Job summary
An opportunity has arisen within the Radiotherapy Physics service for a Band 8A Radiotherapy Physicist. The successful candidate should ideally be an MPE however applicants in the process of applying for certification will be considered. The applicant is required to participate in all the routine support for the radiotherapy physics service, however they may subsequently be required to oversee and maintain a specific part of the physics service.
Main duties of the job
Please see attached job description for more information about this role and working at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
About us
The Royal Free Radiotherapy service has 2 Varian Truebeam linear accelerators, a recently installed Xstrahl system, a Canon (Toshiba) large bore CT-scanner (due to be replaced in next 4 months), access to PET and MRI and the Philips Pinnacle treatment planning system ver16.2 (expected replacement mid 2024), along with a wide range of dosimetry and engineering support equipment. Varian's Aria ver 17 patient management system integrates the service with the accredited quality management system supported on "Q-Pulse". The service has a well-established VMAT/IMRT and SABR workload with the SABR service implementing or supporting all the tumour sites within the NHSE SABR expansion program.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidate is required to be able demonstrate the Trust values, and the responsibilities of the job description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The successful candidate is required to be able demonstrate the Trust values, and the responsibilities of the job description.
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise and manage own workload with effective time management skills. Flexible, able to adjust commitments when required and work to tight deadlines (checking complex treatment plans to a tight deadline for example).
- Able to deal with complex and unpredictable situations (providing advice during equipment failure for example).
Desirable
- Able to project manage effectively, setting quality standards, timescales, performance targets and goals, monitoring progress, checking results, providing support to other team members when required and writing reports.
- Ability to teach and train others, including other staff groups, on highly specialist subjects.
- Able to perform independent applied research and development.
- Able to prepare and present scientific papers at local, national and international meetings and conferences.
- Able to develop systems and write software and scripts (Python for example) relevant to radiotherapy computer systems
Personal Qualities & Attributes
Essential
- Able to communicate highly complex information to other healthcare professionals and equipment manufacturers
- Able to exercise own initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence.
- High degree of physical accuracy and dexterity, for making precision measurements and equipment adjustments using fine tools
- Ability to motivate a wide cross-section of healthcare professionals and lead a team approach to work.
- Able to maintain frequent periods of prolonged concentration, with often unpredictable work patterns (when collecting or analysing beam data and providing clinical advice for example).
- Able to deal with occasional distressing circumstances when (working with terminally ill patients for example).
Desirable
- Able to lift and move medium/heavy weights (beam data acquisition equipment and phantoms for example).
Royal Free World Class Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential
- Honours first degree (1st or 2nd) in physics or containing a major physics component.
- Relevant MSc or higher degree or equivalent level of knowledge.
- HCPC registration as a Clinical Scientist.
- Certified Medical Physics Expert on national register or application in progress
Desirable
- Corporate Membership of IPEM (MIPEM) or eligible for membership
- Chartered scientist (CSci) or eligible for the award.
Experience
Essential
- Highly developed specialist theoretical and practical knowledge of radiation dosimetry, treatment unit technology, treatment planning systems, and computer systems in radiotherapy, sufficient to act as a Medical Physics Expert in these areas
- Specialist training and practical experience of a wide range of radiotherapy equipment and computing equipment, including linear accelerators, treatment planning systems and dosimetry equipment
- Advanced knowledge of patient and machine dosimetry and quality assurance in radiotherapy
- Highly developed knowledge of clinical issues and their implications for radiotherapy physics practice
- Broad understanding of patient and staff risks arising from equipment failure and staff error.
- High level of understanding of patient and staff risks arising from treatment planning computer system errors, equipment failure, treatment errors and incorrect dosimetry
- Broad knowledge of radiotherapy techniques and clinical applications.
- In depth knowledge of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines, quality systems, local rules and safety practices (for example ISO 9001 2000, Health and Safety, COSHH).
- Understanding of hazards posed by, and precautions needed with: ionising radiation, non -ionising radiation and electrical hazards .
Desirable
- Broad knowledge of applied radiation physics and associated areas within medical physics
- Relevant clinical experience in radiotherapy physics post registration.
Person Specification
Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise and manage own workload with effective time management skills. Flexible, able to adjust commitments when required and work to tight deadlines (checking complex treatment plans to a tight deadline for example).
- Able to deal with complex and unpredictable situations (providing advice during equipment failure for example).
Desirable
- Able to project manage effectively, setting quality standards, timescales, performance targets and goals, monitoring progress, checking results, providing support to other team members when required and writing reports.
- Ability to teach and train others, including other staff groups, on highly specialist subjects.
- Able to perform independent applied research and development.
- Able to prepare and present scientific papers at local, national and international meetings and conferences.
- Able to develop systems and write software and scripts (Python for example) relevant to radiotherapy computer systems
Personal Qualities & Attributes
Essential
- Able to communicate highly complex information to other healthcare professionals and equipment manufacturers
- Able to exercise own initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence.
- High degree of physical accuracy and dexterity, for making precision measurements and equipment adjustments using fine tools
- Ability to motivate a wide cross-section of healthcare professionals and lead a team approach to work.
- Able to maintain frequent periods of prolonged concentration, with often unpredictable work patterns (when collecting or analysing beam data and providing clinical advice for example).
- Able to deal with occasional distressing circumstances when (working with terminally ill patients for example).
Desirable
- Able to lift and move medium/heavy weights (beam data acquisition equipment and phantoms for example).
Royal Free World Class Values
Essential
- Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values
Education & professional Qualifications
Essential
- Honours first degree (1st or 2nd) in physics or containing a major physics component.
- Relevant MSc or higher degree or equivalent level of knowledge.
- HCPC registration as a Clinical Scientist.
- Certified Medical Physics Expert on national register or application in progress
Desirable
- Corporate Membership of IPEM (MIPEM) or eligible for membership
- Chartered scientist (CSci) or eligible for the award.
Experience
Essential
- Highly developed specialist theoretical and practical knowledge of radiation dosimetry, treatment unit technology, treatment planning systems, and computer systems in radiotherapy, sufficient to act as a Medical Physics Expert in these areas
- Specialist training and practical experience of a wide range of radiotherapy equipment and computing equipment, including linear accelerators, treatment planning systems and dosimetry equipment
- Advanced knowledge of patient and machine dosimetry and quality assurance in radiotherapy
- Highly developed knowledge of clinical issues and their implications for radiotherapy physics practice
- Broad understanding of patient and staff risks arising from equipment failure and staff error.
- High level of understanding of patient and staff risks arising from treatment planning computer system errors, equipment failure, treatment errors and incorrect dosimetry
- Broad knowledge of radiotherapy techniques and clinical applications.
- In depth knowledge of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines, quality systems, local rules and safety practices (for example ISO 9001 2000, Health and Safety, COSHH).
- Understanding of hazards posed by, and precautions needed with: ionising radiation, non -ionising radiation and electrical hazards .
Desirable
- Broad knowledge of applied radiation physics and associated areas within medical physics
- Relevant clinical experience in radiotherapy physics post registration.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
