Health Physicist
Job description
About the role
The team delivers pulsed-power systems for defense, energy, and aerospace and designs ownership of radiological protection programs for high-radiation prompt test environments. This role implements ALARA practices, dosimetry, bioassay, and audit readiness to protect workers and ensure compliance.
Software engineers turn product ideas into working code. Engineers work in small teams, review each other's work, and ship in small batches. Most teams follow agile practices such as sprints and daily standups. Engineers also write tests, fix bugs, and improve performance. The field values clear communication as much as technical skill. Engineers spend part of every week on planning, code review, and debugging, not just writing new code. The ability to explain a technical decision in plain words separates strong engineers from the rest.
Key facts
What you'll do
Radiological Protection Program elements are developed, implemented, and maintained, and ALARA reviews are chaired to trend individual doses and support regulatory alignment.
Contamination control levels are established, and decontamination practices for hardware, facilities, and personnel are overseen with Radiation Contamination Technologists.
Requirements
A BS/MS in Health Physics, Radiological Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or a related field is required.
4-8+ years of radiological protection experience in accelerator, reactor, pulsed-power, HEDP, nuclear effects, or similar mixed-field environments is necessary.
Expertise with radiation protection standards and safety processes, including regulatory understanding, negotiating, and implementation for regular operations, must be demonstrated.
Experience with MCNP, GEANT4, or NOVICE for shielding and activation modeling is required, along with proficiency using survey meters, neutron rem counters, friskers, personal contamination monitors, meter calibration, sealed-source control, and leak testing.
Clear, concise technical writing and calm, direct communication with engineers, technicians, external customers, and reviewers are essential.
Practical notes
Typical interview steps
Hiring for engineering roles usually starts with a recruiter screen, followed by one or two technical rounds. Candidates often solve a coding problem, discuss past projects, and answer system design questions. Some loops include a take-home task. Final rounds typically cover team fit and give candidates a chance to ask questions. Interviewers look for how you break down an unfamiliar problem, not just whether you reach the answer. Practicing a few problems aloud and reviewing your own past projects are the best preparation.
Good to know
Work in a rad-hard environment building pulsed-power systems that enable nuclear effects testing today and fusion plants tomorrow.
Use MCNP, GEANT4, NOVICE, survey meters, and contamination control methods to manage radiation safety and shielding.
Collaborate closely with Radiation Contamination Technologists, test engineers, and regulatory authorities to keep operations safe and compliant.
Handle export-controlled programs and interface with DoD and DoE primes, integrating rad controls with broader EHS systems and document control practices.
Questions to ask
Worth asking in any interview: how the team measures success, who the role works with daily, what the onboarding looks like, and what the company is trying to achieve this year. Asking what past hires did well is a strong final question. Keep the list short and pick the questions that matter most to you.
Career growth
Engineering careers usually progress from individual contributor to senior, staff, and principal levels. Some engineers move into management and lead teams of five to twenty people. Others stay on the technical track. Growth follows demonstrated impact, not tenure alone. A typical engineering ladder has clear levels with defined expectations for scope, quality, and mentorship. Moving up usually requires owning outcomes end to end rather than completing assigned tickets.