Therapeutic Medical Physicist

Veterans Health Administration • Oklahoma City, OK

18d • Onsite

About The Position

The Therapeutic Medical Physicist (TMP) plans, delivers, verifies, and monitors quality assurance for radiotherapy across all levels of complexity. The TMP recommends appropriate treatment modalities and techniques, evaluates the quality, safety, and accuracy of radiation treatments, and safely operates radiation planning and delivery devices. The role applies specialized expertise to technically difficult radiation therapy cases and develops solutions to complex issues where no established rule-based solution exists.

The TMP plans and directs external-beam treatment procedures from simulation and treatment planning through delivery. Responsibilities include overseeing treatment planning, designing and approving plans, checking treatment data in patient records, consulting with radiation oncologists on difficult cases, performing patient-specific validation measurements, and developing policies and procedures for advanced modalities such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). The TMP provides technical oversight to entry-level TMPs, medical dosimetrists, radiation therapists, and residents.

The position develops, operates, and documents the medical physics quality assurance program and supports regulatory compliance within the Radiation Safety Officer’s radiation safety program. The TMP educates radiation oncology team members on radiotherapy safety and follows applicable VHA, AAPM, and other ethics policies. The work also includes external-beam and brachytherapy applications, radiation shielding and safety, equipment testing and commissioning, treatment planning, radioactive-source decay and disposal, and collaboration with other disciplines.

This is a full-time, onsite federal position scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telework and virtual work are not available. The position is listed at the GS-13 full-performance level. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized up to 25%. The role is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to VHA eligibility and application requirements; awards may be up to $200,000, with the amount and period determined by the program office. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, except where appointment of a non-citizen is permitted under VA policy when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• A master’s degree or higher in a physics, science, or engineering discipline from an accredited institution, with at least 30 semester hours in medical physics, health physics, radiological science, physics, engineering, chemistry, or biology; an equivalent foreign degree and coursework may qualify when substantiated by an approved credential evaluation.
• Current board certification in therapeutic medical physics from an approved certifying body: ABR in an approved field, ABMP in Radiation Oncology Physics, or CCPM in Radiation Oncology Physics; certification must be maintained in accordance with the certifying body’s continuing-education requirements. A VA grandfathering provision may apply to qualifying current VHA employees.
• At least one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade level for GS-13, in addition to the basic requirements.
• Knowledge of safe and efficient use of external-beam radiotherapy devices and ability to evaluate their safe operation through complex problem diagnosis and scheduled quality assurance.
• Knowledge of high- and low-dose-rate brachytherapy simulation, planning, dosimetry, and treatment methods.
• Expertise in radiation shielding, radiation surveys, safety procedures, action levels, radiation safety training, competency documentation, reporting, and applicable regulatory requirements for shielding and personnel protection.
• Ability to independently perform and evaluate calibration, acceptance testing, and clinical commissioning of external-beam photon and electron delivery systems.
• Ability to evaluate acceptance testing and commissioning results for CT simulators.
• Technical skills in 3-D treatment planning, IMRT planning, and SBRT planning, including knowledge of clinical processes and resources for radiation oncology treatment planning and delivery.
• Ability to process multimodality imaging datasets for treatment planning, treatment verification, and radiotherapy response assessment.
• Ability to lift patients using biomedical techniques and independently lift 50 pounds; walk, bend, stand, and reach throughout the workday; push wheeled equipment; and perform sustained activities for many hours.
• Sufficient near and distant visual acuity, hearing, speaking ability, and fine motor skills to maintain records, understand and give directions, and prepare patients, equipment, and supplies.
• Must satisfy applicable federal onboarding, identification, background/security, influenza vaccination, and application-document requirements; a 1- or 2-year trial period applies.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Varian ARIA.
• Experience with the Eclipse Treatment Planning System.
• Experience with TrueBEAM.
• Experience with Ethos LINACs.
• Experience with the BRAINLAB ExacTrac System.
• Board certification is identified as preferred experience, although current board certification is also stated as a basic requirement for the position.

Responsibilities

• Plan, deliver, verify, and monitor quality assurance for radiotherapy at all levels of complexity.
• Recommend appropriate radiation treatment modalities and techniques for patients.
• Evaluate the quality, safety, and accuracy of radiation treatments planned and delivered.
• Safely operate radiation planning and delivery devices and diagnose complex equipment issues.
• Plan and direct external-beam treatment procedures from simulation through treatment planning and delivery.
• Oversee radiation therapy treatment planning; design and approve treatment plans; and monitor the accuracy of treatment data in patient medical records.
• Consult with radiation oncologists regarding difficult treatment cases and perform patient-specific treatment validation measurements.
• Develop policies and procedures for advanced treatment modalities, including IMRT and SBRT.
• Provide technical oversight to entry-level TMPs, medical dosimetrists, radiation therapists, and residents.
• Develop, operate, and fully document the medical physics quality assurance program and ensure regulatory compliance within the Radiation Safety Officer’s radiation safety program.
• Educate radiation oncology team members about safety related to radiotherapy planning and delivery.
• Perform and evaluate calibration, acceptance testing, and clinical commissioning of external-beam photon and electron delivery systems; evaluate CT simulator testing and commissioning results.
• Apply scientific, clinical, and technical methods for high- and low-dose-rate brachytherapy simulation, planning, dosimetry, and treatment.
• Develop and apply shielding methods, radiation surveys, procedures, action levels, radiation safety training, competency documentation, and reporting practices.
• Recognize irregular therapy-unit performance and emergencies during therapy, and take prompt corrective measures.
• Calculate radioactive decay and ensure proper disposal of radioactive sources in accordance with state and federal regulations.
• Determine and apply regulatory requirements, manufacturer standards, and professional-society guidance for radiation therapy equipment quality assurance.
• Communicate in writing and verbally, collaborate with other disciplines, and follow applicable professional ethics policies.
• Support planning, verification, and radiotherapy response assessment using information from multimodality imaging datasets.

Benefits

• Eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to eligibility and application requirements; potential award up to $200,000, as determined by the program office.
• Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized up to 25%.
• Federal employee benefits package; specific benefits and eligibility depend on position type and agency rules.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior