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Job summary

Main area
Radiation Protection
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8c
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
193-8336190PCG
Employer
Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Berkshire Hosptial
Town
Reading
Salary
£79,504 - £91,609 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
29/11/2026 23:59
Interview date
14/12/2026

Employer heading

Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust logo

Head of Non-Ionising Radiation (NIR) Section

NHS AfC: Band 8c

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust we put our patients at the heart of every element of health and care that we provide. The Trust works together as a community to deliver its vision which is “Working together to provide outstanding care for our community.”

Royal Berkshire Hospital are pleased to announce that following our CQC inspection we have been rated ‘Good’ with inspectors reporting that we have made significant improvements.  The Trust’s overall rating has also improved to ‘good’.  

We are Compassionate in our thoughts, words and actions

We are Aspirational and have a true desire to be dynamic and to innovate

We are Resourceful and responsible in the way we work and live

We are Excellent in our development, fairness and sharing best practice

At the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, we value candidates who bring their unique personalities, skills, and experiences to the Trust. When completing your application, we encourage you to highlight your individual achievements and strengths, showing us how they align with the requirements outlined in the job description and person specification. While we recognise that some applicants may use AI tools during the process, please be mindful that AI-generated responses can often lack the personal detail and relevance needed to demonstrate your suitability for the role. AI generated content is discouraged by the Trust and may diminish the candidates chances of success.

Amazing things happen at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust; delivered by amazing people so why don’t you come and join us.  We offer a range of learning and development for all employees may you be clinical or non-clinical.  

Please note: all vacancies automatically close when 50 applications have been received.

Job overview

Band 8C Head of Non-Ionising Radiation (NIR) Section

PLEASE NOTE: Sponsorship is not normally available for this vacancy - applicants must have the right-to-work in the UK for this role by their proposed start date. 

This is an exceptional opportunity for an experienced and ambitious Clinical Scientist to provide consultant-level leadership for our Non-Ionising Radiation (NIR) Section.

You will join a friendly, expanding Radiation Protection Department at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust and shape the future of a highly specialist service with a strong clinical, safety and development focus.

Main duties of the job

Working with a high degree of autonomy, you will lead and develop the Trust’s non-ionising radiation (NIR) services for internal and external clients. The portfolio includes MRI, lasers and allied devices, ultrasound, ultraviolet and blue-light phototherapy. You will provide practical advice on relevant legislation, standards and professional guidance.

As Section Lead, you will manage and develop staff and advise clinical, scientific, technical and senior management colleagues. Acting as the Trust’s MR Safety Expert (MRSE) and/or Laser Protection Adviser (LPA), you will support procurement, facility design, risk assessment, acceptance testing, quality assurance, optimisation and safe clinical use. You will also lead service improvement, research and development, and education for STP trainees and other healthcare professionals.

The department provides radiation protection and diagnostic radiology physics services to the Trust, another major NHS trust, private hospitals, a community dental service and organisations across Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. It supports eight 1.5T and one 3 T MR systems, with new 1.5 T and 3 T systems offering opportunities for optimisation and service development, alongside multiple lasers and other NIR equipment. Collaboration with the University of Reading, publication and participation in scientific meetings are encouraged. Travel between Trust and client sites is required; a pool car is available.

Working for our organisation

Reading sits on the river Thames and is served by great road and rail links to London, Oxford and Southampton. With excellent leisure and shopping facilities, and a thriving cultural scene, Reading is a wonderful place to live, work and play and provides excellent facilities for families, including some of the best state and private schools in the UK.

The CQC rated the care provided by the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust as Good.

Our Trust "CARE" values: Compassionate, Aspirational, Resourceful, Excellent, reflect the type of Trust we aspire to be and you can join our dedicated and talented staff to make this happen.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

You will lead the Non-Ionising Radiation (NIR) Section within the Radiation Protection Department. This consultant-level role requires active professional engagement and contribution to the national and international development of standards, protocols and guidance for non-ionising radiation protection.

The post holder will remain at the forefront of developments in NIR, interpreting legislation, standards and guidance and translating them into protocols and procedures for implementation across RBFT.

The section provides advice and services to users of MRI, lasers and allied devices, radiofrequency systems, ultrasound and ultraviolet radiation.

It also generates income by providing a broad range of services to external organisations. Ideally you will act as an MR Safety Expert (MRSE), providing scientific leadership and clinical support to MR services, and/or as a Laser Protection Adviser (LPA) for relevant areas including urology, ophthalmology and ENT.

The post holder will also provide non-ionising radiation protection, diagnostic radiology physics services for ultrasound and MRI, and phototherapy physics services to the Trust and other client sites.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • MSc in relevent subject
Desirable criteria
  • PhD in relevent subject

Professional certification

Essential criteria
  • MRSE and/or LPA
Desirable criteria
  • Close to achieving the certification

Leadership and management experience

Essential criteria
  • Leadership experience
Desirable criteria
  • Management experience

Experience of all NIR modalities

Essential criteria
  • Experience in all main NIR modalities
Desirable criteria
  • Significant experitse in 2 or more

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyCare quality commission - GoodArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Florence Nightingale FoundationNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

This vacancy will automatically close when 50 applications have been received.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr John Crossman
Job title
Head of Radiation Protection
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07500999147
Additional information

Dr John Crossman (Head of Radiation Protection) 07500 999147 / [email protected]

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