Master Thesis - Medical Radiation Physics

RaySearch develops innovative software solutions to improve cancer care. About 1000 clinics in more than 40 countries use RaySearch software to improve treatments and quality of life for patients. RaySearch was founded in 2000 and is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. The headquarters is located in Stockholm, with subsidiaries in the US, Europe, Asia and Australia & New Zealand. Today we are more than 380 employees with a common vision of improving cancer care with innovative software. Our great staff is crucial for our success and we offer a fantastic working environment in modern offices, flexibility and good opportunities for development. We believe in equal opportunities, value diversity and work actively to prevent discrimination.

Are you in the end of your studies within engineering physics, medical physics, computer science or similar and want to make an impact with technology in cancer treatment? RaySearch now offers one Master Thesis position within physics, starting in January 2025.

“Starting my master thesis at RaySearch, as an engineering physics student without much background in medical physics, I was awed by the intricate and fascinating problems that are being solved within this field. After being given the chance to combine high-performance programming with modern physics in a setting where every advancement results in improved cancer treatment for patients world-wide, it's almost hard to imagine doing something else.”

Gustav Lidberg, System Developer, Physics

We offer the following Master Thesis project:

Master Thesis project: Biologically consistent dose accumulation in radiotherapy

Healthy tissues generally recover more effectively from radiation damage than cancer cells. For this reason, radiotherapy is delivered in multiple fractions, typically one per day, five times a week, allowing normal tissue to recover while administering the same effect to the tumor. This short-term recovery can be incorporated into the linear-quadratic (LQ) model, which is the primary model used to describe cell survival as a function of dose. This model is also used in clinics to translate between dose levels that yield the same expected outcomes for different fractionation schemes by converting physical doses into equieffective doses (EQDX) for comparison. Additionally, the EQDX concept is useful for combining radiotherapy treatments with different particles, varying numbers of fractions, or distinct dose distributions – factors that are becoming increasingly important with daily treatment adaptations, combination therapies, and re-irradiation.

The proposed project aims to evaluate the optimal methods for biologically consistent dose accumulation in adaptive, re-irradiation, and combination therapies, where both dose distributions and anatomical structures change over time. This includes assessing image registration strategies, the order of dose conversion/mapping, methods for EQDX conversion, among other factors. In this work, RayStation scripting (Python) and C++ implementation within the RayStation code base can be used to explore the implications and effects of using different strategies. Analyzing the results and developing appropriate programming solutions will be key components of the project.

Starting your career at RaySearch

Joining RaySearch as a Master Thesis student, you will:

• … get a solid introduction to our company, products and ways of working.
• …become part of an innovative global Swedish company with head office and R&D department in central Stockholm with a chance of full-time employment after graduation.
• … join 180 well-educated and dedicated engineers who enjoy knowledge sharing, problem solving and working in teams
• … work with cutting-edge technology for cancer treatment. Your daily work will contribute to improve cancer treatments for patients all over the world.

Our office

Our office is located in Hagastaden, Stockholm's Life Science Hub, with a modern and creative work environment. We offer a private gym, yoga, and social activities such as table tennis, foosball, and regular after-work events. Our bistro serves a fantastic lunch buffet, and every day we provide morning fika, as well as afternoon snacks. Our rooftop terrace offers a stunning view of Stockholm.

Who can apply?

Master students with a big interest in programming as well as physics. The start of the thesis project is planned for January 2025.

You are a master student within physics, medical engineering, computer science or similar. You have a great interest in software development and contributing to our mission. Programming skills, relevant hobby projects and summer/part time jobs within software development, mathematical or physics modeling are highly valued.

It’s an advantage, but not required, if you also have experience in C++ or C# development.

Application

Please apply to the position through the application form below. Selection and interviews will be ongoing. We do not accept applications by e-mail.