Health Physicist

***The vacancy closing date is extended to 8/27/2026***

You will serve as a Health Physicist with the Office of Management Services Occupational Health and Safety Branch. This position serves as the Bureau Health Physicist and executes the Radiation Safety Program. Some of your specific duties will include:

• Applies expert knowledge experience and skill in the position of USGS Health Physicist and USGS Radiation Safety Officer.
• Leads develops and implements the USGS Bureau Radiation Safety Program which includes but is not limited to all radioactive materials licenses and ionizing radiation producing equipment.
• Serves as the Executive Secretary for the Radiation Safety Committee and schedules meetings provides information to the Committee assists in the Committees function and is the liaison between scientists and the Committee.
• Conducts reviews and offers guidance and procedures for radiological exposure assessments; audits inspections assistance visits and program evaluations; and analyzing a variety of doses and types of radiological hazards.
• Implement the requirements of the broad scope license special nuclear material and generally licensed materials and devices.

Physical Demands: Work is performed in an office environment a radiation analytical lab field installations and during visits to science centers other research labs offices and field installations. Some of the work requires strenuous physical exertion such as climbing ladders and carrying heavy equipment and moving lead shielding. Travel to science centers offices and field installations is required and involves a considerable amount of walking climbing and other forms of physical exertion associated with program evaluation activities.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office setting a radiation analytical lab field installations and during visits to science centers other research labs offices and field installations and during visits to science centers other research labs offices and field installations. Work may require strenuous activity and will have exposure to various types of safety and health hazards such as but not limited to ionizing radiation high voltage and chemical hazards. Use of respirators earmuffs safety glasses gloves full-body Tyvek suits and other forms of personal protective gear may occur on a frequent basis.

Conditions of Employment for this Position:
As a condition of employment for accepting this position you may be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest will be evaluated.

This probationary period is an extension of the appointment process and therefore requires the agency to determine if continued employment would advance the public interest meet the organization goals and mission of the agency and/or otherwise promote the efficiency of the determining if your employment advances the public interest the agency will consider:
- your performance and conduct;
- the needs and interests of the agency;
- whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
- whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Under applicable law the employment of an individual serving a probationary or trial period automatically terminates when that period ends unless the agency affirmatively certifies in writing that the individuals employment should continue and that their appointment should be the absence of agency action to affirmatively certify continued employment beyond the probationary or trial period such appointments are terminated.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Key Requirements:

1. Applicants must be U.S. Citizens.
2. Suitable for Federal employment as determined by background investigation.
3. Selectee may be subject to serving a one-year probationary period.
4. Selectee must provide a valid state drivers license & safe driving record.
5. Selectee subject to successful completion of a pre-employment medical exam.
6. More requirements are listed under Qualifications and Other Information.

• Taking and passing a pre-employment medical examination at Federal expense is required due to the physical demands of this job.
• You will be required to operate a government-owned or -leased vehicle in the performance of your official duties. Applicants for this position must meet the following requirements: (1) possess a valid State license and (2) possess a safe driving record. If selected you will be required to provide proof of a valid State license & a copy of your driving record.
• Because this position requires travel for official business the selectee will be required to apply for a charge card within 30 calendar days of appointment. Individuals who have delinquent account balances from a previous Government charge card will be required to satisfy their existing obligation before a new card can be issued.
• A background investigation will be required for this position. Continued employment will be subject to the applicants successful completion of a background security investigation and favorable adjudication. Failure to successfully meet these requirements will be grounds for termination.
• Throughout the recruitment and hiring process we will be communicating with you via email; therefore it is imperative that the email address you provide when applying for this vacancy remains active. Should your email address change please notify the point of contact identified in the vacancy announcement as soon as possible so that we can update our system.

Basic Education Requirement: Applicants must meet A or B below to satisfy the basic education requirement for Health Physicist all grade levels.
A. Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelors or higher degree in 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
B. A 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.

In addition to the basic education requirement as stated above applicants must meet the following to qualify for the GS-13 level:
One year of appropriate professional experience that is in or directly related to the duties of the position to be filled is qualifying if it is equivalent to at least the GS-12 level in the Federal service and if it equipped the applicant with the knowledge skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.

SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE is defined as: experience that demonstrates experience in the technical aspects of radiation safety programs and policies and inspections that require work with radiological safety technology including radiation physics and dosimetry with particular emphasis on the use of ionizing radiation in science and industry. Candidates should also have recent experience associated with a regulatory program focused on safety.

You must meet all qualification and eligibility requirements for the position by the closing date of the announcement.