Clinical Scientist

Job description

NHS Band 7 Salary:    £49,387 - £56,515 per annum
Hours Per Week:  Full time 37.5 hrs
Contract Type:  Permanent
We have a vacancy for a Band 7 Clinical Scientist in the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Physics and Non-Ionising Physics specialisms.  You will join a friendly team in the Radiological Sciences Group, Medical Physics department at the Queen Alexandra Hospital, who provide comprehensive scientific and technical support to clinical departments within and outside of Portsmouth. There will be some travel to other Hospitals/Centres, so a driving licence is essential in the longer term. Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust supports flexible working, and we would be happy to discuss options around this at interview.
The role is predominantly to support the MRI physics work but will also include work in other non-ionising radiation modalities such as the safety checks and provision of advice to users of UV phototherapy systems and clinical lasers. Applicants should ideally be HCPC registered clinical scientists, with experience in MRI physics. We will also consider candidates who have only partial experience for the scope of work or are in the final stages of their training. You are encouraged to apply, giving a personal statement which clearly identifies your experience to date. Full training will be given to support the role, where needed. The successful candidate would be encouraged to work towards certification to become MR Safety Expert.
The Medical Physics department in Portsmouth is an accredited training centre. There are strong links with Portsmouth, UCL and Surrey universities. The group in which you will work provides opportunities for staff to be involved in national professional groups / working parties and encourages staff to present and publish scientific work in support of their professional development.
Queen Alexandra Hospital is a large modern hospital serving the population of Portsmouth and South- East Hampshire. Portsmouth is a developing and historical, seaside city with mild sunny climate, beaches, and many cultural, sporting and leisure amenities. The New Forest, Isle of Wight and South Downs are within easy reach. The city has excellent road and rail links to London, as well as wider connections by sea and air via the nearby international airport. The local train station is within easy walking distance of the hospital.
Key Responsibilities
• Participate in the Quality Assurance programme for complex clinical MRI scanners, including routine testing, review of faults / post repair tests as required.
• Undertake equipment evaluation, acceptance testing and commissioning of new equipment. Ensure specifications are met and detailed baseline parameters are established, and that system performance characteristics are fully evaluated to aid optimization of diagnostic effectiveness.
• Undertake measurements of as part of the Quality Assurance programme for clinical UV (phototherapy) systems.
• Conduct and contribute to the development of audits, risk assessments, safety procedures, investigations and training resources.
• Liaise with consultant clinical staff, radiographic, service leads, engineering, nursing and other staff providing specialized scientific and technical support, advice and appropriate training as directed in the field of MRI physics, laser and UV physics.
• Undertake the practical training of STP trainees and pre-registration clinical scientists in the areas of MRI, UV and laser physics as appropriate.
• Assist in ensuring that staff are competent within the field of MRI, laser and UV physics according to individual training and development plans and that training is documented following departmental procedures.
For full job description and person specifications please refer to enclosed  Job description
If you would like an informal conversation about this position please contact Anne Davis, Head of Radiological Sciences Group Anne.Davis13@nhs.net or 02392 286450.
Qualifications
Essential
• BSc in Physics or Physical Science
• MSc (or equivalent e.g. MPhil) in IPEM approved medical physics related subject
• HCPC Registration via recognized route for Clinical Scientists in Medical Physics
Experience
Essential
• At least three years’ experience and specialized knowledge of scientific, technical and safety aspects of MRI
• Experience using computers and standard Microsoft Office applications (Excel and Word) to a high level.
Desirable
• Experience of working safely whilst under pressure.
• Experience using advanced data handling packages (e.g. Matlab, image J) and computer programming language
• Experience of research and development
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
• Effective communication skills, both written and spoken
• Able to organize own work, data, documentation
• Able to provide leadership and supervision for projects and the work of others
• Able to prioritise work according to service demands
• Analytical approach to problem solving
• Able to analyse facts and data methodically and accurately and extract significance
• Able to perform complex scientific measurements and tests with high precision, speed and accuracy, occasionally in hazardous conditions
• Able to work carefully, safely and competently with highly complex & costly equipment
• Understanding and ability in working safely with MRI and ideally lasers and UV.
• Able to provide teaching and training to professional, clinical and support staff
• Driving license
Desirable
• Good leadership skills
• Able to work independently and within different teams
• Able to balance competing priorities and demands within pressing timescales
• Basic management and project management skills
Personal Qualities
• Able to communicate complex facts and details to a wide range of professional groups
• Responsive and flexible attitude and approach
• Willingness to work at other sites within Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust and at the premises of other client / collaborating organizations according to prevailing service requirements
• Highly self-motivated
Additional Information
The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.
We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs.
For more information, please see our  People and OD Strategy 2026
About the Company
Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.
Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust