Therapeutic Medical Physicist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Oklahoma City (OK); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a GS-13 Therapeutic Medical Physicist in Oklahoma City to lead complex radiation therapy planning, QA, and safety programs. The role requires mastery of external beam techniques, IMRT/SBRT planning, and regulatory compliance.

Board certification and a strong clinical physics background are essential. Preferred experience includes Varian ARIA, Eclipse TPS, TrueBEAM, Ethos, and ExacTrac systems, with the ability to exercise professional judgement

Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in a physics, science or engineering discipline with 30+ semester hours in related fields.
• Board certified in Therapeutic Medical Physics by ABR/ABMP/CCPM with current certification.
• Experience in radiotherapy device operation, QA, treatment planning & dosimetry.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safe and efficient use of radiotherapy devices and QA procedures.
• Lead 3-D and IMRT planning, including SBRT planning and CT simulation.
• Process multi-modality imaging data for planning and verification.
• Maintain compliance with radiation shielding and safety regulations.

Skills

Therapeutic medical physics

External beam radiotherapy

Quality assurance

Radiation safety

CT-based treatment planning

Independent professional judgment

Education

Master's degree or higher in medical physics, health physics, radiological science, physics, engineering, chemistry, or biology

Tools

Varian ARIA

Eclipse Treatment Planning System

TrueBEAM

Ethos LINACs

BrainLAB ExacTrac System

Job description

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within 4 months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) as determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency. TMPs must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• Education. Master's degree or higher in a physics, science, or engineering discipline recognized by an accredited college or university with at least 30 semester hours in medical physics, health physics, radiological science, physics, engineering, chemistry, or biology; or an equivalent foreign degree and coursework substantiated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services.
• Board Certification. Persons hired or reassigned to TMP positions in the VHA must be board certified in the field of therapeutic medical physics by an approved certifying body. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Approved Certifying Bodies (a) The American Board of Radiology (ABR) in any of the following field titles: 1. Therapeutic Medical Physics 2. Therapeutic Radiologic or Therapeutic Radiological Physics 3. Radiologic Physics or Radiological Physics (b) The American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP) in the subfield of Radiation Oncology Physics. (c) The Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine (CCPM) in the subfield of Radiation Oncology Physics.

Grade Determination

GS-13 Therapeutic Medical Physicist

Experience

In addition to the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of 1 year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

• Knowledge regarding the safe and efficient use of all radiotherapy devices for external beam radiotherapy.
• The ability to evaluate and ensure correct and safe operation of radiotherapy equipment through complex problem diagnosis and scheduled quality assurance.
• Knowledge of the scientific, clinical, and technical applications of high dose rate and low dose rate brachytherapy treatment simulation, planning, dosimetry, and treatment methods.
• Expertise in the professional, scientific, and technical aspects of shielding methods for external beam radiation delivery systems, radiation survey methods, developing procedures, setting action levels, delivering radiation safety training, developing and documenting competencies, and reporting. This includes an in-depth knowledge of regulatory requirements and guidelines for radiation shielding and personnel protection.
• Ability to exercise independent professional judgment in the performance and evaluation of calibration, acceptance testing, and clinical commissioning procedures for all types of external beam photon and electron beam delivery systems. Skilled in the evaluation of acceptance testing and commissioning results of CT simulators.
• Technical skills in 3-D treatment planning, intensity modulated radiation therapy treatment planning, and stereotactic body radiation therapy planning. This includes specialized knowledge of clinical process steps and resource requirements for planning and delivery of radiation oncology treatments.
• Ability to process information from multi-modality imaging datasets for treatment planning, treatment verification, and radiotherapy response assessment.

Reference

https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/

Preferred Experience

Board Certified, Experience with Varian ARIA, Eclipse Treatment Planning System, TrueBEAM, Ethos LINACs, and BRAINLAB ExacTrac System

This position is listed at the full performance level GS-13.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift patients using biomedical techniques frequently throughout the course of a workday/shift; must be
• capable of easily lifting fifty (50) pounds of weight alone.
• Ability to walk, bend, stand, and reach constantly during the workday.
• Visual acuity (near & distant) sufficient to maintain accurate records, recognize people and understand written direction.
• Ability to speak and hear sufficiently to understand and give directions.
• Ability to push wheeled equipment throughout the facility.
• Fine motor skills adequate for scheduling and preparing patients, equipment and supplies for treatment.
• Ability to participate in sustained activities for many hours in duration in accordance with state labor law.