Physicist

Overview

Job Opportunity: Full Time- Medical Physicist (Board-Certified or Board-Eligible)

Location: Columbia, Missouri (On-Site)
Reports To: Chief Physicist
Organization: Missouri Cancer Associates (MCA)

Qualifications:

We are seeking a Medical Physicist to join our radiation oncology team in Columbia, Missouri. Our group balances the precise, demanding, and high-stakes nature of our work with a friendly, mutually supportive atmosphere. This on-site position is open to a medical physicist with a specialty in radiation therapy physics who is either board-certified or board-eligible*. The minimum degree requirement is an MS in medical physics.

*Note: "Board-eligible" means the candidate has completed the required accredited education and training pathway (typically a CAMPEP‑accredited graduate program plus a CAMPEP‑accredited residency, or an approved alternative) and therefore is eligible to sit for the American Board of Radiology (ABR) medical physics certification exams, but has not yet passed those exams and received ABR certification. Those expecting to complete such residencies in the near future are also encouraged to apply.

Required Skills:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Positive attitude, team player
• Desire to demonstrate initiative and ownership of daily tasks and projects
• Detail-oriented, thorough, and well-organized
• Ability to actively solve problems by seeking, developing, and implementing viable solutions
• Willingness to comply with government and professional regulations

Clinic Information:

• The MCA Radiation Oncology Department has 4 radiation oncologists, 3 dosimetrists (full-time and part-time), a chief physicist, and an open position for a staff physicist.
• Department hardware and software includes: Varian TrueBeam linac with OBI IGRT and AlignRT SGRT capabilites; portal dosimetry; SRS MapCheck; IC Profiler; DailyQA3; Multi-Met Winston-Lutz phantom and software; Radformation ClearCalc, ClearCheck, and AutoContour; Aria EMR/R&V; Eclipse treatment planning software; Elekta Flexitron/Oncentra HDR brachytherapy; GE CT scanner and Siemens PET-CT scanner; nuclear medicine lab

More About Us:

Missouri Cancer Associates (MCA) is Mid-Missouri’s only community-based cancer clinic, delivering world-class care for over 43 years. MCA has grown into a multi-specialty practice offering Medical Oncology, Hematology, Radiation Oncology, and Urology services. We proudly serve 105 of Missouri’s 114 counties through 12 locations, including Columbia, Kirksville, Lake of the Ozarks, Jefferson City, Macon, Marshall, Mexico, Moberly, Hannibal, and Sedalia.

Columbia is a perfectly located city in Central Missouri less than a two-hour drive from Kansas City and St. Louis. It is home to the University of Missouri, which provides endless activities for a family to enjoy. With a population of 131,000 residents, it has everything you’ll need and most anything you’ll want, great schools, shopping, quaint downtown and it is served by an airport with daily flights to Dallas, Denver, and Chicago.

Why Join MCA?

Culture & Community

• Affiliation with The US Oncology Network, the largest network of community-based cancer centers in the United States.
• Culture of Ownership and Employee Engagement
• Appreciation events, company parties, and engagement committees
• Community involvement (e.g., Gurucharri Foundation)

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Group Life & Voluntary Life Insurance.
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
• Health Spending Account (HSA).
• Paid time off and holidays
• Continuing education and certification support
• Employee assistance programs
• Wellness resources and engagement activities

Responsibilities

• Performs routine quality assurance tests of radiation-producing equipment, test equipment, and software in accordance with government and professional guidelines
• Performs pre-treatment reviews of external beam treatment plans and routine monitoring of treatment progress (chart checks)
• Follows protocols for performing and checking monitor units calculations to ensure all calculations agree with written prescription
• Participates in chart rounds to ensure the fulfillment of radiation prescriptions and to review any changes in dose and patient set-up
• Completes and maintains proper records of all required documentation relating to radiation therapy plans and treatments, as well as equipment QA and calibration records
• Collaborates with physicians to plan and deliver HDR brachytherapy treatments
• Advises and consults with physicians to provide advice or direction to technical staff when patients are being planned or treated
• Participates in the clinical instruction of newly hired radiation staff and radiation therapy students
• Assists with the direction of the radiation oncology physics program, including the technical direction of medical dosimetrists, therapy equipment service engineers, and other physics support staff
• Makes arrangements for proper maintenance of radiation treatment equipment
• Participates in the specification, selection, and acceptance of radiation-producing machines, accessories, and computerized treatment-planning system
• Periodically evaluates all equipment for continued utility, appropriateness, reliable performance, age, and condition, and makes recommendations on practical life span, obsolescence, and replacement

Qualifications

Required Skills:

Excellent written and verbal communication skills

A successful candidate will be a positive team player of Missouri Cancer Associates.

Knowledgeable in state and professional regulations

A desire to demonstrate initiative and ownership of daily tasks and projects

Detailed oriented, thorough, and well-organized

Ability to actively solve problems by seeking, developing, and implementing viable solutions

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Must have the ability to utilize components of the treatment-planning computer including but not limited to the use of keyboards, digitizers, trackball and mouse controls. Must be able to stand for 8 hours; lift 40-pound block to shoulder level; have sufficient visual acuity to distinguish structures and isodose displays on computer monitor.

Additionally, must be able to align treatment fields and monitor patients during radiation therapy treatment.