Purpose of the Job
As Radiation Safety Officer (RSO), you will be Flyttr's designated expert and regulatory lead for all radiation safety matters at our San Antonio manufacturing facility. You will own the Radiation Safety Program end-to-end-from licensing and compliance through to employee training and emergency preparedness-ensuring the site operates safely and within full regulatory compliance as we scale from commissioning to steady-state production. You will serve as the primary interface with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and other applicable regulatory bodies, and will play a critical role in enabling the safe operation of our Cobalt-60 irradiation systems and X-ray equipment.
Responsibilities
Radiation Safety Program Management
- Serve as the designated RSO for all licensed radioactive materials and registered X-ray equipment at the San Antonio site, maintaining full accountability for program compliance.
- Manage the site's Radiation Safety Program in accordance with Texas DSHS regulations, applicable federal requirements, and company policy.
- Develop, implement, and maintain radiation safety policies, procedures, and emergency response plans, keeping them current as the site evolves.
- Administer the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) program, conducting radiation surveys, shielding evaluations, and occupational exposure assessments.
- Oversee personnel dosimetry, review occupational dose reports, and take corrective action where exposures require investigation.
Regulatory Compliance & Licensing
- Maintain compliance with all radioactive material licenses and X-ray equipment registrations, managing renewals, amendments, and notifications as required.
- Maintain secure inventory and accountability records for Cobalt-60 sealed sources, including leak testing, source inventories, and equipment inspections.
- Conduct internal audits and prepare the site for regulatory inspections; serve as the primary point of contact with DSHS, DOT, OSHA, and other agencies.
- Ensure all required regulatory records, reports, and documentation are accurate, complete, and audit-ready at all times.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of applicable U.S. and Texas radiation safety regulations and proactively flag compliance risks to site leadership.
Equipment Oversight & Safety Operations
- Ensure the safe operation of Cobalt-60 irradiators and X-ray systems, overseeing acceptance testing, periodic performance evaluations, and preventive maintenance programs.
- Investigate radiation incidents, abnormal exposures, and equipment malfunctions; conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
- Coordinate with the Facility Manager and engineering teams on facility projects involving new radiation-producing equipment or radioactive materials, providing expert input on shielding design and safety requirements.
- Support the commissioning and operational readiness of radiation-producing systems during the site fit-out phase.
Training & Stakeholder Engagement
- Deliver radiation safety training for employees, contractors, and visitors, ensuring all personnel working near or with radiation sources are appropriately trained and informed.
- Interface with regulatory agencies, auditors, emergency responders, and Flyttr's international headquarters on all radiation safety matters.
- Collaborate with the Site Director and cross-functional teams to integrate radiation safety requirements into site operating procedures and culture from day one.
Skills, Experience, and Education Requirements
Required
- 5+ years of experience in radiation safety, with demonstrable experience serving as an RSO or Assistant RSO under a radioactive materials license.
- Proven hands-on experience with Cobalt-60 sealed sources and X-ray generating equipment, including radiation surveys, source accountability, and equipment inspections.
- Strong working knowledge of Texas DSHS radiation regulations and applicable federal frameworks including OSHA and DOT radioactive materials transportation requirements.
- Experience administering personnel dosimetry programs and implementing ALARA principles in an operational environment.
- Demonstrated ability to prepare for and manage state regulatory inspections, and to maintain audit-ready documentation and records.
- Hands-on experience running a radiation protection program, including implementing ALARA principles in practice.
- Experience approving radiation safety procedures and ensuring compliance with regulatory and internal standards.
- Completion of ~160 hours of radiation safety training focused on radioactive materials (RAM).
- Experience overseeing and delivering radiation safety training programs for staff.
- Demonstrated responsibility for ensuring execution of key radiation safety program elements, including:
- Routine radiation surveys
- Leak testing of sealed sources
- Personnel dosimetry programs
- Investigation and reporting of radiation incidents
- Bachelor's degree in Health Physics, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, or a related technical field-or equivalent professional experience.
Preferred
- Certified Health Physicist (CHP) designation.
- Experience with industrial irradiators or gamma sterilization/irradiation facilities-directly relevant to Flyttr's operations.
- Familiarity with biosecurity or agricultural biosafety facility requirements and USDA APHIS or EPA regulatory frameworks.
- Experience establishing a radiation safety program at a new or greenfield facility.
- Knowledge of DOT radioactive material transportation requirements and international shipment compliance.
Note: as part of the hiring process, Flyttr will require the following information / confirmation from the successful candidate:-
- Documentation of training and experience relevant to your radioactive material use.
- Previous experience serving as an RSO under a Texas DSHS or NRC license.
- Knowledge of 25 TAC Chapter 289 requirements.
- Availability for inspections, audits, incident response, and regulatory correspondence.
- The RSO must be able to be on site periodically, as appropriate to licensed activities.
- The RSO must be able to physically arrive a the authorised use location within a reasonable time during emergencies or unsafe conditions.
- Ability to perform required radiation safety program oversight and record reviews.
