Trainee Medical Physicist (Medical Physics - Nuclear Medicine)

Job summary

* Please note: only current undergraduate students studying Physics BSc (or equivalent) at a UK university are eligible to apply. The posts being offered are a fixed one-year placement for students undertaking a sandwich degree.*

Applications are invited for an Industrial Placement Student post in each of the following sections of the department of Medical Physics at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford:

Nuclear Medicine Physics

The Regional Radiation Protection Service

Radiotherapy Physics

Successful applicants will be based in one of the sections listed above, but with opportunities to work with colleagues in other sections. We have successfully hosted placement students from UK universities across the Medical Physics Department for many years.

Further description of the individual sections can be found below, however to be appointed in any section the successful applicant will have:

a good understanding of nuclear and radiation physics;

the ability to work well with other scientists, clinical colleagues,and patients;

a strong desire to apply their knowledge and expertise for the benefit of patients;

good time management, self-motivation and attention to detail.

Previous work experience in medical physics would be advantageous but is not expected.

Nuclear Medicine uses radioactive materials to diagnose and treat disease. It is multi-disciplinary, synergising expertise from clinicians, technologists and physicists.

The Nuclear Medicine team consists of 16 physicists, providing scientific support to 5 clinical nuclear medicine departments and 3 fixed-site PET/CT services in the South East of England. Facilities at the Royal Surrey include 3 SPECT/CT systems (including one with state-of-the-art solid state detector technology) and radionuclide laboratory facilities. We support a further 7 gamma camera systems, including 2 SPECT/CT systems, at other local hospitals. The Department also provides scientific support for a number of mobile PET/CT scanners as part of private contracts. We are active in research and development, with current collaborative projects with the University of Surrey and the National Physical Laboratory. There is also an active programme of clinical trial research within the hospital.

The post involves a mixture of routine work and carrying out in-depth projects:

Assisting in routine testing of diagnostic nuclear medicine equipment, including SPECT/CT and PET/CT imaging systems, gamma probes, radionuclide calibrators, contamination monitors and dose-rate meters.

Assisting in the routine delivery of the radionuclide therapy service, including preparation of ward facilities, carrying out in-patient measurements, post-therapy decontamination procedures and radioactive waste management.

Carrying out experimental work, data analysis, report writing and results presentation for research projects in Nuclear Medicine Physics.

Carrying out clinical and technical audits as required

You will join a team of more than 20, comprised of medical physicists, technicians, administrative staff and a computer scientist. The service provides comprehensive radiation protection, diagnostic radiology and X-ray engineering services to a wide variety of NHS Trusts, private healthcare providers, dentists, veterinary practices and others. We are active in research, development and training, organising courses both locally and at a national level. The service is closely involved in the University of Surrey's MSc programmes in Medical Physics, Medical Imaging and Radiation and Environmental Protection.

The post holder will help other team members in the provision of a comprehensive radiation protection and radiological physics service to the NHS and outside bodies, including performing calculations, measurements and radiation surveys on all types of diagnostic X-ray systems and in other non-ionising areas such as MRI, ultrasound, lasers and UV. Radiation protection support is also given to a number of Nuclear Medicine departments, PET/CT scanners and radiotherapy centres. You will be given the opportunity to work independently on a variety of projects, with the potential to publish the work or present your project at a national conference. You will need to be enthusiastic, a good communicator and a team player.

Radiotherapy is a field of healthcare where radiation is used to treat disease, predominantly cancer. The field is highly multi-disciplinary involving clinicians, radiographers, technologists and physicists.

The Radiotherapy Physics team consists of over 25 physicists and 10 radiographers providing scientific support to Royal Surrey Cancer Centre and the Redhill Satellite Radiotherapy Service. Facilities in the department include 7 linear accelerators and 3 CT scanners (Split across main and satellite). There is also access to PET/CT and MRI facilities for treatment planning. RSCH also delivers one of the largest brachytherapy services in Europe treating a wide range of clinical sites.

We are active in research and development and currently collaborate with the University of Surrey, the National Physical Laboratory and Varian Medical Systems. We also have an active programme of clinical trial research within the hospital.

This post involves a mixture of helping with routine work and carrying out some in-depth projects and developments. For example

development and evaluation of models for Knowledge Based Treatment Planning for a number of clinical sites

the Quality Assurance programme of the radiotherapy equipment

provision of a physics service to brachytherapy

Evaluation and audit of clinical techniques and dosimetry results in brachytherapy

Salary: Band 2 as per the 'Agenda for Change' pay scheme, including high-cost area supplement.

To find out more: please contact Oliver Berry (o.berry1@nhs.net) for more information.

Start date: between July and September 2025.

Main duties of the job

To be an Industrial Placement Student in the Medical Physics Department at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, assisting in all areas and gaining experience in both the routine and research work of the department. The successful candidates will work closely with other staff groups in the multi-disciplinary Medical Physics teams, and with various other staff throughout the Trust.

JOB PURPOSE - Trainee Medical Physicist

To assist the Nuclear Medicine Physics Section in the delivery of their services bothwithin RSCH and through Service Level Agreements with other NHS Trusts andprivate companies.

To be a Trainee Medical Physicist in the Nuclear Medicine section of the MedicalPhysics Department, assisting in all areas and gaining experience in both the routineand research work of the department. The Trainee Medical Physicist will work closelywith other staff groups in the multi-disciplinary Nuclear Medicine and MedicalPhysics teams, and with various other staff throughout the Trust.

JOB PURPOSE - BSc Industrial Placement Student,Radiation Protection & Radiological Physics

To be a student physicist and important member of the RRPS team, working to helpcolleagues in the provision of a comprehensive radiation protection and radiologicalphysics service to the NHS and outside bodies.

Gaining industrial experience on the University of Surrey BSc Physics course as astudent physicist working within RRPS, completing project work while gainingexperience in medical physics, with a focus on diagnostic radiology and radiation.

About us

Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.

We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) have given us an overall rating of Outstanding.

Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.

Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.

A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R96pMboIYdo

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Surrey County Hospital

Guildford

GU2 7XX

Employer's website

https://www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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Employer details

Employer name

Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Surrey County Hospital

Guildford

GU2 7XX

Employer's website

https://www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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