Apprentice Radiotherapy Engineer

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

We are looking for 2 Degree Apprentices to join the Engineering team. These posts are designed for someone educated to A-Level standard in a scientific discipline, wishing to study towards a career as a Radiation Engineer within a Radiotherapy department.

As part of the Degree Apprenticeship you will be in full time professional employment learning in the workplace following a structured programme, supported by both the university and the NHS Trust. You will complete a funded degree at University of West of England (UWE) as part of a level 6 apprenticeship resulting in a B.Sc. (Hons) in H/care Science (Clinical Engineering).

Degree apprenticeships are a new type of programme offered by the Trust. Whilst employed, students can achieve a full bachelor's degree as part of their apprenticeship funded by the employer. The programmes are developed by employers, universities, and professional bodies working in partnership, and offer a fantastic opportunity for students to earn and learn without the debt from the traditional university route. Degree apprenticeships combine working with studying part-time at a university. Apprentices are employed throughout the programme and spend part of their time at university (approx 3 weeks) and the rest with their employer. The training is for a three year period starting September 2023 and ending August 2026 and there is an additional year of employment with these posts until August 2027 to reinforce this training.

  • Interview Date 11/05/2023

Main duties of the job

  • Maintenance of Radiotherapy and ancillary equipment
    • Carry out planned preventative maintenance on treatment machine
    • Accurate fault diagnosis and effective repairs
    • Monitor trends for equipment reliability
  • Quality Control of Radiotherapy Systems
    • Work within a Quality Management System
    • Undertake quality control for equipment
  • Support Provision of Radiotherapy Engineering Service
  • Participating in research development projects from inception to completion.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is keen to learn, and possesses the qualifications suitable to enroll with University of West of England (UWE) for this course: GCSE Grade C or above in English Language, Mathematics and Double Science, plus A-level Grade C or above in a science subject, preferably Physics or Electronics.

Interested candidates should be able to demonstrate an aptitude for the role, and be able to commence the role from 1st September, in order to meet the University course dates. Students currently undertaking A-Level examinations are encouraged to apply indicating their predicted grades. In these instances, a conditional offer may be given subject to actual grades.

You will become an integral part of the team, within which we will support your personal and continued professional development through the funding of the BSc (Hons) Degree programme via the Apprenticeship.

About us

The practical aspects of the training will be delivered at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne. The Radiotherapy Engineering group is comprised of a large team of Engineers who provide engineering services to ensure the complex equipment used for treating cancer is working safely. The radiotherapy service is shared across the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle and the Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle. Staffing in Radiotherapy is a mix of physicists, dosimetrists, engineers, radiographers, consultant oncologists and clerical staff working together as a multidisciplinary team.

Both radiotherapy departments benefit from state of the art equipment which includes dedicated planning MRI scanner facilities, 3 Siemens CT scanners with 4D capability, access to a PET/CT facility, 11 linear accelerator treatment machines, a brachytherapy machine and a superficial x-ray unit. The Centre is committed to delivering a high quality service, maintaining the highest specification equipment and contributing to radiotherapy research and development.

Date posted

29 March 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£27,055 to £32,934 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

317-2023-09-017

Job locations

Freeman Hospital

317 01 Freeman Hospital

NE7 7DN


Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Learning the technical aspects of the Radiotherapy Engineering service within NCCC.
  • Learning a range of specialist healthcare Engineering activities.
  • Involvement in research and development projects.
  • Successful completion of an integrated 3-year BSc (Hons) in Healthcare Science (Clinical Engineering); gaining skills to undertake the role of a radiation engineer and eligibility to join the accredited Register of Clinical Technologists (RCT) held by the Academy for Healthcare Science.
  • Developing knowledge in radiotherapy.
  • Whilst under supervised training, aid with: The service, calibration and performance tests of radiotherapy equipment in accordance with departmental Planned/Preventative Maintenance and QA schedules. The diagnosis of equipment faults to effect appropriate repairs, identifying and ordering correct parts/suppliers. The identification of correct spare/replacement parts and maintaining the recommended stock of such parts.

Band 5 Annex 21 65% of a Band 5 in year 1, 70% in year 2, 75% in year 3

https://www.uwe.ac.uk/courses/degree-apprenticeships/current-degree-apprenticeships/healthcare-science-practitioner-clinical-engineering

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.

You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.

Job description

Job responsibilities

  • Learning the technical aspects of the Radiotherapy Engineering service within NCCC.
  • Learning a range of specialist healthcare Engineering activities.
  • Involvement in research and development projects.
  • Successful completion of an integrated 3-year BSc (Hons) in Healthcare Science (Clinical Engineering); gaining skills to undertake the role of a radiation engineer and eligibility to join the accredited Register of Clinical Technologists (RCT) held by the Academy for Healthcare Science.
  • Developing knowledge in radiotherapy.
  • Whilst under supervised training, aid with: The service, calibration and performance tests of radiotherapy equipment in accordance with departmental Planned/Preventative Maintenance and QA schedules. The diagnosis of equipment faults to effect appropriate repairs, identifying and ordering correct parts/suppliers. The identification of correct spare/replacement parts and maintaining the recommended stock of such parts.

Band 5 Annex 21 65% of a Band 5 in year 1, 70% in year 2, 75% in year 3

https://www.uwe.ac.uk/courses/degree-apprenticeships/current-degree-apprenticeships/healthcare-science-practitioner-clinical-engineering

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first months pay.

You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Education

Essential

  • The applicant must meet the entry requirements for a Healthcare Science Practitioner in Clinical Engineering (Radiation Engineering). GCSE Grade 4\C or above in English Language, Mathematics and Double Science, plus A-level Grade C or above in Physics or Electronics and a pass in another science subject. Equivalent qualifications or professional experience may also be accepted

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Good knowledge of safe moving and handling techniques in both clinical and non-clinical environment

Desirable

  • Evidence of technical interests outside of the work environment (hobbies etc.)
  • Experience of working in a Radiotherapy Physics/Engineering service

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Literacy, numeracy and accuracy skills of a high order
  • Good IT skills
  • A flexible approach to the unpredictable nature of equipment reliability and the need to maximise the availability of the Radiotherapy Service at all times
  • An ability and willingness to on occasion work on the sister site
  • The ability to meet deadlines, self-motivated, enthusiastic and pride in producing high quality results
  • Good communication skills
  • Able to manage own workload and demonstrated ability to work in a team
  • Good manual dexterity
  • Ability to use standard tools safely and competently

Desirable

  • Ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines
Person Specification

Qualifications & Education

Essential

  • The applicant must meet the entry requirements for a Healthcare Science Practitioner in Clinical Engineering (Radiation Engineering). GCSE Grade 4\C or above in English Language, Mathematics and Double Science, plus A-level Grade C or above in Physics or Electronics and a pass in another science subject. Equivalent qualifications or professional experience may also be accepted

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

  • Good knowledge of safe moving and handling techniques in both clinical and non-clinical environment

Desirable

  • Evidence of technical interests outside of the work environment (hobbies etc.)
  • Experience of working in a Radiotherapy Physics/Engineering service

Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Literacy, numeracy and accuracy skills of a high order
  • Good IT skills
  • A flexible approach to the unpredictable nature of equipment reliability and the need to maximise the availability of the Radiotherapy Service at all times
  • An ability and willingness to on occasion work on the sister site
  • The ability to meet deadlines, self-motivated, enthusiastic and pride in producing high quality results
  • Good communication skills
  • Able to manage own workload and demonstrated ability to work in a team
  • Good manual dexterity
  • Ability to use standard tools safely and competently

Desirable

  • Ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Freeman Hospital

317 01 Freeman Hospital

NE7 7DN


Employer's website

https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Freeman Hospital

317 01 Freeman Hospital

NE7 7DN


Employer's website

https://careers.nuth.nhs.uk/why-us (Opens in a new tab)


For questions about the job, contact:

Consultant Clinical Scientist

Patrick Downes

nuth.RTEngineeringApprenticeship@nhs.net

01912139403

Date posted

29 March 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£27,055 to £32,934 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

317-2023-09-017

Job locations

Freeman Hospital

317 01 Freeman Hospital

NE7 7DN


Supporting documents

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