Health Physicist

Position Summary / Career Interest:

The Health Physicist provides radiation safety support for the hospital Radiation Safety Program in cooperation with the hospital Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) and Assistant Radiation Safety Officers. The program is aimed at maintaining and improving the handling of radioactive materials and radiation-emitting equipment at The University of Kansas Hospital in support of the primary goals of the program: maintaining radiation exposures As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) and ensuring regulatory compliance. The Health Physicist collaborates closely with the RSO and Radiation Safety Program Coordinator to formulate a team approach to radiation safety.

Responsibilities:

• Act as the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) in the absence of the RSO and serve as proxy for the RSO as needed.
• Maintain a working knowledge of the radioactive materials licenses, radiation producing device registrations as well as the Kansas and Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations for the use of radiation.
• Prepare research protocols for review by the Radiation Safety Officer.  Perform initial review of research protocols.  Ensure that applications are complete and track reviews to ensure timely completion. 
• Serve as an instructor in the radiation safety-training program for clinical and non-clinical staff who use or encounter radioactive material and radiation producing devices.  Provide initial Radiation Safety training, Radiation Safety Orientation, and annual refresher training.  Manage, including reviewing and updating, online training modules for Radiation Safety Training, Radiation Safety Orientation, and Radiation Safety Awareness Training.
• Lead or act as a subject matter expert in the investigation and root cause analysis of radiation incidents, medical events and over exposures.  Work with staff, risk management, and consultants to perform radiation dose assessment of exposures to patients, staff, and the public.
• Maintain and audit policies and procedures to implement the radiation safety program; conduct or oversee inspections and audits of the radiation safety program at all Hospital System sites where radiation or radioactive materials are used.
• Oversee the personnel radiation monitoring (review dosimetry, perform bioassay, issue and distribute/collect monitoring devices); the radiation survey; radioactive waste; instrument calibration; sealed source leak test and the radioactive materials inventory programs.
• Perform radiation safety oversight of radiopharmaceutical therapies including yttrium-90 microspheres, iodine-131 therapies (in-patient and outpatient), and radioactive seeds.

*Must be able to perform the professional, clinical and or technical competencies of the assigned unit or department.

*Note: These statements are intended to describe the essential functions of the job and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities. Skills and duties may vary dependent upon your department or unit. Other duties may be assigned as required.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, health physics, nuclear engineering, or environmental engineering plus five years of experience in radiation safety or a Master’s degree in physics, health physics, nuclear engineering, or environmental engineering plus two years of experience in radiation safety.
• Able to meet the Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements for a Radiation Safety Office in 10 CFR 35.50 within one year of employment.
• Minimum of 3 years in radiation related field
• Valid driver’s license
• Computer skills – Windows and Word processing

Preferred:

• Certification by the American Board of Health Physics or by the American Board of Radiology is preferred.  Candidates eligible for these certifications will be considered.
• Computer skills – Microsoft Office products

We are an equal employment opportunity employer without regard to a person’s race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), national origin, ancestry, age (40 or older), disability, veteran status or genetic information.

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