[ RadSafe ] RSO Position Opening

[Joe Rodgers]

Please respond to Karen Pfeifer at pfeiferk at theragenics.com

 

Theragenics Corporation

 

Position Title:  Director of Health Physics / Radiation Safety Officer
(RSO)

 

Supervisor:      Director of Quality Systems & Regulatory Affairs,
Dotted Line Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer  

                        

Primary Contact: Karen Pfeifer, 5203 Bristol Industrial Way, Buford, GA
30518.    770-831-4187 or pfeiferk at theragenics.com.

 

Primary Function: 

Directs the Corporation's radiation safety program for all personnel,
products, and facilities.  Serves as the designated Radiation Safety
Officer on the Corporation's radioactive material licenses, and is
responsible for compliance with the provisions of these licenses and
state and federal laws pertaining to the use and shipment of radioactive
materials.  Serves as the Corporation's primary point of contact and
communication with appropriate regulatory agencies.  Prepares and
submits all amendments, applications, and other required documents and
reports related to licenses and sealed source certificates.

 

Identifies potential areas of non-compliance and reports these issues
along with corrective actions to the Radiation Safety Committee and the
Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation.  Identifies and mitigates
safety risks through application of ALARA principles. 

 

Leads and directs the Health Physics function, including the hiring and
development of a competent staff, design and implementation of short-
and long-term plans and objectives, implementation of corrective actions
to ensure compliance, monitoring of outcomes, and achieving desired
results.  Develops procedures, systems, and programs required to ensure
safe and effective operations.  

 

Supports the Radiation Physics function by providing technical oversight
of the development of source characterization, and safe practices for
sealed sources in development, as well as support of the R&D efforts as
requested. 

Position Duties:

 

1.       Directs the general surveillance over all activities involving
radioactive material, including routine monitoring and special surveys
of all areas in which radioactive material is used or in which sources
of ionizing radiation are present.

2.       Determines compliance with rules and regulations, license
conditions, and procedures as approved by the Radiation Safety
Committee. Such compliance shall ensure completion of safety evaluations
of proposed uses of radioactive material that take into consideration
such matters as the adequacy of facilities and equipment, the training
and experience of the user, and the operating or handling procedures. 

3.       Directs and reviews the inventory of radioactive sources and
materials

4.       Directs and reviews survey records

5.       Directs the evaluation of user training and work practices

6.       Evaluates compliance with the RSC permit and safety manual
requirements.

7.       Maintains detailed knowledge of the radiation safety systems in
all facilities (tanks, HEPAs, alarms, shielding, hot cells, etc.) 

8.       Furnishes internal consulting services in all aspects of
radiation protection to personnel at all levels of responsibility.

9.       Directs the receiving, delivering, and inspection of all
shipments of radioactive material arriving at the site as well as
packaging and shipping all radioactive material leaving the site.

10.   Directs the distributing of personnel monitoring equipment,
determining the need for and evaluation of bioassays, keeping personnel
exposure and bioassay records, and notifying individuals and their
supervisors of exposures approaching maximum permissible amounts and
recommending appropriate remedial action.

11.   Directs the conducting of training programs and otherwise
instructing personnel in the proper procedures for the use of
radioactive material prior to use, at periodic intervals (refresher
training), and as required by changes in procedures, equipment, and
regulations.

12.   Maintains surveillance over the radioactive waste disposal program
and keeping waste storage and disposal records.

13.   Maintains surveillance over the storing of all radioactive
materials not in current use, including wastes.

14.   Maintains the performance of required leak tests on all sealed
sources.

15.   Maintains surveillance over the inventory of all radioisotopes in
the Corporation's possession and limiting the quantity of radionuclides
to the amounts authorized by the license.

16.   Takes timely actions to address any activity found to be a threat
to health or property.

17.   Notifies the Chairman, Radiation Protection Committee and/or the
CEO of Theragenics Corporation, and the Radioactive Materials Unit of
the Georgia Department of Natural Resources of any unsafe radiation
hazards or serious infraction of the rules or regulations.

18.   Maintains other records as may be required.

19.   Interfaces with radiation regulatory bodies regarding audits,
inspections, license applications, amendments, and renewals; sealed
source certifications and amendments, and other matters.

20.   Directs the Company ALARA program.

21.   Performs audits of radiation protection programs to determine
areas of noncompliance with SOPs and regulatory requirements.
Implements corrections to identified problems.

22.        Directs the counting of samples with the germanium counting
system to determine the quantities of radioisotopes in the samples.
Maintains a quality control system to ensure accurate results.
Interprets the results to ensure accuracy.  

23.        Directs the security system established for the gamma
sterilizer, including attaining clearances required. Incumbents must
submit to and successfully pass the comprehensive criminal history and
background checks required to direct the system.  Ensures compliance of
this system with applicable regulations.

 

Education and Experience:

Requires a masters degree in Health Physics, Nuclear Engineering, or
related field.  Requires ten or more years experience in radiation
operations or related functions.  Certified Health Physicist, Board
Certified Radiological Physicist, and/or Professional Engineer
Designations or equivalent training, experience, and education are
desirable.

 

 

Skills:

Must have proven leadership or supervisory skills.  Must be able to wear
PPE, personal dosimeter, and respirator.  Must also possess the
following skills:

1.       Communication, both written and verbal

2.       Company, community and professional leadership

3.       Management (project, personnel, development)

4.       Integration of diverse functions (achieve safety in economic
manner)

5.       Technical (radiation safety, health physics, shielding)

6.       Regulatory (licenses preparation, compliance, procedure)

7.       Design management (Q.A., design process development,
specifications, etc.)

8.       Analysis of radiation effects and radiation related processes

 

 

Confidentiality:

Requires access to company intellectual property to verify design
compliance with regulatory radiation safety requirements.  Interfaces
with NRC, Non-Agreement States, Licensing States, the State of Georgia,
and foreign regulatory bodies regarding compliance with licenses, sealed
source registrations, or other issues.  Establishes licenses to 1)
operate radiation producing facilities, 2) to manufacture and distribute
sealed sources, 3) to possess radiation, 4) to ship, transport and
receive radiation, and 5) to perform related R&D, with domestic (state
and NRC) and international/foreign regulatory bodies.

 

 

 

 

Joseph J. Rodgers, M.S.

Director of Radiation Physics

770-831-4181 (direct)

770-560-3172 (cell)

770-831-4369 (fax)

www.theragenics.com