Principal Physicist

HCA Healthcare UK; Rugby; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is seeking a Principal Physicist to join their team at Guys Hospital in London. This role involves supporting external beam and brachytherapy services, managing departmental compliance, and overseeing new techniques in radiotherapy. Candidates should have HCPC registration as a clinical scientist in radiotherapy physics. Competitive salary and benefits, including flexible health options and generous holiday leave, are offered.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Private Healthcare Insurance

Private pension contribution

Season Ticket Loan

Critical illness cover

Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay

Corporate staff discount

Flexible health, protection, and lifestyle benefits

Qualifications

• HCPC registration as a clinical scientist in the field of radiotherapy physics.
• Able to submit an MPE portfolio within 6–12 months.

Responsibilities

• Act as a Medical Physics Expert (MPE).
• Provide scientific support for clinical, radiographers, dosimetrists.
• Develop and commission new equipment and techniques.

Skills

HCPC registration as a clinical scientist in the field of radiotherapy physics

Experience with Eclipse treatment planning software

Experience in LDR brachytherapy

Able to act as an RPS

Education

MSc or equivalent in Physics or related field

Tools

Eclipse treatment planning software

TrueBeam linacs

Aria OIS

Job description

<3>Principal Physicist

HCA Healthcare at Guys Hospital, London – 37.5 hours per week Mon‑Fri – Permanent. Salary: Competitive dependent upon experience.

We’re looking for a Principal Physicist to join our team at HCA at Guys, currently rated “Good” by the CQC. This is a fantastic opportunity to join HCA Healthcare as a Principal Physicist, supporting external beam and brachytherapy services on our London Bridge Hospital campus. Across our London sites, we provide scientific and technical support to a Radiotherapy service comprising four Truebeam linacs, a Gamma Knife, LDR prostate brachytherapy, and Molecular Radiotherapy. There has been significant development and investment in the service, with a growing linac‑based SABR service and the installation of an Elekta Unity MR‑Linac due to go live at the Harley Street Clinic in early 2026. The Principal Physicist is responsible for the day‑to‑day management of their area of work and contributes at a high level to departmental and service line Legislative Compliance and Service Development. This role is an excellent opportunity to develop, commission, and implement new techniques in collaboration with colleagues across our central London network, and to get involved in all aspects of the clinical radiotherapy service.

At HCA UK we care about what you care about. We care that you want to deliver the very best care. We care that you want a career you can be proud of. We care that you want working conditions that support your health and wellbeing. Let us care for you and your career, the same way you do for others.

Key duties

• Act as a Medical Physics Expert (MPE).
• Provide scientific support for clinical, radiographers, dosimetrists and the rest of the medical physics team.
• Be responsible for the development and commissioning of new equipment and techniques.
• Propose, lead and participate in research and development projects.
• Write comprehensive reports for new procedures, equipment and techniques, including commissioning reports and work instructions.
• Be appointable as a radiation protection supervisor (RPS), if necessary.
• Define and participate in the routine tasks within the department including QA, duty cover etc.
• Advise the Head of Radiotherapy Physics, Medical Physics Leads, and wider business.

Provide professional support and to Medical Physics staff, including clinical scientists and dosimetrists, manage the staff rota in their area of work and co‑ordinate physics activities with staff.

• Take ownership of all ongoing physics matters in their area of work.
• Be responsible for delegated radiation protection matters, ensuring compliance with legislation, organising RPA and EA audits and ensuring compliance with IRR, EPR and IR(ME)R regulations.

What you’ll bring

Essential:

• HCPC registration as a clinical scientist in the field of radiotherapy physics.
• Able to submit an MPE portfolio within 6–12 months.

Desirable:

• MPE status.
• Able to act as an RPS.
• Experience with Eclipse treatment planning software, Aria OIS and TrueBeam linacs.
• Experience in LDR brachytherapy and Variseed treatment planning software.

Why HCA UK?

Originally founded over 50 years ago by Dr Thomas Frist, HCA has gone on to become one of the world’s leading healthcare providers. In the UK, we’re one of the largest providers of privately funded healthcare and have invested over £500 million in the latest treatments, technology, techniques, medication and facilities. Being part of a large multisite, established healthcare group we can offer you unrivalled opportunities for career progression through internal and external courses, as well as working conditions that prioritise both your mental and physical wellbeing. We believe that by caring for our employees, we empower them to provide exceptional care for our patients. That’s why we offer a host of flexible benefits that reflect the invaluable contribution they make every day.

As a Principal Physicist, you’ll be eligible for:

• 25 days holiday each year (plus bank holidays) increasing with service, with option to buy or sell leave to suit you.
• Private Healthcare Insurance for treatment at our leading hospitals.
• Private pension contribution which increases with length of service.
• Season Ticket Loan and Cycle to Work scheme.
• Group Life Assurance from day one.
• Critical illness cover.
• Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay.
• Corporate staff discount for all facilities including Maternity packages at The Portland.
• Comprehensive range of flexible health, protection and lifestyle benefits to suit you.
• Discounts with over 800 major retailers.

Culture and values

At HCA UK we believe exceptional care starts with our people. We celebrate the unique perspectives and different experiences each of us bring as we know that when you feel seen, heard and supported you can be at your best for our patients, and each other. Our mission is simple, above all else we’re committed to the care and improvement of human life, a clear statement that extends to both our patients and colleagues. To achieve this, we live and breathe four core values:

• Unique and Individual: We recognise and value everyone as unique and individual.
• Kindness and compassion: We treat people with kindness and compassion.
• Honesty, integrity and fairness: We act with absolute honesty, integrity and fairness.
• Loyalty, respect and dignity: We trust and treat one another as valued members of the HCA UK family with loyalty, respect and dignity.

Reasonable adjustments

We believe everyone should feel comfortable to bring their full self to work and be afforded the same opportunities. As a Disability Confident committed organisation, we’re happy to discuss flexible working arrangements to suit your needs as well as offer reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process, and in the workplace, to anyone that needs them.