Radiotherapy Physics Lead Scientist 8a

Radiotherapy Physics Lead Scientist (Project Implementation)

We are recruiting for a Radiotherapy Physics Lead Scientist (Project Implementation) who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.

The Radiotherapy Physics department provides a specialist technical radiotherapy physics service to the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre, contributing to safe treatment of patients for radiotherapy.

It is responsible for ensuring the accurate calibration, according to national recommendations, of all radiotherapy treatment machines and providing a routine quality control service for all equipment used in planning, verifying and treating radiotherapy patients.

The aim of this post is to act as a lead physicist within the radiotherapy physics team. You will be responsible for ensuring that projects are delivered in a timely manner and will be involved with the prioritisation of these projects.

This post is split with approximately 50% of time in development work and 50% performing routine work within the department.

At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Include, Respect, and Improve. We encourage you to embrace these values throughout the recruitment process and in your role with us.

Main Duties of the Job

1. To perform treatment planning and checking within two sections of the department (external beam, brachytherapy, stereotactic).
2. To manage and coordinate allocated projects in collaboration with the project lead.
3. To provide appropriate training for physics and radiography staff with respect to treatment planning, machine QA and either brachytherapy or stereotactic and to assist in the assessment of staff competency for physics staff.
4. To undertake a role as a medical physics expert within the radiotherapy department.
5. To line manage and supervise staff, including those on training programmes in radiotherapy physics.

Job Responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification information pack for further detailed information regarding this role.

Person Specification Education and Qualifications

• Good (1st or 2nd class) honours degree in a relevant subject.
• Relevant MSc or higher degree.
• Completion of scientist training program or equivalent experience.
• HCPC registered.
• Good written and spoken English.

Experience

• Significant experience in Radiotherapy Physics including: analysing and judging treatment options, identifying problems with patient-related equipment, exercising judgement to solve problems and making decisions on how equipment is to be used safely and correctly, all usually under time-pressure.
• Specialist training and practical experience in the use and calibration of radiotherapy equipment (including linear accelerators and treatment planning computers), specialist test and measurement equipment and dosimetry equipment calibration.
• Significant experience in planning and checking complex patients treatment plans in one of brachytherapy, external beam or stereotactic radiotherapy (as appropriate to the post).
• Experience in planning and checking patients treatment plans in an additional area from brachytherapy, external beam or stereotactic radiotherapy.
• Experience of imaging modalities other than CT.

Knowledge

• Broad knowledge of radiation and associated areas within Medical Physics.
• Highly developed, specialist level of theoretical and practical knowledge across the full range of working procedures and practices within Radiotherapy Physics.
• Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of Radiotherapy equipment, dosimetry and treatment planning, including sufficient knowledge and experience to act as a Medical Physics Expert in Radiotherapy Physics.
• Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines, including IRR, IR(ME)R ISO9001-200, other relevant BSI and ISO standards, professional and regulatory body reports and guidelines.
• Knowledge and ability to understand and use to their full extent a range of computerised treatment planning systems, including knowledge of treatment planning system algorithms and areas where their limitations may affect clinical decisions.

Skills and Abilities

• Able to use judgement involving facts that require analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options as, for example, in analysing the results of scientific measurements or treatment plans, which may conflict, and deciding upon an appropriate course of action.
• Able to supervise projects and small groups of staff.
• Able to prioritise and manage own work.
• Highly developed physical accuracy and dexterity, for making precision measurements and adjustments on equipment, often under time pressure to ensure radiotherapy equipment is returned to clinical use as soon as possible.
• Able to concentrate when subject to constantly unpredictable working patterns.
• Able to concentrate for prolonged periods in safety-critical areas.
• Able to use Excel, Word, Access etc. to set up documents and spreadsheets and extract information.
• Able to design, develop and adapt software solutions to meet the needs of radiotherapy physics and radiotherapy.
• Able to exercise own initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence.
• Able to communicate highly complex information.
• Able to present scientific papers at national and international conferences.
• Able to train groups of other professional staff.
• Able to deliver teaching and training on complex Radiotherapy Physics-related subjects.
• Expected to act independently, without supervision, within professional guidelines.
• Evidence of team leadership and an ability to motivate staff.
• Evidence of publications in areas relevant to radiotherapy physics.

Personal Qualities

• Able to deal with occasional distressing circumstances when working with terminally ill patients in Radiotherapy.
• Good negotiation skills with staff and suppliers to optimise Radiotherapy Physics services.
• Able to deal with complex and unpredictable situations affecting patient treatments.

Other Requirements

• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Understanding of hazards posed by, and precautions needed with: Ionising radiation, Non-ionising radiation, Electricity (medium and high voltages), Cross-infection, Bio-hazards, Fumes, Solvents, Tools at elevated temperatures, Compressed medical gases, Cleaning agents and other hazardous materials.
• Occasional exposure to uncontrolled radiation hazards.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

£53,755 to £60,504 a year Per annum + 15% high cost area supplement.