Principal Clinical Scientist - Diagnostic Radiology and Radiation Protection

 Band 8B: £64,455 – £74,896

Full‑time: 37.5 hours per week

Permanent contract

Are you looking for a senior scientific role where your expertise genuinely shapes clinical services, influences Trust‑wide safety, and supports innovation across a large and diverse healthcare system? The Radiological Sciences Group at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust is looking for an experienced and motivated Clinical Scientist to join our expanding team as a Principal Clinical Scientist (Band 8B).

This is a key leadership post within a highly respected, friendly and forward‑thinking Medical Physics service. You will work alongside a team of 11 scientists, technologists and trainees, providing expert support across a wide range of diagnostic radiology modalities for Portsmouth Hospitals and several external healthcare partners.

Why join us?

Lead at scale and influence real change

You will act as a Radiation Protection Adviser and Medical Physics Expert, taking responsibility for major diagnostic X‑ray modalities and supporting Trust‑wide compliance, optimisation and innovation. You’ll have the autonomy to shape policy, lead investigations, and directly influence patient and staff safety.

• Leadership impact across multiple hospitals
• High‑level responsibility as RPA/MPE
• Opportunities to innovate and optimise imaging services

A department that invests in your development

Portsmouth is an accredited training centre with strong academic links to Portsmouth, UCL and Surrey universities. We actively support:

• Higher Specialist Scientific Training (HSST)
• Part‑time PhD opportunities
• National working groups and professional committees
• Presenting and publishing scientific work

Your continued professional development is a priority, and you’ll have protected opportunities to grow your expertise and profile.

A collaborative, supportive team culture

You’ll join a welcoming group of scientists, technologists and trainees who work closely with clinical teams across radiology, ED, theatres and specialist services.

• Cross disciplinary collaboration
• Supportive supervision and mentoring environment
• Opportunities to supervise trainees and shape the next generation

Flexible working and work–life balance

We understand that senior scientific roles need flexibility. The Trust supports:

• Flexible working arrangements
• Part‑time working options
• Hybrid working where appropriate

A fantastic place to live and work

Portsmouth is a vibrant seaside city with a mild climate, beaches, a historic waterfront, and excellent transport links. The New Forest, South Downs and Isle of Wight are all close by.

• Coastal lifestyle with great amenities
• Easy access to London and international travel
• Affordable living compared to other coastal cities

Who we’re looking for

We welcome applications from candidates who are:

• HCPC‑registered Clinical Scientists
• Accredited RPAs and MPEs (Diagnostic Radiology)
• Laser Protection Adviser qualified (desirable, not essential)

For additional information, please see attached Job description

If you don’t meet every criterion, we still encourage you to apply — we are open to structured role development for the right candidate. Please complete a personal statement or add in the “message to manager” function to your application, explaining why you are a suitable candidate for this post.

Interested? Let’s talk.

We encourage informal conversations — come and meet the team, see the department, and get a feel for the role.

Anne Davis, Head of Radiological Sciences 02392 286450 - Anne.Davis13@nhs.net

Matt Daniel, Principal Physicist & Radiation Protection Adviser 02392 283299 ext 3299 - matthew.daniel3@nhs.net

Qualifications

Qualifications and Experience

Essential

• Certification as a Radiation Protection Adviser
• Certification as Medical Physics Expert (Diagnostic Radiology)
• MSc (or equivalent) in Medical Physics-related subject
• HCPC registration as a Clinical Scientists in Medical Physics
• Extensive experience and highly specialized knowledge in radiation protection and / or imaging physics

Desirable

• Certification as Laser Protection Adviser
• Record of publications in peer reviewed journals, specialist publications
• Experience of leading and managing teams, and projects
• Track record of presenting scientific papers at conferences/specialist interest groups
• Professional involvement with special interest groups, national working parties or advisory bodies

Skills and Knowledge

• Expert knowledge of Medical Physics in the field of radiation protection and imaging physics
• Well-developed and effective communication skills, both written and spoken
• Able to organize work and prioritize work according to service demands and competing pressures and able to develop policy and implement within own sphere of responsibility
• Evidence of leadership, and negotiating skills
• Well-developed advanced analytical skills in problem solving
• Experience using computers and standard Microsoft Office applications (Excel and Word) to a high level.
• Highly skilled at performing complex scientific measurements and tests with high precision, speed and accuracy, occasionally in hazardous conditions
• Highly developed skills in working with advanced, complex & costly equipment under normal and abnormal operating conditions
• Highly developed advanced skills for working safely with radiation sources, machines and a good understanding of ionizing radiation legislation and quality standards.
• Well-developed skills in teaching and training professional, clinical and support staff
• Effective at working independently and within different teams, contributing to groups and committees
• Ability to serve on local and regional task forces and/or committees
• Experience of LREC applications, interpretation and application of government legislation within the field of radiological imaging.

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.

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