Job summary
This is a rare opportunity for a highly experienced radiotherapy engineer to take on the leadership of an acclaimed technical team of nine engineers in Sheffield in a role which will require very high level technical, management, and interpersonal skills.
Main duties of the job
As well as performing preventative maintenance and quality assurance, troubleshooting and repairs on our radiotherapy equipment, the post-holder will lead a team of experienced engineers, ensuring maximum availability of the equipment for clinical use while maintaining the highest levels of safety, accuracy, and efficiency.
About us
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.
Weston Park Cancer Centre is part of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Located on the edge of the beautiful Peak District, Sheffield is a lively and friendly city, a wonderful place to live and work.
One of the most productive departments in the UK, Weston Park provides radiotherapy for a population of 1.9 million, delivering over 4,000 radiotherapy episodes per year with 8 linear accelerators plus PDR brachytherapy, and various other specialised services. A linac replacement programme is well-supported, with two Halcyons arriving in January 2025.
Treatment planning is performed using Eclipse. There are two Philips CT scanners dedicated to radiotherapy, and an XStrahl low energy radiotherapy machine, both with first-line support provided by REMS.
The Radiotherapy Equipment Maintenance Service (REMS) within the Radiotherapy Physics Department provides essential, highly specialised, engineering support to the maintenance, quality assurance, and development of the radiotherapy equipment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Electronic/Electro-Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
- Manufacturers advanced linear accelerator training
Desirable
- Member of the Register of Clinical Technologists
- Management qualification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive practical experience in radiation equipment maintenance practices and techniques, covering preventative maintenance, servicing, inspection, repair, quality assurance and safety.
- Experience in calibration and quality control of medical equipment.
- Experience of technical authorship
- Specialist training and practical experience on linear accelerators and low-energy radiotherapy machines
Desirable
- Experience of working with safety-critical medical equipment and techniques in healthcare beyond radiotherapy.
- Specialist training and practical experience on CT Simulators, MR Scanners and brachytherapy equipment.
- Specialist training on general safety-critical medical equipment.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge of radiotherapy equipment including RF generation, HT generation, high vacuum systems and computer systems
- Understanding of hazards posed by, and precautions needed with: oIonising radiation oNon-ionising radiation oElectricity oStored charges oMedium and high voltages oMedium and high currents oHigh pressure gases oRefrigeration machines oPneumatic devices oLifting and accurately locating large sensitive heavy items of equipment oParticulate matter oOils oSolvents oMaterialsandtoolsatelevated temperatures
- General knowledge of electronic and mechanical workshop practices.
Desirable
- Specialist knowledge of wide range of medical equipment
Clinical
Essential
- Broad knowledge of the field of radiotherapy
- High level of understanding of patient and staff risks arising from equipment failure.
Managerial
Essential
- Knowledge of management issues at Diploma level or equivalent.
- Able to manage medium-sized section in high pressure environment.
- Budget manager.
- Extensiveexperience in supervising or managing other staff
- Able to prioritise and manage own work
- Able to exercise own initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence.
Desirable
- Experience of the management of high capital cost equipment.
Legislation
Essential
- Working knowledge of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines, local rules and safety practices [eg ISO 9001 2008, BSI standards, Health and Safety, RIDDOR, COSHH]
IT
Essential
- Able to use Excel, Word etc to set up documents, spreadsheets and extract information.
- Good understanding of, and ability to troubleshoot IT systems.
Physical
Essential
- Use of fine tools for equipment adjustment/assembly.
Communication
Essential
- Able to communicate very complex information to other professional groups.
- Able to train groups of other professional staff.
- Good negotiation skills
- Able to deal with complex and unpredictable situations.
- Good written and verbal English.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Very high level technical skills
- Able to lead, influence, and collaborate with teams from a range of backgrounds.
- Excellent communicator with excellent interpersonal skills
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in Electronic/Electro-Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
- Manufacturers advanced linear accelerator training
Desirable
- Member of the Register of Clinical Technologists
- Management qualification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive practical experience in radiation equipment maintenance practices and techniques, covering preventative maintenance, servicing, inspection, repair, quality assurance and safety.
- Experience in calibration and quality control of medical equipment.
- Experience of technical authorship
- Specialist training and practical experience on linear accelerators and low-energy radiotherapy machines
Desirable
- Experience of working with safety-critical medical equipment and techniques in healthcare beyond radiotherapy.
- Specialist training and practical experience on CT Simulators, MR Scanners and brachytherapy equipment.
- Specialist training on general safety-critical medical equipment.
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge of radiotherapy equipment including RF generation, HT generation, high vacuum systems and computer systems
- Understanding of hazards posed by, and precautions needed with: oIonising radiation oNon-ionising radiation oElectricity oStored charges oMedium and high voltages oMedium and high currents oHigh pressure gases oRefrigeration machines oPneumatic devices oLifting and accurately locating large sensitive heavy items of equipment oParticulate matter oOils oSolvents oMaterialsandtoolsatelevated temperatures
- General knowledge of electronic and mechanical workshop practices.
Desirable
- Specialist knowledge of wide range of medical equipment
Clinical
Essential
- Broad knowledge of the field of radiotherapy
- High level of understanding of patient and staff risks arising from equipment failure.
Managerial
Essential
- Knowledge of management issues at Diploma level or equivalent.
- Able to manage medium-sized section in high pressure environment.
- Budget manager.
- Extensiveexperience in supervising or managing other staff
- Able to prioritise and manage own work
- Able to exercise own initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence.
Desirable
- Experience of the management of high capital cost equipment.
Legislation
Essential
- Working knowledge of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines, local rules and safety practices [eg ISO 9001 2008, BSI standards, Health and Safety, RIDDOR, COSHH]
IT
Essential
- Able to use Excel, Word etc to set up documents, spreadsheets and extract information.
- Good understanding of, and ability to troubleshoot IT systems.
Physical
Essential
- Use of fine tools for equipment adjustment/assembly.
Communication
Essential
- Able to communicate very complex information to other professional groups.
- Able to train groups of other professional staff.
- Good negotiation skills
- Able to deal with complex and unpredictable situations.
- Good written and verbal English.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Very high level technical skills
- Able to lead, influence, and collaborate with teams from a range of backgrounds.
- Excellent communicator with excellent interpersonal skills
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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
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 (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
