Health Physicist Job Description
Students who enjoy learning and researching can explore a science career as a physicist. Some physicists specialize in one field, such as a health physicist. These science professionals help maintain safe work and home environments by controlling radiation levels. Employers hire entry-level and experienced health physicists in private firms, hospitals, school systems and laboratories.
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Duties
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Health physicists use their scientific education and experience to reduce the effects of radiation. Duties involve discussing radiation problems with managers, testing radiation levels and conducting safety seminars for employees, management and the public.
Employers and government agents hire health physicists to clean abandoned nuclear power plants. Some of these duties include designing a safety removal plan, monitoring cleaners, who must wear protective equipment, and completing written radiation reports.
Qualifications
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Employers hire job applicants with an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university such as the Middle States Association Colleges and Schools Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Accepted degrees include physics, chemistry or nuclear engineering. Some positions require a master's or a doctoral degree. Students complete general college courses such as communications, statistics and English. Advanced courses range from biochemistry to environmental radiology.
Students have the option of obtaining certification as a health physicist. A June 2010 report on Study Discussions states the American Board of Health Physicist awards professional certificates to students seeking certification.
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Knowledge and Skills
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Health physicists require a knowledge of measurements for collecting water or soil. Reasons performing measurements include the levels of airborne radioactivity and how to determine how a surface is contaminated.
Skills required include verbal, written and interpersonal. They must explain their radiation safety policies and have the ability to work with other science professionals, which includes environmental specialists, soil scientists and health safety managers.
Work Environment
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Some professionals work in major medical centers, clinics and hospitals that have sources of radiation from X-ray machines. Other work environments include medical firms and government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services.
Health physicists spend 10 to 12 hours in office settings work sites. These professionals must protect themselves from radiation exposure, which includes wearing protective eyeglasses and lead aprons.
Salary and Employment Growth
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According to June 2010 data on Career Builder Salary, a health physicist earns an average annual salary of $144,964. This salary figure depends on an applicant's skills, knowledge and geographic location. The same report shows a health physicist based in New York State earning an average annual salary of $156,098.
Employment opportunities exists for students who seek a career as a health physicist. A December 2009 report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows employment growth for physicists as 16 percent between 2008 and 2018.
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References
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