ABOLISHED 02/01/04PUBLIC HEALTH PHYSICIST8002C3 Pay Grade: 31 DEFINITION OF WORK Summary This is specialized, administrative work involving the regulation and control of ionizing radiation potentially hazardous to health. Work involves responsibility for a program of either environmental radiation and emergency response or radioactive material licensing, x-ray registration and radiation control. Work includes planning and coordinating the work of subordinate employees engaged in activities for the surveillance and monitoring of radiation in the environment and at facilities; preparing for and response to accidents involving radioactive material; the licensing and regulating of the possession, use, and disposal of all radioactive materials used in the state; the registration and regulation of the use of all x-ray producing devices in the state; and the designing and initiating of radiological health studies. Work involves the initiation and pursuit of civil and criminal enforcement activities required to bring the regulated community into compliance with applicable regulations. Standard Classification Factors Supervision Received - Level D: "Under general direction…" Employees at this level are usually in charge of a large and important organizational unit. They plan and carry out assignments with little supervision. They report regularly to a superior, usually by means of occasional conferences, to discuss work progress or new problems which require advice from above. This designation will pertain to classes with a high order of independence. Difficulty - LEVEL C: Considerable… Duties which require a high degree of concentration because of the many factors which must be considered and weighed before a decision can be reached. Usually positions that require planning, developing, and coordinating programs and directing fairly large groups of people fall into this category. Complexity - LEVEL D: Work is of a diversified nature that usually involves multiple unrelated steps. Analytical thought is necessary for dealing with complex data and situations. Work often involves a variety of unrelated processes and may require planning or carrying out a sequence of actions or both. Several alternatives usually exist at this level for approaching problems or situations. Workers at this level exercise a considerable amount of independent judgment. Work is controlled by occasional review and by reporting to or consultation with supervisors or superiors. When guidelines exist at this level, they are usually broadly defined or technical requiring careful analysis and interpretation. Consequence of Actions or Decisions - LEVEL D: Consequences of actions or decisions at this level are significant as the work may be rarely if ever reviewed, making errors difficult to detect. Errors may cause major program failure or a high degree of confusion. Injuries to others due to errors are serious or incapacitating or both and costs due to errors are substantial. Contacts - LEVEL C: The purpose of the contact is to influence, motivate, conduct interviews, make formal presentations or counsel to achieve common understanding or solutions to problems when the information is sensitive in nature or the individuals or groups are skeptical or uncooperative. Communication techniques and well developed communication skills become an important requirement at this level. Physical Demands - LEVEL C: The work requires moderate physical exertion. Environmental Conditions - LEVEL C: The work environment involves hazards, risks or discomforts typical of working with or around machinery with exposed moving parts, irritant chemicals, heavy equipment or abusive or hostile clientele and patients. Exposure to disagreeable weather conditions and extreme levels of temperature, ventilation, lighting and sound are normal. Protective clothing or gear and specific safety standards or procedures may be required. Serious injury is possible. Supervision/Leadership - LEVEL E: Involves scheduling, supervising and evaluating work as a "manager" of first line supervisors or as a "first line supervisor" of workers who perform distinct and separate blocks of work generally related as to purpose but requiring different processes and methods. Responsible for hiring and disciplinary actions which may or may not require the approval of a higher level of authority. Distinguishing Features Differs from the Radiation Control Inspector class in which the work of the incumbents is less diverse and complex and involves performing technical work conducting field inspections and investigations to assure compliance with applicable regulations and to reduce and eliminate health hazards associated with radiation. Differs from the Radiological Program Coordinator class in which the incumbents plan, coordinate and implement programs for the use and maintenance of radiation instruments and for radiological defense preparedness. EXAMPLES OF WORK PERFORMED Establishes and supervises a program to coordinate sharing data with state agencies, other states and federal agencies regarding the use of radioactive materials, evaluation of radiation devices for general use, enforcement of penalties against users of radiation and investigation of radiation incidents. Supervises and assigns work to subordinate staff, reviewing their analyses and interpretations of data collected during studies and inspections of radiation installations and equipment. Determines that radioactive materials and equipment capable of producing ionizing radiation are used safely, and makes recommendations for improvement; establishes and maintains personnel monitoring devices. Determines the exposure potential under working conditions and restricts time limits of personnel exposure and minimum working distances; reviews plans for the proposed use of radioactive materials and equipment producing ionizing radiation from the standpoint of radiological safety; makes appropriate recommendations to the industry or public officials concerned. Reviews analyses submitted for requests to use by-product, source and special nuclear materials as well as other radioactive materials; issues or denies licenses. Responsible for assuring that staff is trained in the principles of radiological protection, radiation detection, and radiation emergency response; participates in radiation safety educational programs and maintains professional contacts. Establishes procedures for the repair and calibration of radiation detection and measuring instruments. Designs and directs programs to detect and monitor both routine and accidental releases of radioactive material from facilities such as nuclear power plants. Uses data and information from such programs to insure regulatory compliance and protect the public and environment from the harmful effects of radiation. Develops and maintains the emergency response plans, procedures and capabilities necessary to protect public and individual health in the event of an accident at a nuclear power plant or other accidents/incidents involving radiation or radioactive materials. Performs necessary accident assessment and makes appropriate protective action recommendations to the proper authorities. Coordinates with counties, other state agencies, other states and the federal government in radiation control activities. Prepares and manages the radiation control program budget. Drafts legislation, bill review, and fiscal analysis and prepares and gives testimony to legislative committees. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES, AND SKILLS Knowledge *Knowledge of radiation protection principles and practices. Knowledge of state laws and regulations concerning the procurement, use, storage, handling, disposal, surveillance, and monitoring of radiation sources. *Knowledge of the basic principles of physics, chemistry, biology, human physiology, and mathematics. *Knowledge of the medical, industrial, and research uses of radiation and radioactive materials. *Knowledge of nuclear and atomic physics. *Knowledge of the transport and disposition of radionuclides in the environment. Knowledge of the principles and practices of supervision. Abilities *Ability to supervise, organize, plan, and review the work of others. *Ability to determine health hazard potentials from data and information collected during field studies, inspections, investigations, surveys, and monitoring in order to implement efforts or programs to protect public health and safety. *Ability to meet the public and to address public gatherings for public education and in the promotion of the program. *Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, the public, and representatives of other state, federal and local agencies. *Ability to prepare and manage a program budget. *Necessary at Entry MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor's degree and independent complex work experience in radiological health/health physics. NC: 06/93 |