State of Maryland

A Health Physicist Supervisor is the supervisory level of work in the recognition, evaluation and control of radiological hazards to employees and the general public.  Employees in this classification supervise lower-level Health Physicists and may supervise support staff.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from a program administrator or other designated administrator.  Employees may be assigned to work evenings and weekends and may be required to perform emergency response duties on a 24/7 recall basis.  The work is performed at hospitals, industrial firms, medical offices, dental facilities, laboratories and other facilities where travel is required and the environment may require radiation exposure monitoring.  Employees are required to enter areas where radioactive material and radiation producing devices are used and, therefore, must observe radiation control measures to prevent or reduce risk of overexposure to radioactive materials or radiation machines.  Employees may be required to wear safety equipment and transport objects weighing over fifty pounds.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

The Health Physicist Supervisor is differentiated from the Health Physicist Lead/Advanced in that the Health Physicist Supervisor has supervisory responsibility for lower-level Health Physicists while the Health Physicist Advanced performs advanced duties as a technical expert in charge of special radiation control projects and the Health Physicist Lead assigns, reviews and approves the work of and trains lower-level Health Physicists.

Plans, coordinates, supervises and evaluates the work of lower level Health Physicists;

Trains lower-level Health Physicists;

Participates in developing major radiological health program improvements;

Conducts oversight review of radioactive material licenses;

Conducts audits of persons granted a State license to inspect radiation machines;

Assigns, reviews and evaluates radiological health studies and facility inspection reports;

Interprets and applies Maryland radiological control regulations and the guidelines of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission;

Assists in developing regulations for use of radionuclides, x-rays, nuclear reactors, non-ionizing and other radiation sources;

Advises and assists in the preparation of legislation concerning the control of radiological hazards;

Performs complex inspections;

Prepares inspection reports and compliance letters;

Assists in prosecuting escalated enforcement cases by providing technical guidance and testifying;

Supervises the response to radiation emergency situations;

Uses the computerized relational database to prepare management reports;

Testifies in court or administrative proceedings;

Prepares budgets, inventories and space planning;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the chemical, biological, physical and mathematical principles involved in the control and safe use of radioactive materials and devices producing ionizing and non-ionizing radiation;

Knowledge of State and federal regulations and the legal principles of radiation control enforcement activities;

Skill in recognizing areas in facilities where radiological health hazards may exist;

Skill in recognizing actual and potential radiological health hazards;

Skill in the operation and maintenance of electronic instruments;

Skill in applying statistical, mathematical and physical principles in the analysis of raw data;

Skill in interpreting the results of inspection and laboratory data;

Skill in drawing conclusions based on inspections, surveys, plan reviews, sampling data and test results;

Skill in interpreting and applying State and federal radiation control regulations;

Ability to plan, coordinate, supervise, and evaluate the work of lower-level Health Physicists;

Ability to communicate clearly;

Ability to interpret technical and legal standards for control of radiological hazards and to recognize violations of those standards;

Ability to prepare technical reports and analyses;

Ability to prepare complex enforcement cases;

Ability to give testimony in hearings;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with State, federal and community representatives, licensees, registrants, co workers and the general public.

Experience: Nine years of experience in performing the recognition, evaluation and control of radiological hazards to employees and the general public.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum of 30 credit hours in mathematical, physical or biological sciences and five years of experience in performing the recognition, evaluation and control of radiological hazards to employees and the general public for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor's degree in radiation safety, radiological health, health physics or a related radiation control field from an accredited college or university for five years of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master's degree in radiation safety, radiological health, health physics, or a related radiation control field from an accredited college or university for six years of the required experience.

4. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master's degree in mathematical, biological, or physical science from an accredited college or university for five years of the required experience.

5. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Doctorate in health physics, nuclear physics, radiation management or other related field of radiological health from an accredited college or university for seven years of the required experience.

6. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in Health and Medical Physicist classifications or Health and Medical Physicist specialty codes in the Physicist field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.