PhD Research Fellow in Modelling and development of a range assessment-based treatment verification

The Department of Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Mathematical Sciences at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, has a vacancy for a research fellow (PhD position) in computational and experimental medical physics for a period of 3 years.The PhD research fellow will be part of the PhD programme in Computer Science: Software Engineering, Sensor Networks and Engineering Computing (https://ict.hvl.no). The research programme in Computer Science currently includes 20 professors and associate professors, more than 30 PhD and post-doctoral fellows, and a large number of master’s students.

About the PhD project/ work tasks:

Particle therapy (PT) is a promising radiotherapy modality for the treatment of cancerous tissue. Yet, range uncertainties caused by treatment planning, anatomical changes, patient motion and positioning, inter- and intra-fractional organ motion pose a significant challenge in clinical practice, which limit its true potential.

In December 2019, HVL was awarded a research grant from the Research Council of Norway for a project entitled “Neutron and gamma-ray imaging for real-time range verification and image guidance in particle therapy” (NOVO). The main aim of NOVO is to develop the proof-of-concept of a new imaging system based on densely stacked, optically segmented arrays of organic scintillators with sufficient sensitivity to secondary fast neutrons and prompt gamma-rays produced in nuclear interactions of incident particles with human tissue. The emission patterns of these secondaries encode valuable information on the range of incident particle beams, which will help to reduce potential adverse effects of range uncertainties through real-time Range assessment-based Treatment Verification (RTV).

The NOVO project is the result of a large collaboration with numerous respectable research institutions from Europe and the USA. Therefore, the hired candidate will have the opportunity to work and develop the needed skills in a highly international environment. The position is focusing on detector characterization and modelling, as well as on image reconstruction. With this work, the PhD student makes an important contribution to the development of a clinically applicable RTV system.

Work tasks:

• Tests and characterization of the organic detector elements with radioisotopes and at experimental photon and neutron beamlines such as nELBE at Helmholtz Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR).
• Development of Monte Carlo models of the detector elements and the detector array
• Implementation of probabilistic image reconstruction algorithms
• Tests and characterization of a detector array in photon, neutron and proton beams at the partner institutions (OncoRay, Germany, KU Leuven, Belgium, HollandPTC, The Netherlands, and Ruder Boskovic Institute, Croatia)
• Publication of results in appropriate scientific journals
• Presentation of results obtained at international scientific conferences / workshops
• Close collaboration with medical experts and other scientific personnel at partner institutions

Research environment

The computer science research environment at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences has a strong focus on use-inspired and applied research, and on ICT as an enabling technology. The research environment has cooperation with many national and international research groups, and with national and regional industry partners. The research programme includes the research themes of software engineering, engineering computing, sensor networks and measurement technologies, grid computing and physics data analysis, machine learning, and interactive and collaborative systems.

The present PhD research fellow position is associated with the sensor networks and measurement technologies research group (https://www.hvl.no/en/research/group/sensor-network-and-measurement-technology/) with a strong track record in sensor networks and communication, condition monitoring and technology in health and care.

PhD research fellows receive an annual work expense funding which can be used for conference participation, research visits, and equipment. The place of employment is Campus Bergen.

Qualifications:

Admission requires that the applicant holds a master’s degree in informatics, computer science, software engineering, communication systems, engineering computing, scientific computing, or computational engineering. In addition, applicants holding a master’s degree in radiation (or experimental nuclear) physics, medical physics, nuclear engineering, or a closely related field with strong emphasis on the computational and experimental aspects will also qualify for admission to the programme.

Candidates who have submitted a master’s thesis (but who has not yet been awarded a master’s degree) may also qualify for the position provided that the master`s degree is awarded within 4 weeks after the application deadline. A solid background in, and theoretical understanding of Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations, radiation detection and measurement systems and analysis of data from such systems, previous knowledge of particle therapy and challenges related to particle beam range uncertainties, and programming experience in Python, MATLAB, C++ or Root will be considered an advantage when candidates are ranked. Candidates already holding a PhD within this field are not eligible for this position.

In addition to the required educational and scientific background, the following criteria will be evaluated: competence and grades on completed course work, quality of the master's thesis (excellent grade, equivalent of grade B or better on the ECTS grading system), publications (if any), research and teaching experience, practical software engineering skills and experience. A possible outline of a research plan for a potential PhD project will also be taken into account.

The candidate must be diligent and display the ability to work independently, supplemented with regular guidance, and is expected to carry out high-quality research and to publish the results in international workshops, conferences, and journals.

The PhD research fellow must enroll in the PhD programme in Computer Science: Software Engineering, Sensor Networks and Engineering Computing at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and must meet the formal admission requirements for admission into the PhD programme. The employment period may be reduced if the successful applicant has held previous employment as a research fellow.

The PhD candidate will be assigned one academic supervisor at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and three co-supervisors at partner institutions. An application for enrolment should first be submitted after an appointment is made and the supervisor(s) will help with this procedure. The candidate must be enrolled as a PhD student within 3 months from the start of the employment.

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:

• Master Thesis
• Copies of selected academic publications (no more than 15)
• A CV with a complete list of academic publications
• Diplomas and certificates

Applicants should indicate which publications or parts of publications should be given special consideration in the evaluation. If the documents submitted are not in a Scandinavian language or in English, the applicants must submit certified translations of these. The transcripts must specify the topics, the course works, and the grades at the bachelor`s and master`s degree levels.

Applicant whose education is from another country than Norway, need to also attach a certified translation of the diploma and transcript of grades to English or a Scandinavian language, if the original is not in any of these languages. It is required that the applicant enclose a review from NOKUT whether the education (bachelor and master’s degree) is of a scope and level that corresponds to the level of a Norwegian master’s degree. Please see www.nokut.no/en for more information about NOKUT’s general recognition. This may take some time and we recommend you to apply as soon as you know you will apply for this position. If no answer within the application deadline, please enclose documentation from NOKUT 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

Initial salaries will be offered at grade 54 (code 1017) in the Civil Service pay grade table scale.

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 and a presentation of previous work, e.g. based on their master’s thesis.

Contacts:

1) Associate Professor Ilker Meric, phone: +47 55 58 76 83, e-mail: ilker.meric@hvl.no

2) Professor Håvard Helstrup, Coordinator of PhD Programme on Computer Science, phone: (+47) 55 58 75 61, e-mail: Havard.Helstrup@hvl.no

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