Clinical Scientist (Protons)

Applications are invited for a Clinical Scientist to join the proton therapy physics team at The Christie for a 1-year fixed term post. The applicant should have HCPC registration and experience of working in a radiotherapy physics department., 1. General

1.1. Ensure all work complies with current UK legislation for work with ionising radiation (IRR 2017, IRMER 2017) and the Trust's ISO 9K2K-compliant quality management system for provision of radiotherapy.

1.2. The post holder will be expected to prioritise and manage their own work on a day-to-day basis.

1.3. The post holder must participate in an agreed scheme of continuing professional development (CPD).

1.4. The place of work is normally The Christie, Withington, but the post holder may be required to carry out work at other hospitals with a radiotherapy service.

1.5. 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.

2. Proton Treatment Planning

2.1. Contribute to the scientific management of the clinical treatment planning system.

2.2. Develop and implement treatment planning software for improved efficiency of treatment planning.

2.3. Ensure that the treatment planning data and calculation methods are accurate and the limitations understood and documented.

2.4. Participate in maintaining the provision of a proton beam treatment planning service to the radiotherapy department to ensure the accuracy of treatment plans and compliance with clinical requirements.

2.5. 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.

2.6. 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 treatment units.

2.7. Operate on a rota with other physicists to perform clinical proton planning room duties.

2.8. Evaluate the suitability of patient imaging, immobilisation and localisation information in preparation for treatment planning.

2.9. Produce highly complex radiotherapy treatment plans, based on the evaluation of anatomical and clinical information using a highly complex treatment planning system.

2.10. Critically analyse and independently check routine and highly complex treatment plans for transfer to treatment units.

2.11. Participate in managing the implementation of new processes and techniques including the generation of work instructions for inclusion in the quality system.

2.12. Update radiotherapy physics aspects of clinical procedures required by the ionising radiations medical exposures regulations (IRMER).

3. Proton Dosimetry and Quality Control

3.1. Maintain, develop and implement procedures for quality assurance of proton treatment units and other radiotherapy machines within the ISO 9001:2015 quality system, analysing current practice against recommendations of professional bodies and proposing changes to practice and procedures.

3.2. Participate in routine dosimetry and quality control programme for highly complex radiotherapy equipment, including proton treatment units, to ensure all such equipment is fit for clinical use.

3.3. Operate on a rota with other physicists 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.

3.4. Investigate and resolve technical and dosimetric problems highlighted through on-going 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.

3.5. Perform acceptance testing and commissioning measurements for proton treatment units and other radiotherapy equipment, 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.

4. Proton Imaging and Verification

4.1. Participate in the introduction of new imaging equipment and techniques.

4.2. Work closely with the radiotherapy department to give scientific advice on imaging protocols to ensure effective use of imaging equipment.

4.3. Maintain and develop systems for quality assurance of imaging devices, within the ISO 9001:2015 framework to ensure equipment is fit for clinical use. Investigate and resolve technical and image quality problems highlighted through quality control tests.

4.4. Perform, and develop new techniques for, the verification of proton therapy treatment plans.

4.5. Provide scientific support for the Proton treatment unit record and verify system.

5. Teaching and Training

5.1. Supervise trainee clinical scientists within the radiotherapy physics group (Protons).

5.2. Lecture and train postgraduate scientists, radiographers, specialist registrars and others and assist in the organisation of the department's teaching programmes.

6. Research and development

6.1. Participate in development of the proton therapy service at The Christie.

6.2. Assist M.Sc. students with project work.

6.3. Present work at local/national meetings.

6.4. Publish research in internationally recognised peer reviewed research journals.

NOTE

This job description indicates the duties and responsibilities that are appropriate to meet the present needs of the service. Since from time to time these needs may change it is necessary to recognise that the post holder must be willing to undertake other and/or different duties that may, after discussion, be assigned by the Director.

The successful applicant will join a team of clinical scientists and practitioners involved with the delivery and development of the national proton beam therapy service which has been treating patients at The Christie since December 2018. The proton therapy team is required to support the development of new treatment sites, including clinical trials, whilst maintaining a treatment planning and dosimetry service for increasing patient numbers. All members of the team are encouraged to present new ideas to improve the service and will be supported to develop them by the whole team.

Though previous proton experience is more than welcome we appreciate that as a highly specialised service in the UK, applicants may not have much experience in this area. Training and development will be provided for those looking for a new challenge and to build on existing radiotherapy experience.

Physicists in the proton therapy physics team are involved with all aspects of the service including treatment planning and checking, machine QC, patient-specific verification and peer review of proton therapy cases with the wider multi-disciplinary team. Treatment planning is performed for both proton and photon treatments to be used in contingency scenarios. In addition there is the opportunity to undertake self-directed project work in alignment with the group's overall objectives. We have a close working relationship with the University of Manchester's proton research groups and other centres which provide opportunity for academic collaboration. Everyone in the team is encouraged to undertake further development and education and time will be protected within the work schedule to enable this.

The proton therapy physics team includes physicists, radiographers and technologists who all play an active role in supporting and developing the proton service. We work very closely with other clinical teams such as treatment and pre-treatment radiographers and clinical oncologists to deliver the routine service and to collaborate on project work leading to presentation and publication. We have an active education programme to deliver teaching and training locally, nationally and globally. The team's duties include early and late working, but flexible working and homeworking arrangements are supported to promote a healthy work-life balance for all team members.

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, looking after more than 64,000 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 25% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.

We are the largest radiotherapy provider in the NHS with one in 20 treatments delivered at The Christie. We have up to 15 linear accelerators operating across our network of sites. We operate the largest chemotherapy unit in the UK on our main site and treatments are also provided at 13 other networked sites, and in patients homes. And as a specialist tertiary surgical centre, we focus on rare cancers, complex procedures, and multidisciplinary approaches to cancer surgery, specialising in colorectal, peritoneal, gynaecological, urological and plastic surgery.

We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We have been named by the UK's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), as one of the best hospitals providing opportunities for patients to participate in clinical research studies, with more than 800 studies open at any time, caring for over 3,000 patients.