PhD student in Medical Radiation Physics with a focus on Radiotherapy Physics - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

The department of Medical Radiation Physics is engaged in research and education in ionizing and non-ionizing radiation, and its use mainly in medical applications. The major areas are radiation therapy, X-ray diagnostics, nuclear medicine including both diagnostics and therapy, as well as magnetic resonance imaging. Dosimetry and health aspects are of central importance in all of these areas. The research activities are mainly clinically oriented and often pursued in close cooperation with Skåne University Hospital.

Description

The Radiotherapy Physics research group aims at the development of personalized, adaptive radiotherapy, where the treatment is planned and delivered based on continuous dosimetric and radiobiological assessments. With this goal we strive to optimize the clinical processes for multi-modality imaging and active motion management, improving the dosimetric methods for treatment planning, delivery and verification with high precision in space and time, and advancing our radiobiological understanding to enable accurate modelling and prediction of the response of target and risk organs to fractionated radiotherapy.

To advance the activities in the area of radiobiology, the department has recently acquired a dedicated x-ray source for radiobiological research. This infrastructure will provide a platform for research groups working in the field of experimental radiobiology and pre-clinical radiotherapy, for instance regarding the development of the combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy. One important question in this context concerns the optimization of radiotherapy with respect to time, dose and fractionation.

We are looking for a doctoral student in Medical Radiation Physics with a focus on radiotherapy physics, for project work within dosimetry and mathematical modelling in relation to experimental radiobiology and pre-clinical radiotherapy.

Job assignment

The main task of the successful applicant is to engage in his/her own research education, which includes participation in research projects as well as postgraduate courses. The assignments also include participation in teaching and supervision in the Medical Physics education program, and in other institutional work (equivalent to a maximum of 20%). The research task will mainly focus on the development of dosimetric methods for experimental radiobiology and pre-clinical radiotherapy, and the development of mathematical models to describe the results from radiobiological experiments. By performing dosimetric calculations and simulations based on radiobiological models, the employee is expected to generate new hypotheses for continued experimental studies. The employee will work in close collaboration with other groups, who use the x-ray source in various radiobiological research projects.

The focus of the project lies in the field of Radiotherapy Physics, and the operations are located at the department of Medical Radiation Physics in Lund. The experimental part of the work will be performed primarily on the department’s new dedicated x-ray source for radiobiological research.

Qualifications

The applicant will have to fulfil basic as well as special eligibility requirements for doctoral studies in medical radiation physics. Basic eligibility is fulfilled by the student who has obtained a degree at advanced level, has completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 higher education credits at advanced level, or in some other way within or outside the country acquired essentially equivalent knowledge.

Special eligibility is fulfilled by the student who has completed a university degree in Medical Physics (or equivalent foreign degree), or has completed another university education for basic qualifications (240 higher education credits) and has undergone courses with at least 60 higher education credits, directly relevant to the doctoral student education at the postgraduate level, and completed a thesis of at least 30 higher education credits.

Requirements for applicants:

• Basic knowledge of dosimetry, treatment planning, radiotherapy, and radiobiology.
• Demonstrated interest in solving complex modelling problems through programming.

Meriting:

• Carried out a degree project within radiotherapy physics.
• Documented experience of programming and computer modelling.
• Good knowledge in English
• Licence to practice as a Medical Physicist, as the activity will be related to clinical equipment and hospital environment.

Great emphasis is placed on good cooperation and ability to benefit from the education.

Eligibility

The employment of doctoral students is regulated in the Swedish Code of Statues 1998: 80. Only those who are or have been admitted to PhD-studies may be appointed to doctoral studentships. When an appointment to a doctoral studentship is made, the ability of the student to benefit from PhD-studies shall primarily be taken into account. In addition to devoting themselves to their studies, those appointed to doctoral studentships may be required to work with educational tasks, research and administration, in accordance with specific regulations in the ordinance.

Application

The application should be made online. An incomplete application will not be processed.

The application must contain: 

1. CV
2. A copy of the degree project at the magisterial level (or equivalent)
3. Copies of certificates and documents that the applicant wishes to claim

Conditions

Limit of tenure, four years according to HF 5 kap 7§.