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Job summary

Main area
Radiation Safety
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
432-HR637-25
Employer
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Colchester and Ipswich
Town
Colchester and Ipswich
Salary
£55,690 - £62,682 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
14/09/2025 23:59

Employer heading

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Clinical Scientist - Radiation Safety & Imaging Physics

NHS AfC: Band 8a

We are one of the largest NHS organisation in England. Our scale provides exciting opportunities for development, innovation, research, education and training.

Talk to us about our range of flexible working opportunities, apprenticeships and staff benefits

Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is at the heart of all we do; and it forms part of the ESNEFT’s core activities. The Trust operates and relies on everyone treating each other with dignity and respect, to receive equitable and fair treatment in the implementation of Policies, Procedures and in its Practices, to foster positive work relationships, and finally to act with integrity as a professional within ESNEFT as well as a representative of the NHS as a whole.  The EDI Agenda reflects the Trust values such as Optimistic, Appreciative and Kind. In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, People Plan, People Promise and a Model Employer intrinsic in the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Agenda, we consistently strive to improve, to take the learning into Action for a better ESNEFT.

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge then we are keen to hear from you.

 

Job overview

We are looking for a Radiation Protection and Diagnostic Radiology HCPC Registered Clinical Scientist to join our friendly team of physicists and technologists.

You will join the team in providing radiation protection and diagnostic radiology physics services to Radiology, Radiotherapy, Nuclear Medicine, PET-CT and Radiopharmacy in one of the largest NHS organisations in England, including Colchester Hospital, Ipswich Hospital and multiple community sites. You will work across both hospitals with occasional visits to our community sites.

You will be a Certified Medical Physics Expert in Diagnostic Radiology or a Certified Radiation Protection Adviser. If you are currently working towards one of these and have significant post registration experience in Radiation Protection and Diagnostic Radiology, we will consider a Band 7 developmental whilst we support you to achieve qualified expert status.

You will be expected to participate in all aspects of the scientific support we provide to the Trust and our external customers in ionising and non-ionising radiation areas. This includes supporting the Radioactive Waste Advisers providing advice on compliance with relevant legislation. You will take the lead in some areas of service delivery, working to enhance and develop existing procedures and providing expert scientific advice to a range of stakeholders. You will work with other RPAs, MPEs and other healthcare professionals to provide a high quality radiation protection service.

Main duties of the job

  • Liaise with other scientific and technical staff within Radiation Safety and Imaging Physics to ensure that high quality services are provided to all stakeholders

  • Advise the Trust on regulatory compliance in relation to radiation safety including training requirements for staff

  • Provide scientific and technical expertise to consultant medical staff and other healthcare professionals in relation to radiation safety and the physics of ionising and non-ionising radiation

  • Fulfil the role of Medical Physics Expert (MPE) in diagnostic radiology as described in the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 and/or fulfil the role of  Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) as described in the Ionising Radiation Regulations 2017

Working for our organisation

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients’ own homes

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what’s widely regarded as the world’s best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description. 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Degree in a Physical Science or equivalent
  • MSc in Medical or Radiation Physics or equivalent qualification or experience
  • Membership of relevant professional body
  • State registered Clinical Scientist with HCPC
  • Inclusion on RPA2000 list Certificate of Core Competence to act a Medical Physics Expert (MPE) under IR(ME)R17 within the field of diagnostic radiology or to act as Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) under IRR17.
Desirable criteria
  • PhD
  • Inclusion on RPA2000 list of Certificate of Core Competence to act as Radioactice Waste Adviser (RWA)
  • Inclusion on RPA2000 list of Certificate of Core Competence to act as Laser Protection Advisor (LPA)

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria
  • Highly developed specialist knowledge across the full range of working procedures and practices in the field of radiation safety and imaging physics, building on theoretical knowledge and practical experience
  • Sufficient knowledge and experience to act as and maintain certificate of competence as MPE under IR(ME)R17 within the field of diagnostic radiology; or Sufficient knowledge and experience to act and maintain Certificate of Core Competence as RPA
  • Highly developed specialist knowledge of the techniques employed to measure the performance and radiological safety of state of the art x-ray imaging equipment
  • Specialised knowledge of wider clinical issues and their implications in Diagnostic Imaging
  • High level of understanding of patient and staff risks associated with ionising and non-ionising radiation
  • In depth knowledge and understanding of all relevant legislation, standards, guidelines and safety principles relating to the use of ionising radiation in a healthcare setting
  • Experience of provision of radiation safety advice to a range of staff groups within a range of clinical areas
  • Knowledge of Governance issues including ethical and regulatory considerations
  • Understanding of incident reporting pathways (internal and external) in the context of diagnostic imaging
  • Ability to design and implement audits
  • Experience of training a wide range of professional staff groups
  • Ability to identify relevant areas for R&D focus
Desirable criteria
  • Sufficient knowledge and experience to act and maintain Certificate of Core Competence as RWA
  • Sufficient knowledge and experience to act and maintain Certificate of Core Competence as LPA
  • Highly developed specialist knowledge of the techniques employed to measure the performance and safety of non-ionising equipment such as medical lasers, ultrasound and ultraviolet
  • In depth knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, standards, guidelines and safety principles relating to the use of non-ionising radiation in a healthcare setting
  • Detailed knowledge of risk management systems
  • Experience of supervising STP and/or Route 2 physics trainees
  • Experience of setting up and supervising research projects

Employer certification / accreditation badges

No smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.NHS Pastoral CareDisability confident committedStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthHappy to Talk Flexible Working

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Edwina Faulkner
Job title
Head of Radiation Safety & Imaging Physics
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01206 742077

If you have problems applying, contact

Address
Colchester General Hospital
Telephone
07789651269
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