Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Medical Applications of Particle Beams

Applications are invited for the position of Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Medical Applications of Particle Beams. We are searching for an academic with an excellent record in experimental research, who will develop and use accelerated particle beams for medical applications. The successful candidate will be a leading contributor to the interdisciplinary research in using accelerated particle beams to diagnose and/or treat cancer.

The post will be in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, but the successful candidate will be expected to forge strong collaborative links between the Cockcroft Institute for Accelerator Science (CI), the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH) and the Christie NHS hospital. The Cockcroft Institute is a regional collaboration of the Universities of Lancaster, Liverpool, Manchester and Strathclyde and STFC Accelerator Science and Technology Centre (STFC ASTeC).

The Cockcroft has three major research themes: frontier facilities (e.g. the Large Hadron Collider), advanced acceleration (e.g. plasma wakefield acceleration) and applications of particle accelerators (e.g. proton beam therapy). The Cockcroft Institute and Manchester University spans significant regional accelerator facilities in the northwest of England, including the Christie proton beam therapy centre, CLARA a 250 MeV electron accelerator, the Scottish Centre for Plasma Accelerators (SCAPA) and ion accelerators at the Dalton Cumbria Facility. The Christie NHS hospital operates one of two proton therapy treatment centres in the UK.

Part of the centre is the UK’s only dedicated proton therapy research room led by colleagues from FBMH. Areas of current research include novel dose delivery methods (FLASH therapy and spatially fractionated), imaging (using prompt photons and proton CT), high throughput radiobiology experiments (including novel tissue structures) and detectors and instrumentation. This is all underpinned by extensive mathematical models and simulations.

The successful candidate will be a leading contributor to the Cockcroft Institute for Accelerator Science, Manchester Accelerator Physics Group and research at the Christie NHS hospital proton therapy centre. Over the next period, there is expected to be opportunity for funding in this area enabling the successful candidate to develop ambitious research plans.

We are looking for candidates that are leaders or emerging as leaders in proton beam therapy, very high energy electron therapy, detectors and techniques for imaging and dosimetry or simulation. We would also welcome applications from individuals with a background in novel acceleration of particles for medical applications or accelerator-based techniques for radio-isotope production.

The Department of Physics and Astronomy is home to world leading high energy and nuclear physics groups that develop high performance detectors and measurement techniques relevant to medical beams. The faculty houses several institutes at the University that are world-leading in advanced technology research, including the Photon Science Institute, National Graphene Institute and The Royce Institute for advanced materials. In addition, the faculty has strong links with national laboratories with a particle therapy research component, including the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Extreme Photonics Applications Centre (EPAC) at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.

Application forms and further particulars are available at www.manchester.ac.uk/jobs. Along with your application, you should submit a single file containing your CV, list of publications, personal research statement (max 2 pages), teaching statement (max 2 pages) and the names of three references.

What you will get in return:

• Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
• Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
• Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
• Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
• Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers

As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit. Our University is positive about flexible working.

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered. Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies. Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk. Any CVs submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date. Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.