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Therapeutic Medical Physicist

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Richmond, Virginia
Closing date
Jun 8, 2023
Duties

Duties include but are not limited to:

GS-12
  • Provides direct evaluation of radiation therapy patients with regard to safety and accuracy of delivery through determination of the methodology for accurate positioning of the patient and assessment of the feasibility of delivery of the prescribed plan.
  • Applies specialized knowledge of treatment planning in order to assess the fidelity of treatment plan alternatives.
  • Organizes treatment plans, choosing the modality, and overseeing the delivery of treatment.
  • Provides direct assessment of the patient in order to render clinical physics judgment for radiation planning and delivery.
  • Incumbent works and exercises sound judgment in the evaluation of the quality, safety, and accuracy of radiation treatments planned and delivered to patients.
  • Implements radiation therapy of marked difficulty and responsibility because the underlying radiotherapy planning and delivery process has multiple potential failure modes of a highly complex nature.
  • Responsible for the technical aspects of external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy treatment procedures from treatment simulation to treatment planning to the actual
    treatment delivery.

GS-13
  • Plans, delivers, verifies, and monitors quality assurance of radiotherapy at all levels of complexity.
  • Recommending an optimal modality and treatment technique for the patient; evaluating the quality, safety, and accuracy of radiation treatments planned and delivered to patients, thus ensuring that radiation dose is carried out correctly and completely; and safely operating all radiation planning and delivery devices.
  • Implements radiation therapy of outstanding technical difficulty and responsibility, as exemplified by their role in providing knowledge-based solutions to resolving issues where no rule-based solutions exist.
  • Plans and directs a specialized program encompassing all physics and clinical aspects of
    external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy treatment procedures from treatment simulation to treatment planning to the actual treatment delivery.
  • Provides technical oversight for the work of developmental TMPs, medical dosimetrists and radiation therapists.
  • Oversees radiation therapy treatment planning; designs and approves treatment plans; monitors the accuracy of treatment data recorded in the patient's medical records; provides consultation to the radiation oncologist regarding difficult treatment cases; performs patient
    specific treatment validation measurements; and develops medical physics policies and procedures for the delivery and quality assessment of advanced treatment modalities such as intensity modulated radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy and brachytherapy.
  • Develops, operates and fully documents the medical physics quality assurance program and ensures regulatory compliance within the Radiation Safety Officer's radiation safety program.
  • Utilizes and properly operates all radiation oncology equipment, and is therefore qualified and responsible for educating radiation oncology team members including radiation oncologists, radiation therapists and dosimetrists in safety issues that relate to radiotherapy planning and delivery.
  • The full performance level TMP will be a knowledgeable user and subject matter expert in the use of the Eclipse and Pinnacle treatment planning system, Varian TrueBeam delivery system, Varian Aria Oncology Information System, and Sun Nuclear as well as PTW physics instrumentation and software.
  • The full performance level TMP will also be competent in stereotactic body radiation therapy, brachytherapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, and volumetric modulated arc therapy.


Work Schedule: 7:45 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday (evenings and weekends available)
Telework: Ad Hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 00000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: No
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): EDRP is eligible for the position. Learn more .
EDRP Authorized: Contact Monique Head at monique.head@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

Conditions of Employment


  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
  • Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.


Qualifications

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.
  • 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. (1) 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. Non-board certified TMPs designated by the certifying agency (e.g., American Board of Radiology) as "board eligible", who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate TMP under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of certification for a period not to exceed 2 years for a TMP that provides care under the supervision of a board certified TMP at or above the full performance level. This exception only applies at the GS-12 entry level.
  • Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
  • English Language Proficiency. TMPs must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:

GS-12 Therapeutic Medical Physicist (Entry Level)

(a) Experience, Education, and Board Certification: None beyond the basic requirements.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of the scientific and technical principles and properties of radiotherapy devices for external beam radiotherapy. This includes specialized knowledge of the clinical applications of these devices.
2. Ability to exercise independent judgment in the calibration and commissioning of external beam photon and electron beam delivery devices for clinical use. This includes specialized knowledge of the acceptance testing and commissioning of radiation therapy treatment simulation equipment such as Computerized Tomography (CT) simulators.
3. Scientific and technical knowledge of electronic data handling techniques and software.
4. Ability to exercise independent judgment in the safe operation of radiotherapy equipment and quality assurance. This includes specialized knowledge of sources of uncertainty associated with treatment delivery and how to minimize the deviation between planned and delivered treatments; configuration of test equipment and associated software; and expected equipment performance for external beam radiotherapy treatment, brachytherapy, and simulation equipment.
5. Detailed scientific and technical knowledge of radiotherapy treatment planning principles, treatment planning algorithms, and treatment delivery.
6. Knowledge of scientific and technical aspects of brachytherapy delivery systems and radiation sources. 7. Ability to exercise independent judgment in radiation shielding techniques for external beam delivery systems. This includes specialized knowledge of detection and survey methods for external beam delivery systems. This also includes knowledge of regulatory requirements and guidelines for radiation shielding and protection.
8. Knowledge of multi-modality medical imaging to include a detailed scientific and technical understanding of megavoltage photon beam imaging, CT, radiographic imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission computed tomography.

GS-13 Therapeutic Medical Physicist (Full Performance Level)

(a) 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.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge regarding the safe and efficient use of all radiotherapy devices for external beam radiotherapy.
2. The ability to evaluate and ensure correct and safe operation of radiotherapy equipment through complex problem diagnosis and scheduled quality assurance.
3. Knowledge of the scientific, clinical, and technical applications of high dose rate and low dose rate brachytherapy treatment simulation, planning, dosimetry, and treatment methods.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Ability to process information from multi-modality imaging datasets for treatment planning, treatment verification, and radiotherapy response assessment.

References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/83 PART II APPENDIX G48

Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, although physical effort will be required. Some lifting, bending and moving of videoconferencing or technical equipment for installation and troubleshooting is required. Occasionally climbs ladders to adjust overhead equipment and lifts or moves objects weighing up to forty pounds; occasionally lifts or moves heavier items with assistance from others.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ . If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html .

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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