WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you'll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career!
JOB SUMMARY
Ensures employee health and safety standards are met in all areas of the organization. Ensures the safe use of radioactive materials, radiation-producing machines, and lasers through licensure, registration, and compliance with accepted environmental, health, and safety standards. Maintains knowledge/expertise on existing/proposed changes in radiation and laser safety regulations; interprets and applies relevant laws and regulations.
The Radiation Safety Program provides radiation safety services to UT Southwestern Medical Center, Texas Behavioral Health Center, University Hospitals, Parkland Health and its associated clinics, and Children's Health and its associated clinics. The Senior Radiation Safety Specialist will assist in the development and maintenance of a comprehensive radiation safety program, including developing and providing radiation safety trainings, performing audits to ensure regulatory compliance, and maintaining records as required per regulatory standards. The Senior Radiation Safety Specialist position is part of our Registration Program (radiation-producing machines). Our Registration Program oversees the compliance for over 400 radiation machines (including MR units) and monitors the occupational exposure for over 2,500 participants. The Registration Program covers our advanced radiation oncology accelerators (one PET LINAC and two MR LINACs), new PET MR for nuclear medicine research, and our 7T MRI and other research MR units at the Advanced Imaging Research Center.
BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:
- PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
- 100% coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
- Paid Time Off, available day one
- Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
- Paid Parental Leave Benefit
- Wellness programs
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer
- Learn more about these and other UTSW employee benefits!
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION
Required
- Education
Bachelor's Degree in safety related field or
Master's Degree in safety related field.
- Experience
3 years directly related experience with Bachelor's degree or
1 year directly related experience with Master's degree or
Pertinent Military experience or relevant certifications may be considered for some of the required experience.
JOB DUTIES
- Designs, develops, implements, and oversees the organization's radiation and laser safety programs and procedures to safeguard employees and surrounding communities meet regulatory requirements. Responsibilities include serving as staff lead for the following: maintenance of the MR safety database and fluoroscopy investigation database, laser maintenance activities, RAM bioassay program, and RAM sealed sources program.
- Performs surveys of laboratories and facilities (i.e., clinical and research lasers, RAM research labs, clinical RAM use, renewal and termination surveys of radiation use locations, radiation-producing machines including linear accelerators and mammography) to ensure adherence to safety regulation and procedures. Operates portable radiation and contamination survey instruments, as well as radiological counting instruments. Operates dose calibrator to perform required quality assurance testing.
- Performs staff liaison duties in support of various UT Southwestern committees to include the Clinical Laser Safety Committee, Subcommittee for Human Use of Radiation in Research, Radiation Protocol Committees (both for Interventional Fluoroscopy and Computed Tomography), and MR Safety Committees (both for UT Southwestern and Parkland Health).
- Provides radiation and laser safety support to clinical services, which includes the following: performing radiation safety preparations for clinical radiopharmaceutical therapies (i.e., thyroid ablations, MIBG therapies), monitoring and instructing medical patients receiving radiation exposure to radioactive substances during clinical procedures, supporting physicians and clinical staff during the clinical use of lasers, and supporting research and clinical groups during the procurement of laser-related items.
- Responsible for planning, developing, and conducting training programs related to radiation, laser, and MR hazards. Delivers in-lab training for Authorized Users, lab contacts, and users, particularly for hospital staff, academic classes or specialty training.
- Responsible for planning, developing, and conducting training programs related to radiation, laser, and MR hazards. Delivers in-lab training for Authorized Users, lab contacts, and users, particularly for hospital staff, academic classes or specialty training.
- Provides technical guidance, assistance, and training to radiation safety specialist, as needed.
- Prepares for and responds to emergencies including hazardous materials incidents and emergency situations involving radiation and laser. Prepares reports of findings and submits recommendations. Participates in emergency drills including fire drills. Individual may be on-call or emergency situations may require the individual to respond at times outside of set work schedule.
- Acts as the secondary back-up for the staff member responsible for the following essential functions: radioactive materials ordering and receipt program, radioactive materials shipping and receiving to include appropriate DOT and IATA expertise, radioactive waste shipping and disposal.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
SECURITY AND EEO STATEMENT
Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information. To the extent this position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired and to continue to be employed in the position.
EEO
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.
