Health Physicist II

Class Concept

This is professional, scientific, and analytical work in the safe and secure use, management, and control of radioactive materials, and particle accelerators with energies greater than 1 MeV that are sold, transferred, disposed of, decommissioned, disassembled, repaired, installed, and/or serviced. The majority of work involves regulatory authority over NC radioactive material in which the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) discontinued its authority in Section 274 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (AEA) as amended. This class is subject to a strict 2 year training progression of NRC sponsored classes including separate internal training expectations. Work includes activities ensuring compliance, security and emergency response involving radioactive material. Work occasionally involves supporting national security events for the protection of the public from hazards associated with exposure to radioactive material.

The Health Physicist II is distinguished from the Health Physicist I by the variety and complexity of assigned licensing, inspection and device evaluation tasks; increased hazards associated with radioactive material versus electronic devices; 24/7 on-call expectations for emergency nuclear response: and increased training requirements and expectations.

Recruitment Requirements

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Considerable knowledge of the scientific principles and the biological effects of radiation exposure from industrial and medical uses and from environmental release or contamination.
• Working knowledge of the NC AEA agreement for authority over radioactive material.
• Considerable knowledge of air and other environmental sampling techniques, radiation shielding design concepts, and the use of radiation detection instrumentation.
• Considerable knowledge of and the ability to apply, the laws, rules, regulations and policies that govern or influence radiation protection.
• Considerable knowledge of the research process and data gathering techniques and the ability to evaluate, process and present data.
• Ability to express results of investigations and make recommendations tactfully, firmly, clearly and concisely in oral and written form and to write complex technical reports.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with co-workers, the regulated community, general public, state and federal agencies.
• Ability to lead working groups and manage tasks of others and ability to work in frequently stressful environment with multiple assignments, priority deadlines and in occasional emergency response conditions.
• Ability to organize and run a public meeting and to make public presentations.
• Ability to work in environments where ionizing radiation is present.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in nuclear, physical, or environmental science; health/ medical physics, or radiologic science from an appropriately accredited institution and two years of applicable experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Necessary Special Requirements

Valid North Carolina Driver's License