Radiation Safety Officer Description

A radiation safety officer is required at any university, hospital, power plant or other organization that routinely deals with hazardous radioactive materials. The position mixes supervisory and recordkeeping duties to ensure the ongoing safety of operations.

Job Duties

Radiation safety officers create, implement and adapt policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with all federal, state and industry regulations related to the use, handling, and disposal of radioactive materials. The position is a managerial role with extensive recordkeeping and process auditing duties.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree and at least two years of experience dealing with the specific types of radioactive materials to be handled in the job is preferred.

Salary Range

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, radiation safety officers, which fall under the category of health and safety engineers, earned an average of nearly $74,000 per year, or about $35.50 per hour, in 2008.

Working Conditions

Radiation safety officers may be regularly exposed to hazardous materials and chemicals, and may be required to stand and lift moderately heavy items for extended periods of time while executing supervisory and auditing roles.

Potential

A radiation safety officer occupies a line-management position and may have the ability to move into higher level supervisory positions, ultimately leading to a chief operating officer or chief safety officer position.

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