Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS

• Independently conducts radiation safety audits the Nuclear Medicine department in Imaging, as well as with the facility's Research Service;
• Manages the Laser Safety and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Safety Programs;
• Findings from audits are presented in detailed written reports consistent with the guidance and regulations set by VA's National Health Physics Program (NHPP) or the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC);
• Recognizes deviations from regulations and practices, cites those deficiencies, recommends appropriate corrective action and performs follow-up audits to ensure resolution of violations and/or corrective actions;
• Initiates corrective actions when unacceptable radiation levels are detected;
• Conducts surveys and evaluations in other areas of the medical center to determine potential radiation hazards;
• Coordinates and administers the radioactive waste storage and disposal ensuring that a systematic method of onsite decay and storage;
• Ensures that disposal of liquid radioactive wastes are properly performed;
• Provides direct radiation safety and performs safety functions associated with the therapeutic use of radiopharmaceuticals in accordance with NRC regulations to ensure room preparations, monitoring, contamination control, waste disposal.
• Responds to radiation related emergencies, evaluates situations and decides on or recommends personnel and/or area decontamination and directs 'return to normal' conditions;
• Performs investigations of accidents, incidents, spills and high radiation dose exposures, lost or misplaced sources of radiation and prepares requisite reports;
• Foresees and recommends to the Radiation Safety Committee necessary changes in radiation safety program to accomplish its mission more efficiently and effectively;
• Exercises initiative in innovative approaches for solutions to complex and difficult health physics problems;
• Prepares and conducts site-specific radiation safety training programs for new or reassigned employees and annual in-service for current employees assigned to areas in which radioactive materials are utilized;

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process

Qualifications

NOTE: **Must meet the NRC ( 10 CFR part 35) training and experience requirements for an RSO**


Basic Qualification Requirements - you must meet one of the following:
A) Successfully completed of a full 4-year course of study at an accredited college or university leading to 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: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~

B) A combination of education and experience -- This must include courses as shown in A 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 materials), plus appropriate experience and other education that provided an understanding of sciences applicable to health physics comparable to that described in paragraph A. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot 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.

Grade Determination:
GS-11 Specialized Experience: In addition to the above, to qualify for GS-11, you must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of this Health Physicist - Radiation Safety position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. To be creditable, this experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-9) in the Federal Service. Specialized experience includes using in-depth knowledge of the techniques used to detect and measure ionizing radiation in assessing workplace conditions; performing shipping, receiving and related radiation surveys; performing emergency procedures related to radiation safety; selecting, operating, calibrating instruments used for measuring radiation and radioactive materials; managing/conducting a radiation protection training program; identifying and evaluating radiation hazards and taking measures to eliminate or control exposure to those hazards; and utilizing knowledge of medical uses of radioactive materials and their requirements according to Federal Regulations. NOTE: 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.

~OR~

Education: You must have 3 years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

~OR~

Combination of Education and Experience: Combinations of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience may be used to meet total experience requirements. Only graduate level education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be combined with experience. NOTE: Transcripts must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot 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.


Physical Requirements: The work may require periods of standing and walking, with recurring activities of lifting and carrying of package waste containers and of lead shielding materials, or shielded sealed sources. Also, preparation of work areas could require lifting heavy lead bricks, and may work in respiratory protective equipment and personal protective lead vestments. The work also requires manual dexterity to pipette microliter volumes, to handle sources of radiation without causing contamination, and to perform complicated sample collection and analytical measurements.The person in this position's time is divided between the office/laboratory setting and many areas of the medical center, including the Research Facility where radioactivity is utilized. Work is performed in areas of low to moderate exposure to radiation and biohazards within regulatory limits. Appropriate

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in alphabetical order.