Radiation Safety Officer

About the role

The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) will lead and manage a comprehensive, enterprise-wide Radiation Protection Program within a complex academic health system operating under a broad-scope radioactive materials license issued by the State of California. Reporting to the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S), the RSO serves as the designated institutional authority and regulatory designee on both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation safety and compliance across clinical, research, and academic operations.

Responsibilities

• Plans, directs, and manages several small to moderately-sized EH&S programs within multiple disciplines
• Provides comprehensive personnel administration including selection, training, evaluation, and as required, corrective action for multiple staff levels
• Manages staff, and may manage budgets, facilities, and other resources
• Administers and monitors budgets and expenses, ensuring compliance with budgetary allocations
• Evaluates, recommends, and implements policies and procedures to assure awareness of and compliance with EH&S requirements
• Through subordinate managers and / or supervisors, monitors and prevents chemical, biological, and physical hazards and diseases
• Reviews and incorporates health standards promulgated by regulatory authorities
• Directs audits, follow-up and notification activities
• Develops, implements and promotes communication programs to enhance, encourage and ensure awareness of and compliance with all applicable rules, regulations, policies, et cetera in order to prevent environmental health emergencies and unsafe conditions
• Represents senior EH&S management
• Maintains current, up-to-date knowledge and understanding of all existing and proposed regulations

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in health physics or related field required
• Minimum of 7 years’ full-time health physics experience with a broad scope radioactive materials license, including radiation safety oversight of cyclotron production of radioisotopes, laboratory benchwork, animal research, and clinical medicine
• Direct experience with diagnostic and therapeutic uses of ionizing and non-ionizing radiation utilized throughout the medical center, including procedures in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Interventional Radiology and other departments
• Comprehensive and thorough knowledge and understanding of EH&S technical requirements, logistics, materials and operations, rules, regulations, laws, etc.
• Excellent management skills to effectively lead and direct subordinate staff
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills, including advanced political acumen and skill to effectively communicate with diverse constituencies in a highly political environment
• In depth knowledge of medical applications of radiation, radiation detection and measurement, shielding, cyclotron applications, effluent monitoring and applicable State and Federal regulations; Demonstrated knowledge to serve as a subject matter expert on the appropriate receipt, use, transport, and disposal of radioactive materials in research, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications
• Demonstrated knowledge of radiation safety regulations is required for the role of RSO. The primary regulatory jurisdictions are Titles 8 and 17, California Code of Regulations; and Titles 10, 21, and 49, Code of Federal Regulations
• The position oversees and conducts radiation safety training for employees
• Must possess excellent public speaking skills and high-level interpersonal skills required for communication in diverse academic, regulatory and clinical environments
• Ability to interpret regulations and effectively communicate them with administrators, external and internal auditors, physicians, dentists, nurses, technologists, patients and patient’s families
• Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with colleagues, staff members, researchers, and other members of academia