Alt Radiation Safety Officer

 Department Overview:

UCSF’s Office of Environment, Health & Safety (EH&S) is dedicated to fostering a safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible environment for all faculty, staff, students, patients, and visitors across the University and UCSF Health system. EH&S serves as the central resource for workplace safety, environmental stewardship, and regulatory compliance within a complex, multi-site academic health institution.

The department provides comprehensive programs and services that support compliance with federal, state, and local regulations while enabling UCSF’s mission of advancing health through research, education, and patient care. Core program areas include biosafety, chemical safety, environmental protection, ergonomics, facilities safety, fire and life safety, industrial hygiene, radiation and laser safety, hazardous materials management, spill response, food facility safety, personal protective equipment (PPE) selection, hazardous building materials, and hazardous waste management, among others.

EH&S partners closely with campus leadership, clinical operations, research programs, and affiliated organizations to proactively identify risks, implement effective controls, and promote a culture of safety and environmental responsibility. The department also provides critical support to the UCSF Health system and multiple affiliated entities, ensuring consistent standards and practices across diverse operational settings.

Through a combination of technical expertise, consultation, training, and program development, EH&S plays a vital role in maintaining compliance, reducing risk, and supporting the safe conduct of world-class research, education, and patient care activities at UCSF.

Job Summary: 

The Alternate Radiation Safety Officer (ARSO) supports the leadership and implementation of a comprehensive, enterprise-wide Radiation Protection Program within a complex academic health system operating under a broad-scope radioactive materials license issued by the State of California. Reporting to the Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), this role serves as a key operational leader and technical expert for both ionizing and non-ionizing radiation safety across UCSF’s clinical, research, and academic environments.

The ARSO provides day-to-day program oversight and directly supervises a team of two to four EH&S professionals, ensuring high-quality service delivery, regulatory compliance, and consistent application of radiation safety standards across multiple campuses and affiliated sites throughout the Bay Area. This position plays a critical role in implementing program priorities, managing workflows, and developing staff while fostering a strong culture of safety and accountability.

In partnership with the RSO and the institutional Radiation Safety Committee (RSC), the ARSO contributes to the safe and compliant use of radioactive materials, radiation-producing machines, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), lasers, and other non-ionizing radiation sources, including radiofrequency, microwave, and related energy field hazards. The role supports program administration by identifying hazards, recommending and implementing corrective actions, and verifying compliance with applicable federal, state, and local regulations, as well as University policies.

The ARSO may act on behalf of the RSO as delegated, including exercising authority to intervene in operations when necessary to address unsafe conditions or non-compliance, up to and including recommending restriction or suspension of activities in accordance with established policies and regulatory requirements. The position also contributes to institutional committee activities, including supporting the Radiation Safety Committee and related groups such as the Radioactive Drug Research, Laser Safety, and MR Safety Committees.

This role collaborates with researchers, clinicians, and operational leaders to support the review and safe implementation of radiation use, including emerging technologies and clinical research applications. The ARSO helps ensure that UCSF maintains compliance with licensing requirements and remains prepared for inspections and interactions with regulatory agencies, including the California Department of Public Health Radiologic Health Branch (RHB).

The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, supervisory experience, and the ability to operate effectively in a large, decentralized organization. This position requires sound judgment, the ability to influence and guide diverse stakeholders, and a commitment to advancing a proactive, service-oriented radiation safety program that supports UCSF’s mission of excellence in research, education, and patient care.

 

Required qualifications: - Bachelor's degree in related area and / or equivalent experience / training - Direct experience with diagnostic and therapeutic uses of ionizing and nonionizing radiation utilized throughout the medical center, including procedures in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, Radiation Oncology, Interventional Radiology and other departments - Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of EH&S technical requirements, logistics, materials and operations, rules, regulations, laws, etc. - Skills to effectively direct and supervise subordinate staff who are assigned duties in different programs; skills to effectively integrate several highly regulated subjects and program areas - Solid written, verbal and interpersonal communications skills, including strong skills to interact successfully with a widely diverse population - Solid skills to appropriately, efficiently and effectively respond to emergencies and critical situations. - In depth knowledge of medical applications of radiation, radiation detection and measurement, shielding, cyclotron applications, effluent monitoring and applicable State and Federal regulations; Demonstrated knowledge to serve as a subject matter expert on the appropriate receipt, use, transport, and disposal of radioactive materials in research, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications - Demonstrated knowledge of radiation safety regulations and at least 5 years of directly related experience is required for the role of ARSO. The primary regulatory jurisdictions are Titles 8 and 17, California Code of Regulations; and Titles 10, 21, and 49, Code of Federal Regulations. Position oversees and conducts radiation safety training for employees. Position requires knowledge of current regulations, the level of compliance of the University to the appropriate regulations, and the (continued) appropriate guidance of recognized expert organizations such as the NCRP, ICRP, HPS, etc. Preferred Qualifications: - Master’s degree or higher in health/medical physics or applicable scientific or engineering field - Certified Health Physicist, or successful completion of a 200 hr Applied Physics structured educational program, consisting of classroom and laboratory training in radiation physics and instrumentation, radiation protection, mathematics in the use and measurement of radioactivity, radiation dosimetry and radiation biology - A clinical background and certification in Radiation Therapy, Radiologic Technology, or Nuclear Medicine Technology is preferred. Incumbents in the position can possess a certification in one of the following clinical fields: (a) Radiation Therapy Technology (also called Radiation Oncology); (2) Nuclear Medicine Technology; or, (3) Radiologic Technology. The National entities issuing certifications in these fields are: the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists and the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board - Meets qualifications to serve as Radiation Safety Officer under applicable NRC/CDPH regulations, including for healthcare setting - Solid skills to organize, prioritize and complete projects within budget and time constraints.