IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title:
MR Physicist
Department:
Medicine
Job Family/Level:
Academic and Research, Level B
Salary Range:
£29,350 - £42,380 per annum
Key Working Relationships (internal):
Interact with preclinical and clinical
researchers/scientists, other physicists
and imaging scientists, engineers,
radiographers, and technicians across
Imperial
College
London
(and
collaborators at UCL)
Key Working Relationships (external):
Interactions with external collaborators
and sponsors.
Duration:
Full-time, fixed-term for two years
Location:
Hammersmith Campus
Background
Imperial College London has invested in a new Biological Imaging Centre (BIC)
within the Department of Medicine at the Hammersmith Campus. The BIC houses a
Bruker 9.4T MR system, a Siemens Inveon PET/SPECT/CT system and optical
imaging technologies, making it well equipped for performing high quality in vivo
research.
Imperial College London has one of the most advanced in vivo research including
cardiovascular, brain and oncology programmes anywhere in the world. This
excellence in cardiac and other research areas is supported through advanced in
vivo preclinical imaging.
The Bruker system comes equipped with a variety of coils for general body imaging,
as well as specialised surface and array coils for cardiac and brain imaging, in vivo.
The system has multinuclear capability for phosphorus, carbon and fluorine
spectroscopy. In addition it has been equipped with Bruker’s CryoProbe™ system
which is able to deliver significantly increased signal-to-noise ratios. Many imaging
protocols have been supplied, pre-configured to provide comprehensive coverage of
various anatomies of interest, and cover fMRI, cardiac tagging, ASL, DWI and DTI,
ultra-short echo imaging, and advanced spectroscopy methods. These protocols all
run under the latest version of system software, ParaVision 6.
An advanced physiological monitoring and triggering system is also in place.
The Purpose of the Post
The MR Physicist will run cardiac and other imaging projects, developing and
implementing new MR imaging and spectroscopy methods with respect to the
preclinical imaging initiatives within the Imperial BIC. Guidance in these tasks will be
provided by the Director of BIC (Dr Lan Zhao) and Dr Daniel Stuckey, as well as
imaging scientists from the College and UCL’s Centre for Advanced Biomedical
Imaging (CABI).
Particular areas of interest include:
 High resolution imaging of global and regional cardiac function in experimental
models of heart disease and therapy
 Contrast and non-contrast methods for imaging of cardiac viability, oedema,
perfusion and diffuse fibrosis
 Accelerated acquisition strategies
 Stem cell tracking using direct and genetic cell labelling strategies
 Molecular imaging of pathological processes implicit in heart disease
 Phenotyping of transgenic models of heart disease. Diffusion tensor imaging and
Q-space imaging methods development
 Dynamic contrast enhanced imaging and ASL-based perfusion imaging in multiple
organs
 Improving contrast in 3D structural scans of multiple organs
 Renal perfusion/functional imaging
 Brain imaging
 Body imaging including application to oncology
Key Responsibilities
Research
 Run collaborative imaging projects with researchers
 Take responsibility for methodology development projects in some of the areas
outlined above
 Develop imaging methods under guidance at UCL’s CABI and implement them at
the BIC
 Ensure MR research is carried out to the highest possible standard
 Design and implement novel MRI/MRS methods and effect improvements to
existing techniques
 Implement MRI/MRS pulse sequences described in the literature or acquired
through external collaborations
 Support routine PET calibration studies
 Support PET-MR registration
 Work in new application areas on a variety of different projects
 Support a range of studies and technical systems with different rates of change
and degrees of complexity
 Assist with the analysis of data
 Assist in writing reports to research sponsors
 Present findings to colleagues
 Assist with the publication of findings
 Attend relevant workshops and conferences as necessary
 Develop contacts within the College and the wider community
 Promote the reputation of the Group, the Department and the College
Supporting the facilities users
 Ensure, by liaising with team members that all the equipment in his/her work area
is maintained and working correctly
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To liaise with equipment manufacturers in maintenance of the scanner and
ancillary equipment
Monitor and maintain a safe working environment in accordance to Health &
Safety procedures
Demonstrate depth or breadth of knowledge in MRI techniques
Provide advice to other staff and students
May be required to demonstrate MRI techniques to students, visitors and other
members of the department
Participate in core support tasks, including data management
Supervision of students
Other duties
 To undertake any other necessary training and/or personal development
 To undertake appropriate administration tasks
To observe and comply with all College policies and regulations, including the
key policies and procedures on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest, Business
Continuity, Data Protection, Equal Opportunities, Ethics related, External
Interests, Financial Regulations, Health and Safety, Imperial Expectations (for
new leaders, managers and supervisors), Information Technology, and
Smoking.
To undertake specif Health and Safety Structure and Responsibilities web page
(http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/safety/policies/organisationandarrangements).
Job descriptions cannot be exhaustive and the post-holder may be required to
undertake other duties, which are broadly in line with the above key
responsibilities.
Imperial College London is committed to equality and valuing diversity.
Person Specification
Imperial Expectations
These are the 7 principles that Imperial leaders, managers and supervisors are
expected to follow:
1) Champion a positive approach to change and opportunity
2) Communicate regularly and effectively within, and across, teams
3) Consider the thoughts and expectations of others
4) Deliver positive outcomes
5) Encourage inclusive participation and eliminate discrimination
6) Support and develop staff to optimise talent
7) Work in a planned and managed way
Candidates/postholders will be expected to demonstrate the following:
Qualifications:
Essential
 A PhD degree or equivalent in Medical Physics or a closely related
discipline
Desirable
 Home Office personal licence modules 1,2,3,4
Knowledge and Experience:
Essential
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Experience with preclinical imaging
Experience with MRI sequence development
Good knowledge of MRI Physics
Good knowledge of and expertise with MRI data processing
Desirable
 Good knowledge and practical experience of C/C++ development.
 Experience of some or all of the techniques specified in the job
description
 Good knowledge of Cardiac MRI
Skills and Abilities
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Ability in MRI sequence development and data processing
Ability to develop and apply new concepts
Creative approach to problem-solving.
Excellent verbal communication skills and the ability to deal with a wide
range of people
Be able to communicate well with scientists, engineers, health
professionals and to work as part of a team
Excellent written communication skills and the ability to write clearly and
succinctly for publication
Self-motivated, able to work independently as well as be part of a
multidisciplinary team, and be intellectually flexible
An absolute commitment to safety in an MR environment
Personal Attributes
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Willingness to undertake any necessary training for the role
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Willingness to work as part of a team and to be open-minded and
cooperative
A meticulous approach and attention to detail
Discipline and regard for confidentiality, safety and security at all times
An open, flexible and positive approach to working in a constantly
changing environment
The post holder should be prepared to work unsociable hours as work
demands from time to time