Senior Radiation Physicist - Radiation Oncology (Medical Center - Annex)

People

• Works with therapy staff to ensure periodic machine quality assurance is routinely and appropriately performed.
• Surveils engineering/vendor staff work to ensure machine repairs and upgrades are adequately performed and machine performance verified.
• Provides consultation to physicians, and guidance to dosimetrists and therapists regarding best approaches to simulate, plan, image and treat patients to assure accurate delivery of prescribed radiation dosage to a specific human patient, and the associated risk.
• Supports the training of departmental personnel as needed to effectively and safely utilize equipment for patient care and the didactic education and hands-on training for radiation oncology and medical physics residents and other trainees.
• Provides guidance and supervision to junior medical physicists.

Service

• Develops procedures for testing and evaluating performance levels of radiotherapy treatment and simulation equipment.
• Assists in the development and execution of plans for acceptance and commissioning of new radiotherapy and dosimetry equipment and software.
• Provides documentation that radiotherapy treatment and simulation equipment meet accreditation and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Participates in the specification of the physics instrumentation used in the measurement and performance testing of therapeutic equipment.
• Participates in the development and management of quality control program for a radiation treatment facility that includes applicable facility accreditation requirements, and the review of policies and procedures pertaining to therapeutic radiation and its safe and appropriate use.

Quality/Safety

• Ensures that quality assurance is performed to verify proper functioning after installation, repair or upgrade of radiation treatment equipment and software.
• Includes acceptance testing of radiotherapy treatment and simulation equipment, calibration and characterization of radiation beams from therapeutic equipment including radiation quantity, quality, and distribution characteristics, and assessment of the mechanical and geometric optics for proper placement of the beam.
• Ensures the completion of periodic quality assurance and calibrations for radiation treatment equipment, software, and instrumentation in accordance to Part 25 Texas Administrative Code289 as well as recommendations from vendors and professional organizations.
• Ensures that patient-specific quality assurance, including initial and periodic treatment plan checks and measurements if required, are performed on a timely manner.
• Coordinates and participates in the development and/or evaluation of a radiation safety program in a therapeutic radiation facility including written procedures for the protection of patients, workers, and the public, as well as in the protective shielding design and radiation safety surveys in a radiotherapy facility.

Finance

• Develops specifications for radiotherapy treatment and simulation equipment, including software.
• Provides equipment and software evaluations of value and performance and recommendations on possible equipment and software purchases.

Growth/Innovation

• Develops and participates in clinical research and development projects as well as other research projects that are consistent with departmental goals.