Principal Physicist - Brachytherapy

HCA HEALTHCARE UK; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in the UK is seeking a Principal Physicist to lead their Brachytherapy service. This role involves managing the day-to-day aspects of the service, ensuring compliance with legislative standards, and providing support to multidisciplinary teams. Candidates must hold HCPC registration and have experience in LDR brachytherapy. The position offers a supportive environment that values individual contributions and promotes professional development.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Private Healthcare Insurance

Pension contribution

Season Ticket Loan

Group Life Assurance

Critical illness cover

Enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay

Staff discounts with major retailers

Qualifications

• HCPC registration as a clinical scientist in radiotherapy physics.
• Able to submit an MPE portfolio within 6-12 months.
• Experience in LDR brachytherapy.

Responsibilities

• Act as a Medical Physics Expert in Brachytherapy and External Beam Radiotherapy.
• Manage Brachytherapy service and coordinate with clinicians.
• Ensure compliance with radiation protection legislation.

Skills

Clinical scientist registration

LDR brachytherapy experience

Radiation protection supervision

Education

HCPC registration as clinical scientist

Tools

Variseed treatment planning software

Eclipse treatment planning software

Aria OIS

TrueBeam linacs

Job description

This is a fantastic opportunity to join HCA Healthcare as a Principal Physicist to take a lead in running our Brachytherapy service, as well as supporting external beam radiotherapy. The Principal Physicist is responsible for the day‑to‑day management of all aspects of the service, including Legislative Compliance and Service Development. They are the lead physics contact for the industry leading urologists and oncologists involved in the Brachytherapy service. This is an exciting time to join our team as management of the service transitions from The Harley Street Clinic to London Bridge Hospital. Embedding the service within London Bridge Hospital will enable closer collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, streamline service delivery, and provide the opportunity to contribute to a thriving, world‑class healthcare environment. 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 successful candidate will also have opportunities to contribute to, and gain experience in, the wider work of the department.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a Medical Physics Expert (MPE) in Brachytherapy and External Beam Radiotherapy.
• Be responsible for the day‑today management of the Brachytherapy service and the primary point of contact for clinicians involved in the service.
• 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.
• Provide scientific support for clinical oncologists, 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).
• 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 training 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.

Qualifications and Experience

• HCPC registration as a clinical scientist in the field of radiotherapy physics.
• Able to submit an MPE portfolio within 6-12 months.
• Experience in LDR brachytherapy.
• Able to act as an RPS.

Desirable

• MPE status.
• Experience with Variseed brachytherapy treatment planning software.
• Experience with Eclipse treatment planning software.
• Experience with Aria OIS and TrueBeam linacs.

Benefits

• 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 & 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.