Senior Health Physicists

Location

Dstl Alverstoke, Gosport

About the job

Summary

This is an exciting opportunity for 2 Senior Health Physicists (SHPs) to join the Radiation Sciences Group within the Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Division (CBR).

Based in Gosport on the South Coast, our SHPs work within a team of experienced specialists providing radiation protection advice and services to a wide range of military and civilian stakeholders (including commercial customers).

Dstls CBR Division provides an integrated Chemistry, Biology, Radiation and Medical Sciences capability, delivering advice and consultancy, an emergency response capability, as well as technical services, and scientific research, in support of UK Defence and Security.

We offer excellent training and personal development opportunities that make these roles particularly suited to individuals who may have embarked on a career in radiation protection in a specific sector but now want to broaden their experience and the range of work they undertake.

Job description

As a Senior Health Physicist, using your existing knowledge, skills, and experience, you will:

Arrange, plan, and conduct visits to customer sites within the UK and overseas and provide advice and guidance on all aspects of radiation protection, completing customer reports within agreed timescales.

Provide advice and guidance by phone and email (in line with existing recommendations) to personnel within Army garrisons, RAF stations, RN ships, for operational units as well as historic collections and museums.

Undertake safety examinations of newly installed equipment capable of emitting ionising radiation, assessing radiation levels, and advising on the standard and suitability of controls and radiation safety equipment.

Provide radiation protection advice to customers and colleagues on the safe use, storage, transport, and disposal, of sources of radiation.

Undertake measurements and advise on the risk from non-ionising radiations, and provide advice on the safe storage and use of lasers.

Lecture on radiation training courses and lead practical exercises both online and at customer premises. You may also be preparing and reviewing training material.

Support the development of the group by mentoring colleagues, particularly trainees on our Radiation Protection Development Programme.

Emergency Response:

Following a period of training you will provide specialist health physics support as a member of the Dstl Radiation and Nuclear Emergency Response Organisation.

This will include participating in training and demonstration exercises, and undertaking continuing professional development in emergency response arrangements.

You will also be required to act in an on call roster at appropriate times.

Responsibilities

As a Senior Health Physicist you will:

Have experience of operational radiation protection work, particularly in advising others in the management of radiological protection.

Evidence of providing training in radiation protection to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Be an RPA2000 Certificate Holder (RPA, RWA or MPE) or be in a position to apply for such certification within 1 year.

Licences

Full driving license. The role will be based at the Alverstoke site but will regularly require travel to/working at remote customer sites, where public transport may not be available.

Qualifications

Degree qualified in a Maths, Science, Engineering or other related discipline, with a Post Graduate specialist qualification in Radiation Protection/Health Physics OR extensive experience within the nuclear/radiation physics industry.

Memberships

Membership of Professional body, e.g. Society for Radiological Protection, Institute of Physics.

Important Information

Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be British Citizens who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to understand the work you will undertake to protect us from any security threats. For this reason, we regret that only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners across the enterprise. We work closely with the Defence and Security Industry on many projects, so it would be great to work with you via one of our partners.

This role will require full UK security clearance and you should have resided in the UK for the past 5 years. For some Developed Vetting will also be required, in this case you should have resided in the UK for the past 10 years

Licences

Full driving license. The role will be based at the Alverstoke site but will regularly require travel to/working at remote customer sites, where public transport may not be available.

Qualifications

Degree qualified in a Maths, Science, Engineering or other related discipline, ideally with a Post Graduate specialist qualification in Radiation Protection/Health Physics OR extensive experience within the nuclear/radiation physics industry.

Memberships

Membership of Professional body, e.g. Society for Radiological Protection, Institute of Physics.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Seeing the Big Picture

Changing and Improving

Leadership

Developing Self and Others

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

Demonstrable experience of interpreting and advising on legislative requirements associated with nuclear and/or radiation operations (e.g. IRR17, REPPIR, EPR16).

Demonstrable experience of providing effective operational health physics advice.

Benefits

We'll provide a great range of benefits including:

Fully flexible working, including alternative working patterns, annualised hours, compressed hours and job share, to name a few.

Flexible Working hours, a 12 month reference period and the ability to bank hours. Up to 20 hours can be taken in any calendar month.

Excellent learning and development to ensure everyone fulfils their potential.

Maternity, adoption or shared parental leave of up to 26 weeks full pay followed by 13 weeks statutory pay and a further 13 weeks unpaid, and paternity leave of 2 weeks full pay.

Chartership and accreditation support.

Pension.

Generous annual leave, with the ability to buy and sell up to 5 days holiday per year.

A competitive salary.

Onsite gyms and restaurants.

Staff discounts for high street and online shopping, restaurants and days out.

Our Diversity Networks

DSTL recognises the importance of diversity and inclusion as people from diverse backgrounds bring fresh ideas. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment in which each employee fulfils their potential and maximises their contribution. We have a number of support networks to ensure all employees feel supported at work.

These include the following:

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Network

Faith and Culture Network

Parents and Carer Support Network

Alternative Working Network

Gender Equality Network

New Starters Network

Enabled Network, for people with visible and non-visible disabilities