA/SEIS/SA).
• Conduct radiological dose assessments, accident analyses, and material transportation evaluations per NRC/DOE guidance.
• Evaluate radiological and related environmental impacts for nuclear facilities and waste management sites.
• Prepare clear, traceable analyses for federal environmental reviews and licensing proceedings.
• Coordinate with NEPA specialists and experts across disciplines to draft integrated assessments.
• Support evaluation of alternatives, cumulative impacts, and modeling results for regulatory decisions.
• Contribute to public meetings, scoping summaries, and responses to public comments.
• Provide technical coordination with NRC, DOE, and other federal agencies.

Skills

NEPA experience

Radiological dose assessment

Technical writing

Regulatory compliance

NRC/DOE regulations

Security clearance eligibility

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in Health Physics, Nuclear Engineering, Radiation Protection

Tools

RESRAD

MicroShield

RASCAL

Job description

NEPA Health Physicist/Nuclear Engineer

About SC&A

SC&A, Inc. is an employee-owned environmental and energy consulting firm that has provided scientific, technical, engineering, and consulting services since 1981. We partner with federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies, as well as private industry, to address complex environmental challenges and protect public health, communities, and the environment.

Our expertise spans radiation and nuclear sciences, environmental planning and compliance, remediation and decommissioning, air and water quality, public health, and emergency management. At SC&A, we combine scientific rigor, practical problem-solving, and multidisciplinary collaboration to help clients make informed decisions that benefit people and the environment.

As an employee-owned company, we value teamwork, professional integrity, flexibility, and the contributions of every team member. We offer the opportunity to work alongside experienced professionals on meaningful projects with real-world impacts.

About this role

SC&A is seeking a Health Physicist / Nuclear Engineer with a strong background in the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and radiological impact analysis to support federal environmental reviews, particularly projects involving the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

In this role, you will apply your technical expertise in radiation protection, radiological dose assessment, nuclear engineering, and environmental analysis to evaluate the potential impacts of proposed federal actions. Your work will help ensure that environmental reviews are scientifically sound, transparent, and defensible, supporting informed decisions about nuclear facilities, fuel cycle operations, radioactive waste management, and decommissioning projects.

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to decisions with lasting implications for human health, environmental quality, and the responsible management of nuclear technologies and materials. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary environmental professionals and federal clients to translate complex technical analyses into clear, evidence-based documentation that supports regulatory compliance and informed public decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• NEPA technical analysis: Develop, review, and refine radiological impact assessments and technical sections for Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), Environmental Assessments (EAs), Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements (SEISs), and Supplemental Assessments (SAs).
• Radiological dose assessment and modeling: Conduct radiological dose assessments, accident analyses, radioactive material transportation evaluations, and radiological consequence analyses in accordance with applicable NRC and DOE requirements and guidance (specifically NUREG‑1555, NUREG‑0800, 10 CFR Part 51, and DOE NEPA guidance).
• Environmental impact evaluation: Evaluate potential radiological and related environmental impacts associated with nuclear facilities, fuel cycle facilities, radioactive waste management sites, and nuclear facility decommissioning projects.
• Regulatory compliance and technical documentation: Prepare clear, traceable, technically rigorous, and defensible analyses suitable for federal environmental review records, licensing proceedings, and rulemaking activities.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration: Coordinate with NEPA specialists and subject matter experts in ecology, air quality, socioeconomics, cultural resources, and other environmental disciplines to develop integrated assessments of proposed actions and their potential impacts.
• Alternatives and cumulative impact analysis: Support the evaluation of reasonable alternatives, cumulative environmental impacts, and radiological modeling results to inform federal agency decisions.
• Public involvement and communication: Provide technical input for public meeting materials, NEPA scoping summaries, responses to public and stakeholder comments, and response-to-comment matrices.
• Federal agency and client support: Support technical coordination and communication with the NRC, DOE, and other federal agencies on radiological analysis, environmental review, and regulatory requirements.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Health Physics, Nuclear Engineering, Radiation Protection, or a closely related scientific or engineering discipline
• Direct experience supporting NEPA environmental reviews, with specific Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or Environmental Assessment (EA) projects that can be identified and verified through federal records
• Demonstrated experience preparing or reviewing radiological impact analyses or radiological sections of environmental documents
• Working knowledge of NRC and DOE environmental review processes and applicable regulatory requirements, including:
  • NUREG-1555, Environmental Standard Review Plan
  • 10 CFR Part 51, Environmental Protection Regulations for Domestic Licensing and Related Regulatory Functions
  • NRC licensing and rulemaking frameworks
  • Applicable DOE NEPA guidance
• Experience using radiological dose assessment or modeling tools, such as RESRAD, MicroShield, RASCAL, or equivalent software
• Strong technical writing and analytical skills, including the ability to communicate complex scientific and regulatory information clearly and develop well-supported, defensible technical conclusions
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a security clearance are required

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting NEPA reviews for the NRC, DOE, U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or other federal agencies
• Experience with radioactive waste management, nuclear facility decommissioning, waste incidental to reprocessing (WIR) evaluations, or nuclear fuel cycle facilities
• Demonstrated experience contributing to public meetings, regulatory briefings, stakeholder communications, or responses to public comments
• Certified Health Physicist (CHP) credential or progress toward professional certification

Why Join SC&A?

Do work that matters. Apply your scientific and technical expertise to environmental reviews that inform consequential decisions about nuclear technologies, environmental impacts, and public health protection.

Work with experienced professionals. Collaborate across health physics, nuclear engineering, environmental science, regulatory compliance, and NEPA disciplines to solve complex technical challenges.

Be part of an employee-owned company. Join a team where employees are invested in the organization's success and where professional integrity, mutual respect, and collaboration are central to the workplace.

Make a meaningful contribution. Help federal agencies evaluate potential environmental impacts, consider alternatives, and make informed decisions grounded in sound science and defensible technical analysis.

At SC&A, your work helps turn complex scientific information into better decisions for people, communities, and the environment.

Salary Range: $120,000–$140,000, depending on experience and qualifications (DOE/DOQ).