Job summary
The East Anglian Regional Radiation Protection Service (EARRPS) is a high-quality scientific and technical advisory service in the field of radiation protection and diagnostic radiology physics. We are looking for a Lead Clinical Scientist with extensive experience in the delivery and development of radiation protection services to provide leadership for the radiation protection aspects of the service.
EARRPS promotes systems of work that ensure the safety of patients, visitors and staff when using ionising and non-ionising sources of radiation such as x-rays, radioactive materials, lasers and UV cabinets. A wide range of services are provided including, imaging equipment performance testing and optimisation, radiation facility design and environmental monitoring, patient radiation dose assessment, regulatory audit and advice, instrument calibration, radioactive waste management and, teaching and training.
EARRPS runs a Health and Safety Executive Approved Dosimetry Service (the Cambridge Personal Radiation Monitoring Service), an HSE Recognised RPA Body, and an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System.
EARRPS provides these services to various external Trusts and other institutions throughout East Anglia, including the major acute and primary care NHS Trusts, dental practices, veterinary practices, schools, research laboratories and other private customers.
Main duties of the job
You will lead on service aspects relating to radiation protection. This includes:
- Providing leadership for the radiation protection aspects of the service including scientific support for the use of radiation sources.
- Being the lead Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) and Radioactive Waste Adviser (RWA) providing support to other RPAs and RWAs in the service as well developing others to achieve expert certification.
- Working at an expert professional level to advise on equipment and facility specification, quality assurance, optimisation of techniques and compliance with relevant legislation, codes of practice and other guidance.
- Line managing other scientists and trainee scientists within the service.
- Developing and delivering training to trainee clinical scientists and technologists undertaking placements within the specialty. This may include trainees hosted by other East of England NHS Trusts.
- Developing and delivering teaching and training to other service users as needed.
- Supporting the strategic development of radiation protection services both locally and regionally, engaging with other physics services and organisations as needed to support the delivery of EARRPS objectives.
- Operating with a high degree of autonomy to deliver services as agreed with the Head of EARRPS, collaborating with other members of the service as needed.
- Liaising with staff in a large number of departments, visiting external organisations on a frequent basis.
About us
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 11000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This advert will close at midnight on 29th January 2024
Interviews are due to be held on 20th February 2024.
Candidates will also be invited to engage in an informal stakeholder discussion in the week prior to interview.
We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse, day nurseries and access to a great transport system with easy access to airports and rail travel.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
This advert will close at midnight on 29th January 2024
Interviews are due to be held on 20th February 2024.
Candidates will also be invited to engage in an informal stakeholder discussion in the week prior to interview.
We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse, day nurseries and access to a great transport system with easy access to airports and rail travel.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree in a relevant subject.
- MSc. in Medical/Radiation Physics (or equivalent).
- HCPC Registration as a Clinical Scientist
- Certificate of competence to be a Radiation Protection Advisor
- Certificate of competence to be a Radioactive Waste Advisor
Desirable
- Certificate of competence to be a Medical Physics Expert (MPE)
- Certificate of competence to be a Laser Protection Advisor
- Membership of relevant professional body.
- Registration with AHCS as a Higher Specialist Scientist
- PhD Degree
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience in the delivery of services in the field of radiation protection in healthcare.
- Extensive experience in interpreting different situations and judging measures required to ensure regulatory compliance in areas related to the use of ionising radiation in healthcare.
- Extensive specialist experience, in the assessment of diagnostic radiology equipment and the handling and use of radioactive materials and equipment to measure radiation and radioactive contamination.
- Experience of teaching and training on a range of topics relating to radiation protection to a range of professional groups.
- Demonstrable commitment to the professional development of self and others.
- Experience of management issues including managing staff and projects.
- Sufficient knowledge and experience to be able to deliver MPE services (with work traceable to a relevant certified expert if necessary).
Desirable
- Experience of working within a Quality Management System.
- Experience in leading and promoting research, including a record of peer-reviewed publication on radiation protection topics.
Knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of all areas of ionising radiation protection legislation in healthcare and biomedical research.
- Specialist extensive knowledge of the interaction of ionising radiation with tissue, theoretical principles underpinning radiation detection technologies and their limitations when considering clinical applications.
- High level of understanding of patient and staff risks arising from ionising radiation exposure.
- Specialist extensive knowledge of the techniques employed to measure the performance and safety of state of the art X-ray imaging equipment.
- Extensive knowledge of records legally required for the use of radioactive materials.
Desirable
- Expert level knowledge and understanding of ICT infrastructure requirements for clinical systems.
- In-depth understanding of the requirements for the approval of medical exposures used for research processes.
Skills
Essential
- Leadership and team building skills including ability to liaise and negotiate with others to deliver on strategic objectives.
- Ability to influence and motivate others and quickly establish personal and professional credibility to colleagues and other key stakeholders.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills with an ability to prioritise and manage own work and use initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence.
- Able to supervise and manage the performance of others and encourage collaborative working practices to integrate educational/professional needs with service needs.
- Able to use MS Office software to set up documents and spread sheets, extract information, analyse data using complex mathematical methods and prepare reports. Able to set up and manage the acquisition and structure of complex information including rapid and accurate data entry.
- Able to use non-standard software for the analysis of medical images including an ability to appropriately handle DICOM data.
- Ability to use highly complex medical devices and test equipment to make measurements with limited scope for error, requiring precise positioning and accurate recording of data within a time-limited testing slot.
- Able to lift and transport medium weight testing instrument cases (in excess of 15kg) sometimes upstairs.
- Able to travel, with heavy equipment, distances up to 100 miles away.
- Able to concentrate frequently for prolonged periods when subject to unpredictable working patterns.
- Able to deal with occasional distressing circumstances.
- Able to communicate complex information across professional boundaries.
- 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 subjects.
- Advanced negotiation skills when dealing with complex radiation protection situations at organisational level.
- Able to deal with complex unpredictable situations.
- Able to drive, valid driving licence.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Honours degree in a relevant subject.
- MSc. in Medical/Radiation Physics (or equivalent).
- HCPC Registration as a Clinical Scientist
- Certificate of competence to be a Radiation Protection Advisor
- Certificate of competence to be a Radioactive Waste Advisor
Desirable
- Certificate of competence to be a Medical Physics Expert (MPE)
- Certificate of competence to be a Laser Protection Advisor
- Membership of relevant professional body.
- Registration with AHCS as a Higher Specialist Scientist
- PhD Degree
Experience
Essential
- Extensive experience in the delivery of services in the field of radiation protection in healthcare.
- Extensive experience in interpreting different situations and judging measures required to ensure regulatory compliance in areas related to the use of ionising radiation in healthcare.
- Extensive specialist experience, in the assessment of diagnostic radiology equipment and the handling and use of radioactive materials and equipment to measure radiation and radioactive contamination.
- Experience of teaching and training on a range of topics relating to radiation protection to a range of professional groups.
- Demonstrable commitment to the professional development of self and others.
- Experience of management issues including managing staff and projects.
- Sufficient knowledge and experience to be able to deliver MPE services (with work traceable to a relevant certified expert if necessary).
Desirable
- Experience of working within a Quality Management System.
- Experience in leading and promoting research, including a record of peer-reviewed publication on radiation protection topics.
Knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of all areas of ionising radiation protection legislation in healthcare and biomedical research.
- Specialist extensive knowledge of the interaction of ionising radiation with tissue, theoretical principles underpinning radiation detection technologies and their limitations when considering clinical applications.
- High level of understanding of patient and staff risks arising from ionising radiation exposure.
- Specialist extensive knowledge of the techniques employed to measure the performance and safety of state of the art X-ray imaging equipment.
- Extensive knowledge of records legally required for the use of radioactive materials.
Desirable
- Expert level knowledge and understanding of ICT infrastructure requirements for clinical systems.
- In-depth understanding of the requirements for the approval of medical exposures used for research processes.
Skills
Essential
- Leadership and team building skills including ability to liaise and negotiate with others to deliver on strategic objectives.
- Ability to influence and motivate others and quickly establish personal and professional credibility to colleagues and other key stakeholders.
- Excellent organisational and time management skills with an ability to prioritise and manage own work and use initiative when dealing with issues within own specialist area of competence.
- Able to supervise and manage the performance of others and encourage collaborative working practices to integrate educational/professional needs with service needs.
- Able to use MS Office software to set up documents and spread sheets, extract information, analyse data using complex mathematical methods and prepare reports. Able to set up and manage the acquisition and structure of complex information including rapid and accurate data entry.
- Able to use non-standard software for the analysis of medical images including an ability to appropriately handle DICOM data.
- Ability to use highly complex medical devices and test equipment to make measurements with limited scope for error, requiring precise positioning and accurate recording of data within a time-limited testing slot.
- Able to lift and transport medium weight testing instrument cases (in excess of 15kg) sometimes upstairs.
- Able to travel, with heavy equipment, distances up to 100 miles away.
- Able to concentrate frequently for prolonged periods when subject to unpredictable working patterns.
- Able to deal with occasional distressing circumstances.
- Able to communicate complex information across professional boundaries.
- 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 subjects.
- Advanced negotiation skills when dealing with complex radiation protection situations at organisational level.
- Able to deal with complex unpredictable situations.
- Able to drive, valid driving licence.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
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
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).