Radiation Safety Officer

TerraPower is a nuclear technology company based in Bellevue, Washington. At its core, the company is working to raise living standards globally through a more affordable, secure, and environmentally friendly form of nuclear energy along with innovations in medical isotopes to improve human health. In 2006, TerraPower originated with Bill Gates and a group of like-minded visionaries who evaluated the fundamental challenges to raising living standards around the world. They recognized energy access was crucial to the health and economic well-being of communities and decided that the private sector needed to take action and create energy sources that would advance global energy deployment. TerraPower’s mission is to be a world leader in new nuclear technologies, while developing innovators and future leaders in the nuclear field. As a result, the company’s activities in the fields of nuclear energy and related sciences are yielding significant innovations in the safety and economics of nuclear power, hybrid energy and medical applications – all for significant human health benefits.”

TerraPower is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on advanced nuclear reactor research and development and influencing change within the nuclear power landscape and bringing forward the critical production of medical isotopes.  TerraPower is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. 

Radiation Safety Officer

The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) is accountable for the local radiation safety program and applicable radioactive material license(s). The RSO will lead the local radiation safety program including supervising and mentoring staff and direct reports. The RSO is expected to have experience with interpreting regulations, licensing, and communicating with regulators.  The RSO is expected to have a strong foundation of health physicist work, have excellent communication skills, and be self-directed and highly independent requiring minimal supervision.  The RSO will be expected to communicate internally and externally with various organizations including regulators.

Responsibilities:

• Serves as the RSO on a Radioactive Materials License(s) responsible for all compliance under the radiation safety program.
• Responsible for managing, executing, documenting, and communicating results for work of broad scope under the radiation safety program.
• Develop and implement radiation safety programs and policies.
• Supervise, lead, and mentor staff and direct reports, including Health Physicists and Health Physicist Technicians.
• Generate and submit to regulators licensing and permitting applications and amendments.
• Provide guidance, regulatory instruction, and support to complete TerraPower objectives with internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage resources, schedules, and programs to ensure radiation safety program readiness for facility operational support.
• Manage and communicate the budget needs for the radiation safety program.
• Ensure TerraPower radiation activities are compliant with TerraPower policies, licensing and regulations.
• Provide & direct operational radiation safety support and serve as point of contact for TerraPower radiation workers.
• Generate, follow, review, and update procedures.
• Responsible for reporting to TP Committees and regulators.
• Direct response to decontamination, off-normals, and emergencies within the radiation safety program.
• Lead investigations of accidents involving radioactive material and/or radiological work.
• Generate and oversee Radiation Work Permits for non-routine tasks.
• Effectively communicate radiation protection requirements to personnel.
• Establish and enforce requirements for ALARA.
• Routinely observe, audit, and inspect portions of the radiation safety program.
• Ability to apply principles, practices, and techniques of health physics.
• Compile, analyze (qualitative and quantitative), and summarize data for internal and external review.
• Review, survey, and complete shipments of Class 7 Radioactive Material including receipt inspections.
• Generate and maintain required radiological operating documents.
• Perform contamination and exposure rate surveys.
• Perform routine inspections of laboratory and radiological conditions.
• Other duties as assigned.

Key Qualifications and Skills

• B.S. degree in Radiation Protection, Radiological/Health Science, Health Physics, or a related technical discipline with 5 years’ experience,
  • Or M.S. degree in Radiation Protection, Radiological/Health Science, or a related technical discipline with 2 years’ experience,  
  • Or a PhD in Radiation Protection, Radiological/Health Science, or a related technical discipline with 2 years’ experience,  
  • Or a CHP certification or other certification by a specialty board as recognized by the NRC. Or equivalent education and experience.
• Minimum of three years’ experience supervising or mentoring. Or equivalent leadership experience.  This role is likely to include oversight of subordinate supervisor and/or contractors.
• Having a CHP certification or other certification by a specialty board as recognized by the NRC is desired.
• Ability to function independently, demonstrating self-motivation and initiative.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement in methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for meeting TerraPower objectives.
• Excellent organization and time management capabilities, including coordination and prioritization of multiple projects and tasks.
• Experience supervising and/or coaching a team to complete operational and compliance related tasks.
• Experience in planning, directing, overseeing, and reviewing radiological work within radiation areas and contamination.
• Experience using radiation detection instrumentation: swipe counters, ion chamber, GM meters, gamma counters, and gamma spectroscopy systems.
• Experience performing radiation contamination and exposure rate surveys.
• Must be able to perform physical tasks with and without respiratory protection.
• Ability to work a modified schedule and overtime as workload and project schedules dictate.
• The successful candidate will possess a high degree of trust and integrity, communicate openly, and display respect and a desire to foster teamwork.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interface effectively with employees, management, and regulators as required.
• Must be flexible and able to quickly adjust to new or changing projects/tasks and schedules.
• Military experience is a plus.

Job Functions:

Job Functions are physical actions and/or working conditions associated with the position. These functions may also constitute essential functions for the job which the employee must be able to fulfill, with or without accommodation.  Information provided below is to help describe the job so that the applicant has a reasonable understanding of the job duties/expectations.  An applicant's ability to perform and/or tolerate these actions and conditions will be discussed and workplace accommodations may be made on a case-by-case basis following an individualized assessment of the applicant and other considerations, including but not limited to any governing safety standards.

• Motor Abilities: Sitting for extended periods, bending/stooping, grasping/gripping, fine motor control (hands)
• Physical exertion and/or requirements: Minimal, with ability to safely lift up to 25 pounds.
• Repetitive work: Prolonged
• Special Senses: Visual and audio focused work
• Work Conditions: Stairs, typing/keyboard, standard and/or sitting working environment of >8 hours/day
• Travel required 0-10%

TerraPower’s technology is controlled for export by various agencies of the U.S. Government.  TerraPower must evaluate applicants who are foreign nationals (other than asylees, refugees, or lawful permanent residents) in accordance with U.S. Government export control requirements.  To facilitate TerraPower’s export control reviews, you will be asked as part of the application process to identify whether you are a U.S. Citizen or national, asylee, refugee, or lawful permanent resident of the United States.  Government export authorization approval times vary.  Based on the business needs for a particular position, TerraPower may not consider a foreign national from a country if it is impracticable to obtain timely Government export approval.

Job details

*Salary Range: $141,040 - $188,053

* Any salary offered within the posted salary band is based on market data and commensurate with the selected individual’s qualifications experience.  This range is specific to Philadelphia, PA. This role planned to begin as remote and then transition to onsite in Philadelphia.

Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation
• Salary, eligible to participate in discretionary short-term incentive payments
• Comprehensive Medical and Wellness Benefits
  •   Medical
  •   Vision
  • Dental
  • Life and Disability
  • Gender Affirmation Benefits
• Parental Leave
• 401k Plan
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • 21 days of annually accrued PTO
• Generous Holiday Schedule
  • 10 paid holidays
• Relocation Assistance
• Professional and Educational Support Opportunities

TerraPower Career and Benefits information:  https://www.terrapower.com/contact-us/careers/