PET Research Delivery Coordinator

Job id: 085985. Salary: £43,205 - £50,585, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 08 March 2024. Closing date: 07 April 2024.

Business unit: Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine. Department: PET Imaging Centre Facility.

Contact details:Giorgio Testanera. [email protected]

Location: St Thomas’ Campus. Category: Professional & Support Services.

The PET Centre is part of both King's College London's (KCL’s) Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, and Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT). Using 3 PET-CT scanners and 1 PET-MRI scanner, our work includes providing a clinical PET service for >8,000 patients per year from across South-East London as well as national referrals from other UK centres. We also support clinical and technical research programs with collaborators from the Hospital, the Medical School and other institutions. Clinical and research imaging capabilities are greatly enhanced by our on-site cyclotrons and radiochemistry laboratories, with tracers produced to GMP standards. 

In partnership with Imperial College London, we have been selected through open competition by the Medical Research Council (MRC) as one of two initial sites for the UK Total Body PET infrastructure (National Total Body PET Imaging Platform (NPIP, https://npip.org.uk/ ), one in London and one in Scotland. A new Siemens Quadra Total Body PET (TBP) will be installed over the summer, 2024. As part of NPIP, we will be supporting research imaging projects led by colleagues across the UK, and making sure these are delivered efficiently alongside our local research projects and clinical service work.

We are now seeking an experienced research coordinator to manage the delivery of the PET Centre’s research portfolio, with a particular emphasis on Total Body PET studies proposed by the NPIP Central Hub, external researchers, and local clinical and research teams. This role requires an individual who is highly organised, and passionate about improving patient care through research. The post holder will be responsible to the PET Centre Service Manager, and will work closely with key clinical, academic and administrative staff to ensure excellent standards of research governance, and delivery of studies to time and target. They will provide expertise in the management of a portfolio of clinical and technical research studies, especially with regards to the legal framework surrounding research, including Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Human Tissue Act (HTA), Research Ethics and Health Research Authority (HRA) regulations, and in Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC) and Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R) requirements. They will provide support to a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals and academics, and will link with the School’s wider research delivery teams to ensure effective processes and procedures are implemented and followed. 

The post holder should be experienced in delivering research projects, including compliance with International Committee on Harmonisation of Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) guidelines. They should be familiar with working with NHS Trusts and have good knowledge of the NHS Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care. To succeed in this role, the post holder will need a proven background in clinical research delivery, and experience of working in a multidisciplinary clinical academic environment. Prior experience of working with imaging studies, and knowledge of ARSAC and IR(ME)R requirements would be an advantage.

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract until 30 September 2030.

This is a full-time post, with on-site attendance at St Thomas’ Hospital expected. While some remote working may be permitted, the post holder will usually be required to be on site at least 3 days a week.

Key responsibilities

• To provide expertise in the management of a portfolio of clinical research studies, especially with regards to the policy framework surrounding health and care research in the UK, including the principles outlined by the International Committee on Harmonisation of Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP), Human Tissue Act (HTA), Research Ethics Service and Health Research Authority (HRA) regulations and in the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations (IR(ME)R) and the Administration of Radioactive Substances Advisory Committee (ARSAC) requirements.  
• To ensure that PET studies receive and maintain the appropriate regulatory approvals throughout their life cycle by co-ordinating the completion and submission of applications for ethical and R&D approvals. Maintain a log of applications, deal with queries and responses in collaboration with the Chief Investigator or Principal Investigator.  
• To support Principal Investigators to navigate the research governance landscape and act as the main contact for all research governance matters. This includes ensuring that correct processes are adhered to in the day-to-day running of the study and that Trust wide standards are maintained. 
• To be the nominated Departmental lead engaging with R&D teams across the University and Guys & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (e.g. Research Grants, Information Governance, R&D Governance), as well as R&D teams at external centres.  
• To maintain an up to date accessible database with the current status of all research studies 
• To lead on monitoring the performance of research studies according to recruitment targets and study milestones. This includes maintaining and updating research database such as EDGE/CPMS, and maintaining study site files (TMF/ISF) in accordance with ICH-GCP. 
• To provide guidance to multi-disciplinary staff on issues relating to research governance; staff will include Radiographers and Technologists, Clinicians, Scientists, and Radiochemistry staff. This includes providing advice on specific regulatory questions applicable to both individual studies and the overall policies of the Department, assisting in drafting and updating departmental research related SOPs and study specific SOPs. 
• To liaise with KCL and GSTFT contracts departments to draft and complete research agreements such as data transfer agreements, material transfer agreements, service level agreements etc. with external partners and subcontractors; which may be private industry, other universities and NHS partners. 
• To support the administration of ARSAC license requirements for clinical and research projects, requiring close co-ordination with key staff in both PET and the GSTT nuclear medicine Department 
• To work closely with the PET Centre Service Manager, User Access Coordinator, Principal Investigators, Practice Development Lead, Lead Radiographers, Medical Physicists and management teams to ensure efficiency in research activities in the Department. 
• To act as a point of contact for the PET portfolio of studies and represent the Department at relevant committees which concern research delivery (e.g. Facilities, IT, Governance).  
• To communicate effectively and maintain a good working relationship with colleagues within the School, University, Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and wider NHS and NPIP partners. 
• To ensure that resources are used effectively, in line with stakeholders’ requirements, prioritising projects and tasks when necessary. Collaboration and coordination with the Imaging, Physics and Radiochemistry teams will be necessary to deliver to time and target and manage expectations of researchers.  
• To use initiative and creativity to resolve issues that might arise and identify issues that require onward escalating to the Chief Investigator and Principal Investigators. 
• To engage and collaborate with external research teams as well as King’s Health Partners (KHP) clinical research delivery teams, and to liaise closely with industrial collaborators. 
• To provide administrative support to PET research, operational and stakeholder meetings. 
• To attend and chair Research Review Meeting actively participating in the discussion to coordinate efforts. 
• To work with the senior managers, Principal Investigators and operational teams to set project milestones as appropriate, and to monitor finances where needed in accordance with funding agreements. 
• To support the PET Centre operational and administrative leads in drafting reports required by NPIP and/or other funders (for example: interim, milestone, annual reports and surveys), and assist with ensuring funder reports are completed and satisfactory.  
• To proactively pursue Continuous Personal Development opportunities 
• To handle situations that require sensitivity, a high level of awareness of confidentiality, and general tact and diplomacy. 
• To demonstrate leadership and innovation in the implementation of environmentally sustainable practices, recording progress through the King’s sustainability audit process and sharing good practice. To nurture and encourage sustainable practices and leadership within the postholder’s team and networks
• To facilitate an inclusive culture and ethos working with academic, research and other professional services staff and colleagues external to King’s.
• To ensure data integrity is maintained at all times by adherence to General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and ICH-GCP guidelines.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Essential criteria

Desirable criteria 

Candidates with an existing NHS Pension may choose to remain in that scheme if they wish to do so. Further information is available via our HR Department.

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service.