Principal Clinical Technologist
Job overview
We are looking to recruit an experienced clinical technologist to join our team.
You will play a key role in the provision of a technical/clinical service in Radiotherapy Physics, primarily in treatment planning and equipment quality assurance.
This role carries the option to be part-based at one of our satellites, or the postholder will be expected to work at our satellite centres according to a rota
Candidates must be registered with RCT or HCPC.
Main duties of the job
The postholder will take a leading role in the provision of a technical/clinical service in Radiotherapy Physics, primarily in treatment planning and equipment quality assurance.
You will provide expert advice to consultant oncologists and other healthcare professionals to resolve problems with complex radiotherapy equipment and treatment plans. You will also provide training for other Radiotherapy staff in treatment planning techniques and equipment QA, and help to develop new techniques for the service.
The OUH Radiotherapy Centre at the Churchill Hospital is a five linac, all-Varian (including Halcyon, TrueBeam) site with CT-sim, ARIA, Eclipse and HDR brachytherapy unit, plus a prostate seed brachytherapy service. Our existing satellite centre in Swindon operates a further two linacs and a CT-sim.A second satellite centre in Milton Keynes operating a single linac and CT-sim opened in 2025. Supporting systems include AI auto-contouring and RadCalc. We have a modern suite of treatment planning functionality including RapidPlan, MCO, HyperArc and Velocity, and we treat with a wide variety of techniques including SRS/SRT and SABR.
We have a range of development work underway and on the horizon and also an active computing team working to develop software and scripts for automation and data analysis. We have close links with the CRUK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology and an expanding portfolio of clinical trials.
Working for our organisation
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.For more information on OUH please view OUH At a Glance by OUHospitals - Issuu
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.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- To undertake calculations and measurements necessary for the accurate planning and treatment of patients for Radiotherapy.
- To use medical images and associated software to contour patient outlines and organs at risk.
- To carry out complex treatment planning tasks.
- To check treatment plans, calculations and associated treatment accessories to ensure optimal beam arrangement and accurate patient dosimetry, including brachytherapy treatments.
- To advise clinical oncologists and other healthcare professionals on treatment planning issues.
- To identify issues with Radiotherapy treatment and Quality Assurance equipment, investigate causes and suggest remedial action.
- To participate in the quality assurance programme of the Radiotherapy Physics Group: in particular, the commissioning, quality control and calibration of any radiotherapy equipment used in the planning or treatment of patients, in accordance with quality assurance procedures.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Relevant degree or equivalent level of knowledge to NVQ Level 4.
- Membership of a relevant professional body.
- Relevant MSc or equivalent knowledge
Registration
Essential criteria- HCPC registration as a Radiotherapy radiographer or RCT registration as a Clinical Technologist.
Scientific/ Technical/ Special
Essential criteria- Theoretical and practical knowledge of ionising radiation, Radiotherapy treatment planning and equipment and treatment and pre-treatment equipment
- Specialist knowledge across the range of working procedures and practices within Radiotherapy treatment planning and equipment QA.
- Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD).
- Substantial experience in Radiotherapy (Physics) including: analysing and judging treatment options, identifying problems with patient-related equipment, exercising judgement to solve problems and making decisions on how treatment and pre-treatment equipment is to be used safely and correctly, all usually under time-pressure.
- Experience is expected to include planning of VMAT/Rapid Arc and IMRT procedures, although further training will be provided in more complex cases
- Ideally to include specialist training and practical experience in the use of radiotherapy treatment planning computers, CT scanners and linear accelerators.
- Experience of commissioning radiotherapy equipment
IT
Essential criteria- Able to use Excel, Word, Access etc. to set up documents and spreadsheets and extract information.
- Able to use complex treatment planning computer and virtual simulation systems.