Researcher in Proton Therapy

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences has a vacancy for a 2-year position as Researcher in Proton Therapy

About the position:
 

Proton therapy has the potential to offer the most conformal radiation dose to patients, and the number of proton therapy centers around the globe follows a significantly upwards and persisting trend. Adaptive proton therapy, by monitoring and adapting to changes in patient anatomy between treatment fractions, is required to enable safe delivery of proton therapy and to spare healthy tissues. However, truly personalized, dose-escalated treatments with proton therapy are not yet possible due to the lack of real-time dose verification technology to truly empower patient-centered cancer treatment, important to improve survival and quality-of-life.  

The NOVO (Next generation imaging for real-time dose verification enabling adaptive proton therapy) project aims at making real-time dose verification an integral component of proton therapy-based cancer care in the long-term, allowing precise control over radiation doses delivered to the tumor, as well as preventing unintended exposure of healthy surrounding tissues. We will develop the first proof-of-concept of a groundbreaking real-time dose verification technology adaptable to any proton therapy treatment. The proof-of-concept detector system will be tested under pre-clinical conditions, bringing the envisaged technology concept to Technology Readiness Level 4. 

Starting in March 2024 for a duration of four years, NOVO will receive European Union’s funding of almost 3.8 million € from the European Innovation Council as part of the EIC Pathfinder Open program, under Horizon Europe. EIC Pathfinder supports the exploration of bold ideas for radically new technologies and finances high-risk / high gain and interdisciplinary cutting-edge science collaborations for technological breakthroughs.

In this project, the appointed Research Fellow will be working in Work Packages 2 (Image reconstruction & AI-enhanced modelling) and 3 (Dose reconstruction in clinical settings) and will collaborate with international and national experts on AI, image reconstruction and proton therapy. More specifically, the Research Fellow will be expected to work in close collaboration with project partners on the development of AI techniques to predict phase spaces of secondary particles of relevance i.e., fast neutrons and prompt gamma-rays in computational phantoms. The candidate will also be expected to be involved in the development of deep learning models that can be trained with highly accurate Monte Carlo type data to automatically predict the detector response for a given source distribution. The Research Fellow will be expected to support project partners tasked with the development of AI models with experimental insight, advanced skills in Monte Carlo type radiation transport modelling and insight into the complex signal processing chain of the NOVO prototype. In addition to this, the Research Fellow will be expected to work on prompt gamma-ray energy spectroscopy where novel analysis techniques such as Monte Carlo Library Least Squares will be in focus. The Research Fellow might also be asked to take on some administrative tasks within the project.

About the work tasks:

• Performing advanced Monte Carlo type radiation transport simulations.
• Performing processing of signals from radiation detection systems operated in pulse-mode.
• Participation in experimental campaigns
• Co-supervision of PhD candidates
• Performing administrative tasks
• Publication of research results in international scientific journals, conferences, and workshops

Qualifications:

Qualification requirements:

• Holds a PhD in nuclear engineering, physics, or similar.
• Legally able to visit nuclear technology facilities and laboratories, participate in experiments involving radiation detection measurements (especially neutron detection).
• Able to acquire and use export-controlled nuclear transport modelling software.
• Deep knowledge of radiation detection physics, ideally and especially pertaining to indirectly ionizing radiation (neutron and gamma ray) interactions in plastic organic scintillators.
• Strong experience with one or more Monte Carlo radiation transport modeling codes such as Geant4, MCNP, PHITS, or FLUKA, especially in generating event-by-event “list mode” data.
• Experience with data analysis strategies to process event-by-event data (experimentally acquired and from simulations) is strongly desirable.
• Strong programming experience in Python and/or C++ is required, and experience with the ROOT data analysis framework is a strong plus.

The following qualifications will be given special emphasis:

• Familiarity with image reconstruction methods, ideally as applied to particle-camera-type radiation detectors such as those used in medical imaging and nuclear security contexts, among other applications.
• Knowledge of medical physics / radiation therapy concepts, ideally including those unique to proton (or heavy ion) therapy
• General familiarity and experience with inverse problems.
• Radiation detector response measurement and characterization experience.
• Radiation detector response modeling/simulation experience.
• Experience with experimental neutron and gamma-ray detection, including pulse processing concepts and corresponding data analysis techniques (constant fraction discrimination, pulse shape discrimination, triggering logic, etc.), ideally in multi-detector systems where employing coincidence logic is necessary to filter out unwanted events.
• Experience with digitizer-based data acquisition systems.
• An interest in developing project management skills through assisting with the planning and coordination of regular meetings, annual workshops, and semiannual progress reports within the NOVO collaboration.
• Previous knowledge related to range verification in particle therapy will be considered an advantage.

Personal characteristics:

• Ability to work and collaborate in a multidisciplinary team, communicate effectively internally with colleagues of various backgrounds and in academic outlets (journals, conferences, etc.).
• Excellent skills in oral and written English. 

Application procedure:

Applications will be evaluated by an expert panel of three members.

Applicants are asked to submit their application and CV online. Please use the link “Apply for this job” (“Søk stillingen”).

The following documentation should be uploaded as an attachment to the online application:

• A copy of the PhD thesis
• Copies of selected academic publications (no more than 15)
• A CV with a complete list of academic publications
• Diplomas and certificates. 

Applicants with a degree from a country other than Norway, need to attach a certified translation of the diploma and transcripts of grades to English or a Scandinavian language, in addition to the original documents, if the original is not in any of these languages. It is required that the applicant encloses a recognition document showing that their degree is equivalent to a Norwegian bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or PhD. You can read more about applying for recognition of foreign higher education here.

The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) offers an automatic recognition document for certain degrees from selected countries. If the applicant’s degree is covered by the automatic recognition, it will be sufficient to attach this document. Read more about automatic recognition here.

As the HK-dir application process may take some time it is recommended to apply to HK-dir as soon as possible. If you have not received a recognition document from HK- dir within the  application deadline, please enclose documentation from HK-dir showing that they have received your application.

Applicants should note that the evaluation will be based on the documentation submitted electronically via Jobbnorge within the submission deadline. The applicants are responsible for ensuring that all the documentation is submitted before the closing date. It is of utmost importance that all publications to be considered in the evaluation are uploaded as an attachment with the application, since these are sent electronically to the expert panel. Applications cannot be sent by e-mail or to individuals at the college.

Salary:

• Good occupational pension, insurance and loan schemes from The Norwegian Public Service Pension Fund
• Exciting academic environment with the possibility of competence enhancement and development
• Opportunities for training within the working hours

There is a compulsory 2 % deduction to the pension fund (see http://www.spk.no for more information). The successful applicant must comply with the guidelines that apply to the position at any time.

General information:

The appointment will be made in accordance with the regulations for State employees Law in Norway (“Lov om statens ansatte)”. Organizational changes and changes in the duties and responsibilities associated with the position must be expected.

State employment shall reflect the multiplicity of the population at large to the highest possible degree. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences Bergen has therefore adopted a personnel policy objective to ensure that we achieve a balanced age and gender composition and the recruitment of persons of various ethnic backgrounds.

Information about the applicant may be made public even though the applicant has requested not to be named in the list of applicants. The applicant will be notified if his/her request is not respected.

Short-listed applicants will be called in for an interview.

Employed on condition that you are granted a work and residence permit (must be considered individually).

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences is subjected to the regulation for export control system. The regulation will be applied in the processing of the applications. 

Contacts:

1) Associate Professor Ilker Meric, +47 55 58 76 83, ilker.meric@hvl.no 

Inclusion, challenging norms, collaboration

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