Faraday Cup Dosimetry for spot scanning proton therapy

Position: Research Assistant / PhD

Institution: West German Proton Therapy Center Essen

Location: Essen, Germany

Application closes at: Oct 15th, 2026 17:54

URL: https://www.wpe-uk.de/en/research-assistant-in-medical-physics-proton-dosimetry/

We are seeking a PhD candidate in the field of computational medical physics (75%, TV-L E13, 3 years) to join our DFG-funded research project “Dosimetry with a Faraday cup for pencil beam scanning proton therapy”

from 1 January 2027

The project aims to develop and further improve methods for the absolute dosimetry of proton fields. Particular emphasis is placed on Faraday cup-based dosimetry, which enables the measurement of the number of protons delivered by individual beam spots in a pencil beam scanning system. The research combines fundamental questions in proton dosimetry with application-oriented aspects of clinical dosimetry.

Specifically, the project will involve the design and characterization of dosimetry sensors and their readout electronics, Monte Carlo simulations, and experimental investigations with proton beams. Building on an approach recently developed by the research group, the project aims to further improve the accuracy and robustness of Faraday cup-based dosimetry while keeping hardware requirements comparatively low. The opportunity to pursue a doctorate is offered. The doctorate is embedded in medical and medical physics research at the WPE and in the regional research landscape of the Ruhr universities, in particular the DFG-funded research training group GRK 3043 – AMTEC-PRO – Advanced Methods and Technologies for Proton Therapy.