Medical Physicist

Job Description

FAR Group headquartered in Stafford, VA., is a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business that provides federal professional services, primarily engaged in providing advanced information technology, cyber security, management systems support, as well as business and infrastructure management services.

We are among the most innovative, respected, and ethical providers of technology solutions to the United States government. Our mission is to provide superior-quality, innovative, information technology solutions that help federal agencies best aid, serve, and protect the American people.

Job Title: Medical Physicist

Type: Full Time

Location: Baltimore VA Medical Center located at 10 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201

Job Summary: FAR Group is looking for a successful and detail-oriented individual to join our team as a 'Board Certified Medical Physicist'.

The candidate should have all the relevant education and experiences to perform the duties effectively and efficiently, and his responsibilities include the duties mentioned in this Job Description.

Requirements: The Candidate shall meet the minimum following requirements:

Candidate can either be Master's Level or PhD, and must be Board Certified

Experience:

• Must be Board Certified with at least two years of continuous working experience within the last three years
• Two (2) years of experience - Documentation detailing experience in performing QA procedures.
• One (1) year of experience - Documentation detailing Therapeutic Medical Physics in a healthcare system that is ACR certified.
• One (1) year of experience - Varian Linear Accelerators: IX, Trilogy, True Beam with Brain Lab Accessories following standards of TG-142.
• One (1) year of experience - Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) including Cone Beam CT (following standards of TG-142).
• One (1) year of experience - eclipse treatment planning system; and ARIA record & verify system, including the following treatment modalities: 2D/3D Conformal, SRS, SRT, SBRT, and IMRT/VMAT (following standards of TG-53).
• One (1) years of experience - IMRT QA: MapCheck I/II (or equivalent).
• One (1) year of experience - Phillips CT Simulator (or equivalent) and following standards of TG-66.
• One (1) year of experience - Using Superficial X-ray Machine

Duties: Medical Physicists are primarily and professionally engaged in the design, optimization and technical evaluation of radiation treatment plans as well as ensuring precise and accurate radiation dose delivery. Medical Physicists are responsible for radiation protection of patients and staff. The responsibilities of the Medical Physicist are defined as follows:

• Availability - The Medical Physicist shall be available, when necessary, for consultation with the Radiation Oncologist and to provide advice or direction to technical staff when radiation treatments are being planned or when patients are being treated. Where possible, should be present to observe and/or help supervise complicated simulations and/or treatment set- The Medical Physicist must be present at the machine during patient setup for SBRT/SRS and IGRT, and must be present all the times during HDR brachytherapy
• Calculations - The Medical Physicist shall specify and monitor method(s) to calculate MUs or treatment times and ensure independent review(s) of such calculations.
• Chart Review - The Medical Physicist shall develop and maintain a method for the weekly and systematic review of the charts of all patients under radiation treatment. All methods shall be approved by the VA Chief of Staff or designee. The Medical Physicist shall perform a final chart review at the end of the course of radiation treatment in order to confirm that the prescribed dose has been delivered, and to document the total doses delivered to critical structures.
• Dosimetry - The modeling of radiation beams for either planning or documentation purposes are generally performed with the aid of a treatment planning computer system. The Medical Physicists are responsible for data input into the planning system, which should be based upon measured beam data for the radiation beams in question, and for output from the planning system(s). The output should be tested and documented on a regular periodic basis. The Medical Physicist will ensure that the treatment planning software updates and bug fixes are installed, tested, and validated in a timely manner.
• Medical Physicists are responsible for understanding the calculation algorithm and should document those conditions for which the algorithm and measured data are in disagreement by more than 5%. The output of the planning system should be periodically tested by comparisons to direct measurements of the radiation beams. The Medical Physicist shall ensure that all users of the treatment planning system receive appropriate training.
• Equipment - The Medical Physicist shall provide information on specification and selection in support of VA's acquisition of radiation-producing machines, accessories, and computerized treatment planning systems in consultation with the NROP office. The Medical Physicist shall also provide information to VA staff on timing of required maintenance of this The Medical Physicist shall periodically evaluate all equipment for continued utility, appropriateness, reliable performance, age, and condition and make recommendations to VA staff regarding practical life span, obsolescence, and replacement.
• Specialized Equipment: The Medical Physicist shall determine the need for, specify, and have access to dosimetry and treatment planning equipment including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Measurement instruments to calibrate all treatment equipment and patient monitoring devices. Such instruments shall include ionization chambers/electrometers used as local standards and field instruments, readout devices, constancy check instruments, and phantoms.
2. Computerized treatment planning systems
3. Computerized water phantom system with appropriate ionization chambers and diodes
4. Film densitometry system Patient dose monitoring systems (e.g., diodes and thermoluminescent dosimeters)
5. Radiation protection measurement devices Appropriate quality assurance test tools for radiation therapy equipment

• Consultation: As needed, the Medical Physicist shall provide advice and consultation, to VA and third-party clinical engineers, for the operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of the VA RADIATION ONCOLOGY's linear accelerators and CT simulation equipment, all of their relevant accessories and the computerized network interconnectivity; record and verification systems.
• Teaching - Provide for an academic environment conducive to training and assist in the professional development of radiation oncology residents rotating through Radiation Oncology Service.
• New Procedures - The practice of radiation oncology often involves the implementation of new procedures and technologies, so the Medical Physicist must, in conjunction with the VA Chief, Radiation Oncology Service, define basic standards of practice and develop a reasonably prudent course of action to determine the training and quality and safety requirements of any new procedures prior to implementation thereof. In those cases where the radiation oncology physicist requires assistance, consultation with experienced colleagues and NROP office is encouraged.
• Annual Calibration Analysis: The Medical Physicist shall coordinate, complete TLD measurements and submit results annually for 3rd party calibration analysis. This analysis confirms that monthly and annual calibrations are accurate and delivering radiation beam as prescribed.
• Network and Computer Support: Radiotherapy planning, delivery and treatment management devices require seamless networking, so the Medical Physicist must:

1. Provide network and computer administration, including backups and updates for the SRS/SRT and IGRT systems. For IGRT the systems medical physicist will be required to provide computer support for configurations,
2. Be responsible for monitoring daily responsiveness of the departmental networking systems,
3. Ensure proper communication between imaging/planning/treatment facilities
4. Monitor all computer systems and patient data back-ups, and overviews and troubleshoots computer software/hardware problems, and serve as a liaison/consultant with the VAMC informatics team

• Documentation - Contractor's Medical Physicists shall produce and maintain documentation of the following:

1. Calibration and periodic testing of the local standard system(s)
2. Periodic intercomparisons (and other checks) of other dose measuring equipment.
3. Performance characteristics of all radiation treatment units and simulator(s) in comparison with previous measurements and with the manufacturer's specifications
4. Calibration(s) of all available radiation beams
5. Parameterization of the characteristics of each available radiation beam with identification of any and all changes from previous characteristics
6. Periodic testing of MU and/or time calculation system(s)
7. Input data for the radiation treatment planning system(s)
8. Initial and all subsequent tests of the treatment planning computer system(s)
9. Technical standards applicable to new procedures and the results obtained in ensuring that any new procedure meets associated standards for the new procedure
10. Activities of the facility/practice safety program(s)
11. Periodic reports to the VA Chief, Radiation Oncology Service of radiation oncology and to the practice/facility administration describing the performance of the radiation therapy simulator(s), treatment unit(s), dosimetry system(s) and applications thereof
12. All reports which pertain to the safe and accurate operation of the radiation therapy simulator(s), treatment unit(s), dosimetry system(s) and applications thereof

Why FAR Group?

You can take pride in working for a company dedicated to serving our government by providing the best, most cost-effective solutions for the US Government. Our work helps the US Government secure our nation, support the efforts of our military and intelligence communities, and provide lifesaving medical services to our soldiers, vets, and their families.