The Health Physicist (Radiation Safety Officer) position reports to the Associate Director of Operations. Directs the managerial aspects of the Radiation Safety Program ensuring all procedures and regulatory requirements are in compliance with Nuclear Regulatory Commission rules and regulations. Position plays the lead role in policy development for the organizations multicenter radiation safety program with technical and or expert assistance and support to other groups outside the organization.

Duties

Includes but not limited to: Prepares correspondence, National Health Physics Program Permit amendments, applications and such other written communications required with the VA's National Health Physics Program, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency as necessary. Instructs as needed all personnel using sources of radioactive material, but not less than once annually, concerning the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) program, safety procedures, disposal policy and procedures and compliance with regulations and local policy and procedures. Provides instructions using sources (radioactive material) of ionizing radiation as well as machine produced ionizing radiation (diagnostic x-ray) concerning the ALARA program, safety procedures, VHA Directives, and local policy and procedures. Investigates exposures exceeding an ALARA investigational level, accidents, spills, thefts, unauthorized receipts, uses, transfers, disposals, medical events, and any other deviation from approved radiation safety practice and implements corrective actions. Inspects all facilities where radionuclides are used and stored as needed by not less than once each year for compliance with Federal regulations and local policy and procedures. Maintains inventory records and performs required surveys and wipe tests for all facilities and sources assigned to the Radiation Safety Office. Manages the timely distribution and collection of personnel monitors and maintains records of personnel exposure including accounting for all missing or lost badges. Maintains written records of all activities of the Radiation Safety Office/Officer. Provides radiation safety support for each clinical therapeutic case. Ensures compliance with VHA Directives. Performs the functions as the Laser Safety Officer for the Orlando VA Healthcare System area of operation. Facilitates the Director's Radiation Safety Committee meetings. Completes other duties as assigned. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Physicist (Radiation Safety)/PD065360 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized for highly qualified applicants.

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/09/2024. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-13 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-12. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. Individual Occupational Requirements - Health Physics Series 1306Basic Requirements: A. 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. B. Combination of education and experience -- 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, plus appropriate experience and other education that provided an understanding of sciences applicable to health physics comparable to that described in paragraph A. Preferred Experience: 5+ years of experience in Radiation Safety. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-12 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Planning, directing, performing the execution of the radiation safety programs, Consultative of each different scientific/research/dental/medical areas. Advising other health physicist, researchers, technical, and medical personnel relative to the use of radioactive materials and devices producing ionizing radiations. Reviewing experimental procedures, clinical therapeutic dosimetry calculations, occupational dosimetry determinations for employees, and evaluative measurements for patient absorbed doses. Act to control and prevent ionizing radiation hazards. Developing and implementing radiation safety program and training. Managing the storage, handling, transportation, and transfers of all radioactive materials and decontamination policies and procedure. Calibrating radioactive sealed source. Mathematically and practically determines radiation shielding needs and the associated dose assessment model. Determining radiation dose assessment and Federal Regulatory requirements for internal/external contaminations, establishing the emergency response to radiation accident incident. Establishing proper technique associated with physical detection and quantitative measurement of radiation. Applying radiation safety standards associated with the interaction of ionizing radiation exposure and contamination upon living tissue. Establishing and overseeing the programs for all acquisition, storage, and use, of radioactive materials; and maintaining a budget with oversight of radiation safety equipment and personal dosimetry programs. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: CommunicationCritical ThinkingData ManagementHealth Physics Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; 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. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Physical Requirements: The work involves a certain amount of strenuous activity associated with small work spaces to change radioactive material activated charcoal air flow filters, preparing radioactive materials waste in 55-gallon drums and the handling of such drums, lifting heavy boxes of liquid scintillation vials and other solid waste materials for disposal, as well as facility roof surveys via tall ladder and small space access for motor contamination prior to equipment maintenance. Work is divided approximately equally between sedentary desk work and walking, bending and climbing required to inspect laboratory and equipment installations. Some occasional crouching, stooping, reaching, and pushing of moderately heavy items such as carts may be required. Lifting up to 45 pounds in weight may occasionally be required. 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/.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Contacts

• Address Orlando VA Medical Center 13800 Veterans Way Orlando, FL 32827 US
• Name: Sally Jordan
• Phone: 813-816-7155 X100271
• Email: [email protected]