Clinical Scientist

at  The Christie NHS Foundation Trust

We are looking to appoint an HCPC registered Clinical Scientist to join the dynamic Radiotherapy Physics group at The Christie.
The successful applicant will ideally be HCPC registered and part of a team of Clinical Scientists providing a full range of scientific and technical support to the radiotherapy service in at least two of the following areas as part of the routine service: dosimetry, brachytherapy, treatment planning. The post holder will be expected to work towards MPE RPA2000 certification.
They will also contribute to the general radiotherapy physics service through routine work and specific projects. Major projects for this year include commissioning RayStation, the SABR expansion programme, and the linac replacement programme.
The radiotherapy physics group provides a comprehensive support service to clinical oncology including advanced radiotherapy and brachytherapy techniques such as intra-cranial SRS, lung SABR, SABR for oligomets, PBT, PDR and HDR brachytherapy treatments. The department has close links with the University of Manchester radiotherapy research groups and offers teaching opportunities on several postgraduate courses. The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

General
Ensure all work complies with current UK legislation for work with ionising radiation (IRR 2017, IRMER 2017) and the Trust’s 9001-2015-compliant Quality System for provision of radiotherapy.
The post holder will be expected to prioritise and manage their own work on a day-to-day basis.
The post holder must participate in an agreed scheme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
The place of work is normally The Christie, Withington, but the post holder may be required to carry out work at other local hospitals with a radiotherapy service.
The post is full-time. Hours are worked flexibly, in agreement with the line manager, to provide round the clock services where necessary to cover the normal range of clinical duties.
Treatment Planning – System management
Contribute to the scientific management of the clinical treatment planning system.
Measure appropriate machine data during commissioning for the production of accurate treatment planning models.
Commission clinical collapsed cone convolution treatment planning models adjusting model parameters to fit commissioning data for new radiotherapy equipment to ensure accurate treatment planning.
Develop and implement treatment planning software for improved efficiency of treatment planning.
Ensure that the treatment planning data and calculation methods are accurate and the limitations understood and documented.
To liaise with the physicists in dosimetry to maintain an up-to-date physical data base for external beam therapy.
Clinical Treatment Planning .
Participate in maintaining the provision of an external beam treatment planning service to the Radiotherapy Department to ensure the accuracy of treatment plans and compliance with clinical requirements.
Provide advice on radiotherapy physics-related issues to clinical oncologists and radiographers, contributing to the effective work of the multidisciplinary team, in relation to both current practice and technique development.
Operate on a rota with other physicists to resolve problems arising with clinical treatment plans, including problems where the post holder may inspect and advise on patient set-up on linear accelerators.
Operate on a rota with other physicists to perform clinical planning room duties. Assess the suitability of patient imaging, immobilisation and localisation information in preparation for treatment planning.
Produce highly complex radiotherapy treatment plans, based on the evaluation of anatomical and clinical information using a highly complex three dimensional treatment planning system.
Critically analyse and independently check routine and highly complex treatment plans for transfer to linear accelerators.
Provide and independently check monitor unit calculations for external beam radiotherapy.
Participate in managing the implementation of new processes and techniques including the generation of work instructions for inclusion in the quality system.
To update radiotherapy physics aspects of clinical procedures required by the ionising radiations medical exposures regulations (IRMER).
Clinical Dosimetry
Maintain, develop and implement procedures for quality assurance for linear accelerators and other radiotherapy machines within the ISO 9K2K quality system, analysing current practice against recommendations of Professional bodies and proposing changes to practice and procedures.
Participate regularly in the clinical quality control programme for highly complex radiotherapy equipment, including linear accelerators, simulators and superficial therapy devices to ensure all such equipment is fit for clinical use.
Act on a rota basis as Duty Physicist for the Dosimetry Section, responding via a bleep system to issues relating to the dosimetric performance of radiotherapy equipment raised by radiographer and engineering staff, providing scientific advice or performing measurements as appropriate.
Investigate and resolve technical and dosimetric problems highlighted through ongoing quality control measurements and reported equipment faults, analysing oral and written information along with measurements in order to provide advice or identify any remedial action.
To work with the physicists in treatment planning to maintain an up to date physical database for external beam therapy.
Perform acceptance testing and commissioning measurements for linear accelerators, allocating tasks and supervising physicists collecting the data required to provide accurate models of radiation treatment beams necessary to ensure efficient and safe implementation into clinical service.
Perform patient specific QA.
Brachytherapy – System management
Contribute to the scientific management of the Brachytherapy planning systems and associated equipment.
Develop and implement software for improved efficiency of Brachytherapy.
Ensure that Brachytherapy planning and calculation methods are accurate and the limitations understood and documented.
Participate regularly in the clinical quality control programme for highly complex brachytherapy equipment, to ensure equipment is fit for clinical use.
Clinical Brachytherapy .
Participate in maintaining the provision of the brachytherapy service to ensure the accuracy of brachytherapy plans and compliance with clinical requirements.
Provide advice on radiotherapy physics-related issues to clinical oncologists and radiographers, contributing to the effective work of the multidisciplinary team, in relation to both current practice and technique development.
Work within the brachytherapy team to resolve problems arising with brachytherapy plans, including problems where the post holder may inspect and advise on patient set-up.
Work within the brachytherapy team to perform clinical duties. This includes treating patients, set up and cleaning of medical devices after treatment and includes work within the Brachytherapy operating theatre.
Assess the suitability of patient imaging, immobilisation and localisation information in preparation for Brachytherapy.
Produce highly complex brachytherapy plans, based on the evaluation of anatomical and clinical information using a highly complex three dimensional treatment planning system.
Critically analyse and independently check routine and highly complex treatment plans for transfer to afterloaders.
Participate in managing the implementation of new processes and techniques including the generation of work instructions for inclusion in the quality system.
To update radiotherapy physics aspects of clinical procedures required by the ionising radiations medical exposures regulations (IRMER).
Teaching and Training
To supervise trainee Clinical Scientists.
To lecture to postgraduate scientists, radiographers, Specialist Registrars and others and assist in the organisation of the department’s teaching programmes.
Research and development
Perform directed research to further the clinical service.
Assist M.Sc. students with project work.
To present work at local/national meetings.
To publish research in internationally recognised peer reviewed research journal