Medical Physicist (Long Beach, CA)

 This position is still at the proposal stage and is awaiting award.This position will support the US Department of Veterans Affairs Critical Staffing Program.  The person in this position will represent International SOS and provide services outlined below: International SOS is looking for an individual who is an experienced Medical Physicist. The medical physicist is responsible for applying physics principles to healthcare, specifically in the areas of radiation therapy, diagnostic imaging, and nuclear medicine, ensuring the safety and efficacy of imaging and treatment technologies. This role includes quality assurance, equipment calibration, and collaboration with clinical teams to enhance patient care through optimal medical technology applications. Key ResponsibilitiesEngage in the design, optimization and technical evaluation of radiation treatment plans as well as ensure precise and accurate radiation dose delivery.  Responsible for radiation protection of patients and staff.   Be available, when necessary, for consultation with the Radiation Oncologist and provide advice or direction to technical staff when radiation treatments are being planned or when patients are being treated.  Where possible, should be present to observe and/or help supervise complicated simulations and/or treatment set-ups.  Must be present at the machine during patient setup for SBRT/SRS and IGRT.  Must be present all the times during Stereotactic Procedures (SRS, SRT, SBRT)  Specify and monitor method(s) to calculate MUs or treatment times and ensure independent review(s) of such calculations.  Develop and maintain a method for the weekly and systematic review of the charts of all patients under radiation treatment. All methods shall be approved by the VA Chief of Staff or designee. Perform a final chart review at the end of the course of radiation treatment to confirm that the prescribed dose has been delivered, and to document the total doses delivered to critical structures. The model of radiation beams for either planning or documentation purposes are generally performed with the aid of a treatment planning computer system. Contractor’s Board-Certified Medical Physicist are responsible for data input into the planning system, which should be based upon measured beam data for the radiation beams in question, and for output from the planning system(s).  Test and document output on a regular periodic basis. The output should agree within the manufacturer's specifications for the treatment planning system and/or published standards such as those found in applicable AAPM Reports.  Ensure that the treatment planning software updates and bug fixes are installed, tested, and validated in a timely manner.  Understanding the calculation algorithm and should document those conditions for which the algorithm and measured data disagree by more than 5%. The output of the planning system should be periodically tested by comparisons to direct measurements of the radiation beams.  Ensure that all users of the treatment planning system receive appropriate training.  Provide information on specification and selection in support of VA’s acquisition of radiation-producing machines, accessories, and computerized treatment planning systems in consultation with the NROP office.  Provide information to VA staff on timing of required maintenance of this equipment.  Evaluate all equipment for continued utility, appropriateness, reliable performance, age, and condition and make recommendations to VA staff regarding practical life span, obsolescence, and replacement.  Determine the need for, specify, and have access to dosimetry and treatment planning equipment including, but not limited to, the following:  Measurement instruments to calibrate all treatment equipment and patient monitoring devices. Such instruments shall include ionization chambers/electrometers used as local standards and field instruments, readout devices, constancy check instruments, and phantoms.  Computerized treatment planning systems.  Computerized water phantom system with appropriate ionization chambers and diodes.  Film densitometry system.  Patient dose monitoring systems (e.g., diodes and Thermoluminescent dosimeters).  Radiation protection measurement devices.  Appropriate quality assurance test tools for radiation therapy equipment.  Provide advice and consultation, to VA and third-party clinical engineers, for the operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of the VA RADIATION ONCOLOGY’s linear accelerators and CT simulation equipment, all their relevant accessories and the computerized network interconnectivity; record and verification systems.  Develop and maintain a quality management program (QMP) for the dosimetry system(s) and all applications pertinent thereto. Said QMP shall define explicit evaluation criteria intended to ensure that the prescribed dose is delivered in a safe, consistent, and accurate manner.  Provide the VA Administrative Officer, Radiation Oncology Service, with annual written reports of these activities. Quality management of radiation therapy equipment is primarily an ongoing evaluation of functional performance characteristics.  Provide for an academic environment conducive to training and assist in the professional development of radiation oncology residents rotating through Radiation Oncology Service.  Define basic standards of practice and develop a reasonably prudent course of action to determine the training and quality and safety requirements of any new procedures prior to implementation thereof.  Coordinate, complete TLD measurements and submit results annually for 3rd party calibration analysis. This analysis confirms that monthly and annual calibrations are accurate and delivering radiation beam as prescribed.  Provide network and computer administration, including backups and updates for the SRS/SRT and IGRT systems. For IGRT the systems medical physicist will be required to provide computer support for configurations.  Monitor daily responsiveness of the departmental networking systems.  Ensure proper communication between imaging/planning/treatment facilities. Monitor all computer systems and patient data back-ups and overviews and troubleshoots computer software/hardware problems. Serve as a liaison/consultant with the VAMC informatics team.  Produce and maintain documentation of the following:  Calibration and periodic testing of the local standard system(s);  Periodic intercomparisons (and other checks) of dose measuring equipment.  Performance characteristics of all radiation treatment units and simulator(s) in comparison with previous measurements and with the manufacturer's specifications. Calibration(s) of all available radiation beams.  Parameterization of the characteristics of each available radiation beam with identification of all changes from previous characteristics.  Periodic testing of MU and/or time calculation system(s);  Input data for the radiation treatment planning system(s);  Initial and all subsequent tests of the treatment planning computer system(s). Technical standards applicable to new procedures and the results obtained in ensuring that any new procedure meets associated standards for the new procedure. Activities of the facility/practice safety program(s);  Periodic reports to the VA Chief, Radiation Oncology Service of radiation oncology and to the practice/facility administration describing the performance of the radiation therapy simulator(s), treatment unit(s), dosimetry system(s) and applications thereof.  All reports which pertain to the safe and accurate operation of the radiation therapy simulator(s), treatment unit(s), dosimetry system(s) and applications thereof. This list is non-exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake additional duties that are not specifically listed above.