Job Summary:

In accordance with the Purpose, Vision, Values and Coast Salish Teachings, and strategic direction of PHSA, safety, including both patient and employee safety, is a priority and a responsibility shared by everyone at PHSA. As such, the requirement to continuously improve quality and safety is inherent in all aspects of this position.

The Radiation Therapy Service Technologist Trainee performs a variety of duties related to the maintenance, repair, troubleshooting and testing on a variety of radiation therapy and radiation safety equipment, including their operating systems, to ensure the accuracy of machines and minimize machine downtime.

Duties/Accountabilities:

1. Maintains, services, troubleshoots and tests radiation therapy equipment such as linear accelerators, cobalt units, low energy x-ray units, simulators, remote afterloading devices, and related ancillary systems under the direction of the Medical Physics Leader through performing duties such as:

• Assessing and reporting to the Medical Physics Leader or designate, any information regarding the ability of treatment machines (or lack thereof) to function within manufacturers' specifications and/or as required by the program.
• Replacing and/or repairing components such as but not limited to: power supplies, circuit boards, relays, motors, ionization chambers, electron gun filaments, RF components, high tension components.  
• Performing RF Tuning, beam steering, beam energy adjustments.  
• Handling activated components in the linear accelerator head and disassembling equipment for decommissioning.   
• Establishing and maintaining high vacuum conditions in accelerating waveguides.
• Collaborating with Medical Physicists to repair and maintain related electronic equipment such as dosimeters, electrometers and beam scanners, which includes assessing their performance and verifying calibration.
• Second sourcing mechanical and electrical components.
• Conducting appropriate quality control and safety checks.
• Maintaining low dose rate remote afterloading units.

2. Maintains related records by documenting information regarding maintenance, service, parts, calibration, tests and modifications performed.

3. Participates as a member of the care team through performing duties such as functioning as a technical resource within the relevant scope of knowledge on equipment operation for other staff such as radiation therapists, nurses, oncologists and physicists.

4. Provides orientation on correct operating procedures to new staff including physics students, as assigned.

5. Contributes to the radiation therapy service by performing such duties as designing, constructing and testing electronic accessories relevant to the radiation therapy process.

6. Participates in emergency servicing of radiation therapy equipment, as assigned by the Medical Physics Leader.

7. Performs other related duties, as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education, Training and Experience

• Diploma from a recognized training program in Biomedical Engineering or Electronics Technology.

• Minimum three (3) years of experience servicing biomedical equipment or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience acceptable to the Agency.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated understanding of biomedical equipment advanced level theory
• Demonstrated ability to work with others including in house service technologists and manufacturer service engineers
• Demonstrated proficiency in operating biomedical equipment
• Demonstrated proficiency in diagnosing, repairing and performing preventative maintenance on biomedical equipment
• Demonstrated ability to recognize personal limitations and only perform tasks that are within their abilities and experience
• Demonstrated understanding of the operation of dual energy linear accelerators and all components, CT simulators and all components
• Demonstrated knowledge of safety issues associated with high voltage and ionising radiation
• Demonstrated expertise with networked computer systems at the hardware level as well as with all related software, including embedded or proprietary systems
• Ability to interface different clinical devices to the computer networks
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles of physics as they are applied to radiation emitting apparatus
• Demonstrated technical knowledge of methods of radiation production and radiation measurement
• Ability to work independently and make decisions under pressure
• Ability to demonstrate techniques to co-workers and students
• Ability to communicate effectively with others, verbally and in writing
• Physical ability to carry out the duties and responsibilities of the position
•      Demonstrated skills in CPR techniques.