Technical Assistant

at  Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a permanent Band 4 Technical Assistant within the Imaging Physics and Radiation Protection group. You will work alongside a team of Scientists and Technologists to provide technical and scientific support delivering radiation assurance services across to several NHS Trusts.
The post holder will be responsible for assisting with duties within Imaging Physics and Radiation Protection group.
The role will involve implementing operational procedures and will require organisational skills and a working knowledge of radiation protection, to support quality assurance testing, personal dosimetry services amongst other key group processes.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research.
The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community. We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence. These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel
Job Description
JOB TITLE: Technical Assistant (Imaging Physics and Radiation Protection)
GRADE: Band 4
Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week.
Responsible to: Head of Clinical Technology
The department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering (MPCE) is responsible for providing scientific support and advice wherever ionising (eg x-rays and radioactive materials), non-ionising radiations (eg optical radiation) and medical devices, are used . The department contains 4 groups; Imaging Physics, Radioisotope Physics, Clinical Engineering & Clinical Measurement and the Scientific Computing & Operations group.
The Scientific Computing & Operations Group provides scientific computing services, manages assurance, governance and quality systems and provides a framework to support innovation, exploit new business opportunities and provide operational services, across the department of Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering (MPCE).
The group provides frontline IT support, leads and maintains the department’s software development programme and is responsible for providing policies and procedures pertaining to safe scientific computing practices within MPCE.
The group leads the quality management system implementation programme and provides support and training to MPCE. The group provides quality management policies and procedures to comply with the relevant statutory and certification requirements, managing risks, incidents and clinical effectiveness through the department’s Clinical Governance committee.
The group is accredited to provide training for STPs in the Clinical Bioinformatics (Physical Sciences) specialism and training supervision for rotations in Bioinformatics (Genomics & Health Informatics). The group has responsibility for managing the Trust’s radiation assurance programme, which includes Trust-wide departmental radiation compliance audits, research assurance and radiation incident management.
JOB SUMMARY: The post holder will be responsible for assisting with technical business support duties within Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering and Radiotherapy Physics. The role will involve implementing operational procedures and will require a high degree of organisational skills and a working knowledge of business management systems within a scientific environment, providing support for quality, radiation assurance, governance and incident management within MPCE. The post holder will support the radiation assurance programme for MPCE.

1. Responsibilities
   1.1 To take day-to-day responsibility for supporting the radiation research assurance service.
   1.2 To support radiation and computing-related scientific & technical services within Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering.
   1.3 To assist with services supporting the operational management of the Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering department.
   1.4 To support the departmental audit activities.
   1.5 To assist with the operation and management of the quality management system in line with departmental policies and procedures
   1.6 To assist with the delivery of the personal dosimetry service
   1.7 To assist with the delivery of the radioisotope ordering service
   1.8 To support the department’s CPD programme
2. Managerial
   2.1 Prioritise and manage own work to meet agreed outcomes.
   2.2 Forge close positive working relationships across the department to achieve and sustain quality services.
   2.3 To carry out duties in line with the department’s business management procedures.
3. Research and Development
   3.1 To provide support to research and development activities within the department.
   3.2 Participate in the department’s audit programme.
4. Teaching and Training
   4.1 To train other staff in their own area of expertise.
5. Professional
   5.1 Develop and maintain effective and professional communication and working relationships with all levels of personnel within MPCE and the wider Trust.
   5.2 Maintain an agreed programme of CPD.
   5.3 Attend suitable seminars and courses as part of training and personal development and to further work of the department.
   5.5 Support and contribute presentations to the department’s CPD seminar programme.
   5.6 Ensure that all aspects of the work are provided in accordance with a quality framework, and conform to relevant legislation, national protocols and Trust policies.
6. General
   6.1 To ensure compliance with the policies and procedures in the areas of work for which the postholder carries responsibility. Participate in the development and routine operation of such procedures.
   6.2 Occasionally lift moderately heavy, cumbersome equipment for several short periods during a shift.
   6.3 When working in other departments, the post holder will liaise with local heads of department, superintendents, nursing and management staff, adhering to local policies and practices. The postholder will behave courteously and professionally at all times and seek to ensure that the highest level of service is provided by their team.
   6.4 Work the hours necessary for the proper and efficient work performance within the flexible working system set up in the Department.
   6.5 To have a positive attitude towards learning new skills
   6.6 To perform other appropriate duties which may be required from time to time by the Deputy Head of Group.
   6.7 Frequently to use VDU equipment for periods up to the whole working day.