Job summary
We are recruiting for a Clinical Scientist or Therapeutic Radiographer, National Radiotherapy Trials QA (RTTQA) Group, who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.
The National Radiotherapy Trials Quality Assurance (RTTQA) Group is a centralised UK resource which designs and implements QA programmes for all NIHR CRN Portfolio trials that include a radiotherapy component. The group exists as a single multi-professional network of radiographers, clinical scientists, clinicians and IT staff working collaboratively across a number of NHS sites.
The RTTQA Group monitors the quality of radiotherapy delivery in the multicentre trials arena. Poor quality radiotherapy can compromise the outcome of a trial and may also have negative consequenceson patient outcomes. QA is recognised as an integral and essential part of the radiotherapy clinical trial process.
The ideal candidate will be enthusiastic, motivated, have exemplary communication skills and enjoy working as part of a dynamic team. You will need to be registered as either a therapeutic radiographer or a clinical scientists andhave specialist training and practical experience on linear accelerators, treatment planning systems and dosimetry.
This post is currently 1 year fixed term, with potential to be renewable if grant is renewed
Applicants not meeting the person specification at band 7 may be considered for a post at band 6.
Main duties of the job
In the UK new technologies and techniques are used in clinical trials. The RTTQA Group engages early in the clinical trial development process. You would have the opportunity to be involved in practice changing developments in areas including proton beam therapy, adaptive treatments, MR-Linac and SABR along with development of an IT platform for streamlining and automating QA processes.
You will be the lead contact for a number of trials, performing or assisting with all aspects of QA, including protocol development, contour and planning reviews, and dosimetry audit.
You will work closely with trial recruiting centres and support trial participation through interactive workshops and site visits.
You will have the chance to collaborate with national and international groups, showcase work at meetings and conferences and be supported in undertaking post-graduate study.
You will need to communicate complex information to other professional groups. including the ability to present complex information in scientific papers to large multidisciplinary groups of staff at national and international meetings
You will be expected to work independently, organising your own workload, within professional guidelines, following protocols where these exist and referring to your manager where necessary
Interviews to be held week commencing 17th April 2023.
About us
At East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general and specialist services we provide and our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible and innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
- The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
- New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
- Hertford County, Hertford
- Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation and our staff and patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. This means that any employee is entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns and we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made and considered formally, and will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
NHT is seeking to maintain and expand the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre staff as we move to an exciting new future.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We welcome applications from those who would relish the opportunity to be part of new and developing cancer service, building on the excellent reputation, research and patient experience the Cancer Centre already delivers.
The post holder will work within the RTTQA Group, coordinated from Mount Vernon Cancer Centre which is situated 30 minutes from central London on the metropolitan line, and is one of the largest radiotherapy centres in the UK. There may be the opportunity to be based at one of the other RTTQA sites on request. The RTTQA Group has been centrally funded through the NIHR CRN since April 2010 and as such the post is for 1 year but renewable annually subject to funding position.
Prospective applicants are welcome to discuss this post, in particular the opportunities for part-time and flexible working and alternative RTTQA site base with Elizabeth Miles (RTTQA Group lead) elizabeth.miles@nhs.net 02038262329.
In addition, you will receive a High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of your basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £4,108 and a maximum payment of £5,177per annum pro rata.
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification information pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
We welcome applications from those who would relish the opportunity to be part of new and developing cancer service, building on the excellent reputation, research and patient experience the Cancer Centre already delivers.
The post holder will work within the RTTQA Group, coordinated from Mount Vernon Cancer Centre which is situated 30 minutes from central London on the metropolitan line, and is one of the largest radiotherapy centres in the UK. There may be the opportunity to be based at one of the other RTTQA sites on request. The RTTQA Group has been centrally funded through the NIHR CRN since April 2010 and as such the post is for 1 year but renewable annually subject to funding position.
Prospective applicants are welcome to discuss this post, in particular the opportunities for part-time and flexible working and alternative RTTQA site base with Elizabeth Miles (RTTQA Group lead) elizabeth.miles@nhs.net 02038262329.
In addition, you will receive a High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of your basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £4,108 and a maximum payment of £5,177per annum pro rata.
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification information pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Good (1st or 2nd Class) Honours degree in a relevant subject (physics or engineering)
- Postgraduate qualification in a relevant branch of physics or medical physics to the level of at least a Master's degree (MSc)
- Completion of a formal period of training within radiotherapy physics (e.g. IPEM Part I and II or MSC specialist training program)
- Registration as a Clinical Scientist or equivalent international qualification and eligible to apply within 1 year for registration
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience working within a radiotherapy physics environment
- Specialist training and practical experience on linear accelerators, treatment planning systems and dosimetry
Desirable
- Training in either stereotactic physics or brachytherapy
- Experience of multimodality imaging and adaptive treatment delivery techniques Clinical Trial work
Skills
Essential
- Able to communicate complex information to other professional groups. Ability to present complex information in scientific papers to large multidisciplinary groups of staff at national and international meetings
- Prepare and collaborate on papers for publication in national and international journals
- Able to use judgement involving complex facts that require analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options, for example in analysing the results of scientific measurements or processes, which may conflict, and deciding upon an appropriate course of action
- Able to create spreadsheets, electronic documents and individual 3D computerised patient treatment plans for radiotherapy
- Have highly developed physical accuracy and dexterity in order to be able to manipulate equipment, for example, in setting up and using delicate instruments to make precise measurements to detect and calibrate radiation doses within "phantom" patients. The post holder is also required to use 3D visualisation skills in treatment planning
- Expected to work independently, organising own workload, within professional guidelines, following protocols where these exist and referring to his/her manager where necessary. The individual's manager assesses work at intervals
- Ability to concentrate when report writing and analysing results. Occasionally he/she may have to change tasks to accommodate changing workload priorities
- Able to concentrate where the work pattern is unpredictable. Occasionally, there will be a requirement for prolonged concentration
Desirable
- Previous experience of presenting scientific papers at national meetings
- Previous experience of publishing work
- Use of Macros in ERelevant use of computer programming skillsxcel
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist theoretical knowledge of the range of work procedures of radiotherapy physics at least to Masters level with associated practical experience
- Knowledge of patient and machine dosimetry in radiotherapy (external beam and brachytherapy)
- 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
- Understanding of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines (e.g. IRR, IRMER, ISO 9001, BSI and ISO standards, professional and regulatory body reports and guidelines)
Other Requirements
Essential
- Must be highly self-motivated
- Able to work with radiotherapy equipment and to manoeuvre associated physics equipment
- The post holder works in an environment of cancer patients, and may have to interact with them (for example, in performing measurements on a patient undergoing radiotherapy). Therefore there may be occasional exposure to distressing circumstances
- The post holder must be prepared to work in an environment where there is a radiation hazard, and so must understand the hazards posed by ionising radiation and sources of high voltage
- Work hours necessary for the proper and efficient performance of the work. This may necessitate some out of hours work. Saturday working may occasionally be required with compensatory time off during Monday to Friday
- Experience and evidence of engagement around equality, diversity and inclusion issues in relation to policy, service development and service delivery in respect of both services to users and the management of staff
- Role model our Trust values every day
Person Specification
Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Good (1st or 2nd Class) Honours degree in a relevant subject (physics or engineering)
- Postgraduate qualification in a relevant branch of physics or medical physics to the level of at least a Master's degree (MSc)
- Completion of a formal period of training within radiotherapy physics (e.g. IPEM Part I and II or MSC specialist training program)
- Registration as a Clinical Scientist or equivalent international qualification and eligible to apply within 1 year for registration
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience working within a radiotherapy physics environment
- Specialist training and practical experience on linear accelerators, treatment planning systems and dosimetry
Desirable
- Training in either stereotactic physics or brachytherapy
- Experience of multimodality imaging and adaptive treatment delivery techniques Clinical Trial work
Skills
Essential
- Able to communicate complex information to other professional groups. Ability to present complex information in scientific papers to large multidisciplinary groups of staff at national and international meetings
- Prepare and collaborate on papers for publication in national and international journals
- Able to use judgement involving complex facts that require analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options, for example in analysing the results of scientific measurements or processes, which may conflict, and deciding upon an appropriate course of action
- Able to create spreadsheets, electronic documents and individual 3D computerised patient treatment plans for radiotherapy
- Have highly developed physical accuracy and dexterity in order to be able to manipulate equipment, for example, in setting up and using delicate instruments to make precise measurements to detect and calibrate radiation doses within "phantom" patients. The post holder is also required to use 3D visualisation skills in treatment planning
- Expected to work independently, organising own workload, within professional guidelines, following protocols where these exist and referring to his/her manager where necessary. The individual's manager assesses work at intervals
- Ability to concentrate when report writing and analysing results. Occasionally he/she may have to change tasks to accommodate changing workload priorities
- Able to concentrate where the work pattern is unpredictable. Occasionally, there will be a requirement for prolonged concentration
Desirable
- Previous experience of presenting scientific papers at national meetings
- Previous experience of publishing work
- Use of Macros in ERelevant use of computer programming skillsxcel
Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist theoretical knowledge of the range of work procedures of radiotherapy physics at least to Masters level with associated practical experience
- Knowledge of patient and machine dosimetry in radiotherapy (external beam and brachytherapy)
- 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
- Understanding of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines (e.g. IRR, IRMER, ISO 9001, BSI and ISO standards, professional and regulatory body reports and guidelines)
Other Requirements
Essential
- Must be highly self-motivated
- Able to work with radiotherapy equipment and to manoeuvre associated physics equipment
- The post holder works in an environment of cancer patients, and may have to interact with them (for example, in performing measurements on a patient undergoing radiotherapy). Therefore there may be occasional exposure to distressing circumstances
- The post holder must be prepared to work in an environment where there is a radiation hazard, and so must understand the hazards posed by ionising radiation and sources of high voltage
- Work hours necessary for the proper and efficient performance of the work. This may necessitate some out of hours work. Saturday working may occasionally be required with compensatory time off during Monday to Friday
- Experience and evidence of engagement around equality, diversity and inclusion issues in relation to policy, service development and service delivery in respect of both services to users and the management of staff
- Role model our Trust values every day
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
