Health Physicist

Summary The Health Physicist is located within the Richard L. Roudebush Medical Center, a level 1A complexity VHA healthcare system providing services in multiple counties and facilities within central Indiana. The incumbent is responsible for developing, implementing, and supporting a comprehensive radiation protection program that encompasses all uses of ionizing radiation in clinical and research settings. Responsibilities Duties include, but not limited to: 1. Establish and implement written policy and procedures for: Authorizing purchase of radioactive materials. Receiving and opening packages of radioactive material. Storing radioactive material. Maintaining inventory records of radioactive material. Using radioactive materials safely. 2. Manage waste disposal for all users of radioactivity including: Packaging, preparation of shipping manifests, burial site licensing applications, and arrangements for off-site shipping, allotment and oversight of radioactive qualities disposed of in the sanitary sewage, air exhaust system, and by incineration. Development and implementation of decay-in-storage policy and procedures. 3. Instructs as needed all personnel who utilize ionizing radiation not less than once annually, subjects including the As Low as Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) program, safety procedures, disposal policy and procedures (if applicable), compliance with regulations, local policy and procedures and any other pertinent radiation safety information. 4. Investigates and reports to Federal authorities, if applicable, overexposures, ALARA exceptions, accidents, spills, thefts, unauthorized receipts, uses, transfers, disposals, medical events and near misses, and any other deviation from approved radiation safety practice and implement corrective actions as necessary. 5. Inspects all facilities where radionuclides are used and stored as needed by not less than once a year for compliance with Federal regulations and local policy and procedures. 6. Calibrates survey instruments no less than annually, or after each repair that affect meter performance. Maintains record of beta efficiencies for meters as appropriate. 7. Maintains inventory records and performs required surveys and wipe tests for all facilities and sources assigned to the Radiation Safety Program. 8. Manages the timely distribution and collection of personnel monitors and maintains records of personnel exposure including accounting for all missing or lost badges. 9. Reports quarterly to the RRSC and as necessary to the MPRSC on the status of the radiation safety programs, ALARA exceptions and actions taken, and other pertinent radiation safety information and annually briefs Executive Leadership Team (ELT) on the radiation safety program. Reports are also sent to the ECMS after each meeting. 10. Assists the RRSC and the MPRSC, as directed, in meeting its responsibilities to evaluate users, facilities, unusual events and any other pertinent radiation safety requirements. 11. Ensures with the Radiology Quality Management Technologist that all x-ray producing equipment in the VAMC is inspected for safety operations, compliance with applicable FDA performance and safety standards and compliance with other accepted standards, including Joint Commission, and standards established by the medical center for quality performance and quality control. Oversees with the Radiology Quality Management Technologist that inspections and calibrations on all x-ray equipment are made at least annually and after the equipment has been repaired or modified in any way that might affect output. Work Schedule: Mon - Fri 7:00am-3:30pm Telework: Not eligible for Telework Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description Title/PD#:Health Physicist/PD88319ARelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications 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 GS13position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS12. 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. Basic Requirements 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. OR, Combination of education and experience -- courses as shown in 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 above degree requirement. In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes monitoring and reviewing work sequences to develop radiological control procedures to improve radiological control practices and prevent work stoppages. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Chemistry Compliance Inspection Education and Training Hazardous Materials Health Physics Problem Solving Technical Competence 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. 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 A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal/VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.