Job vacancy: Head of Dosimetry and QA Clinical Scientist, University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Plymouth

Job summary

Main area: Radiotherapy Physics
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 8b
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 216-AJ-C7078155

Employer: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust
Town: Plymouth
Salary: £62,215 - £72,293 Per Annum Pro Rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 06/07/2025 23:59

Head of Dosimetry and QA Clinical Scientist

NHS AfC: Band 8b

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Managerial

Advise the Head of Radiotherapy Physics on matters relating to the workload in external beam dosimetry and QA

Supervise the ordering of materials and consumables required by these aspects of the service.

Inform the Head of Radiotherapy Physics on current projects with regular reports.

Maintain appropriate and accurate records of the procedures performed.

Liaise and co-ordinate activities with other departments, as required.

Be familiar with the Trust Incident Reporting and equivalent accredited Quality System procedures.

Participate in regular multi-disciplinary meetings, as required.

Act as Training Supervisor for STP trainees.

Organise the annual calibration of dosimetry equipment in accordance with statutory requirements.

Adhere to the ISO 9001:2015 accredited quality system.

Coordinate competency program for new staff and Clinical scientists.

Work with the Head of Radiotherapy Physics in developing relevant Service Level Agreements.

Plan/develop commissioning programs for new radiotherapy equipment or upgrades to existing equipment.

Participate and organise regular multi-disciplinary meetings, as required.

Coordinate staff assignment for quality assurance programme.

Dosimetry and QA

Perform relative and absolute dosimetry measurements to a high degree of accuracy with suitable equipment and perform quality control and other measurements and procedures on highly complex patient-critical equipment.

Perform the cross-calibration measurements for the radiotherapy treatment machines.

Undertake Quality Assurance measurements for radiotherapy, brachytherapy and treatment planning equipment and contribute to their maintenance, application and development.

Take an active role in the maintenance and development of the Quality Management System in conjunction with the quality systems within the Directorate of Healthcare Science and University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust.

Contribute to the maintenance and development of protocols and procedures for testing highly complex radiotherapy equipment in accordance with regional and national guidelines to satisfy legislative requirements.

Undertake commissioning measurements and clinical application of new radiotherapy treatment equipment and techniques. Undertake measurements of radiotherapy beam data for clinical use.

Participate in dosimetry audits in other Trusts across the Southwest and facilitate external dosimetry audits.

Radiation Protection

Assist the Radiation Protection Adviser with the application of current legislation, codes of practice, guidance notes and appropriate standards relating to all aspects of Radiation Protection and Quality Assurance pertaining to Radiotherapy.

Act as an operator under the definitions of the IR(ME)R regulations in accordance with Trust Policies and Practices and be responsible for the safe personal use of all highly complex equipment used in connection with radiotherapy treatments.

Act as the lead Medical Physics Expert under IR(ME)R legislation for the external beam dosimetry service.

Ensure that effective measures are taken to avoid unjustified radiation doses to all persons consistent with regulatory requirements.

See full detailed job description attached

Person specification

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

• Advanced proven theoretical knowledge and practical experience across the range of working procedures and practices in radiotherapy physics
• Advanced proven knowledge of radiation protection legislation in healthcare and biomedical research.
• Proven knowledge of the techniques employed to measure the performance and radiological safety of state-of-the-art radiotherapy equipment.
• Advanced demonstrable experience in judging measures required to ensure compliance with relevant legislation.
• Demonstrable experience in radiotherapy treatment planning.
• Advanced demonstrable experience in the use of dosimetry equipment in radiotherapy.
• Detailed proven knowledge of relevant legislation, national standards, professional and other guidelines (e.g. IRR, IR(ME)R, Health & Safety, COSHH) to ensure compliance.
• Well-developed IT skills, including Office suite and specialist software systems; able to manage, manipulate and report information.
• Understanding of hazards and precautions needed when frequently exposed to: Ionising radiation (x-rays, other radiation types, radioactive materials), non-ionising radiations (e.g lasers, optical devices, radiofrequency radiation, static and time-varying magnetic fields, ultraviolet radiation, ultrasound), electrical hazards, hazardous materials, mechanical hazards and biological hazards (e.g. occasionally handling equipment or in a working environment that is potentially contaminated with bodily fluids)
• Understanding of hazards and precautions needed when frequently exposed to: Ionising radiation (x-rays, other radiation types, radioactive materials), non-ionising radiations (e.g. Lasers & other optical devices, Radiofrequency radiation, static and time-varying magnetic fields, ultraviolet radiation, ultrasound), electrical hazardous, hazardous material, mechanical hazards and biological hazards

Desirable criteria

Basic proven knowledge of other areas of Medical Physics e.g. Diagnostic Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, MRI etc.
Demonstrable experience of Varian equipment.
Proven evidence of publications.

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• B.Sc. or demonstrable equivalent experience
• M.Sc. in Radiation/Medical Physics or related subject.
• HCPC registration as a Clinical Scientist.
• Certificate of competence as a Medical Physics Expert from RPA 2000.

Desirable criteria

• PhD. or equivalent.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY INCLUDING YOUR JUNK FOLDER.

If you need support with the online application process or require reasonable adjustments with the application and/or interview process please contact the Recruiting Manager for this post.

We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants about less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. We recommend contacting the manager of the role prior to applying and we commit to giving requests full consideration.

We welcome and encourage applicants who identify with all protected characteristics to apply for our roles. We believe that diversity strengthens our teams and improves our patients' experience. At UHP we aim to create an inclusive workplace and hospital where everyone feels they belong and included.

It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Providing false information is an offence & could result in the application being rejected or summary dismissal/police action if an applicant is successful.

Please note that if you are successful in your application & accept the position you agree that the Staff Health and Wellbeing Department can access your health records from your current/previous employer in order to check the status of your inoculations & screening tests. This is an automated process & the information will only be used for these purposes prior to your taking up the position with us.

For Doctors Roles:

Unsolicited CVs and Candidate Profiles/Details
University Hospitals Plymouth has a commitment to sourcing candidates directly and as such we do not accept speculative CVs from agencies.

We do, however, work with a defined list of preferred HTE Framework suppliers who may be invited to support us in sourcing candidates for particular roles.

In line with our preferred supplier list, we only pay agency fees where we have a signed agreement in place and an agency has been instructed by a member of the Trust’s Medical Workforce team.

We do not pay agency fees where speculative and unsolicited CVs are submitted to the Trust or Trust employees by any other means than the official route above. Where this is not observed the Trust reserves the right to contact these candidates directly and initiate discussions without payment of any agency fee.

Any candidate details (whether written or spoken) or CVs that are referred directly will not constitute an introduction. The Trust will under no circumstances be responsible for any recruitment fees in relation to these contacts.

Submission of any unsolicited CVs, candidate’s details and/or proposals to the Trust will not be considered further and will be deemed evidence of full and unlimited acceptance of this Agency Protocol.

In order to establish and maintain good working relationships with the Trust’s agency suppliers, we ask that this Protocol is adhered to and thank you for your co-operation.