Biomedical Engineer

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Marion (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs at the Marion, IL facility seeks a Staff Biomedical Engineer to lead biomedical engineering activities within the Major Projects Service.

This role oversees the planning, design, acquisition, and integration of medical equipment across construction and clinical systems. The incumbent will ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards, support clinical services, and communicate technical topics to staff and management while staying current with

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering from ABET-accredited program; Biomedical/Clinical/Biomechanical/Electrical/Mechanical/Biochemical engineering examples.
• CCE certification with a bachelor’s degree not listed in (1) above.
• Must be proficient in English, written and spoken.
• May qualify under Grandfathering provisions for current VA employees in this occupation.

Responsibilities

• Provide biomedical engineering leadership for Major Projects Service.
• Oversee planning, design, acquisition, and integration of medical equipment.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and patient safety standards.

Skills

Biomedical engineering KSAs

Regulatory compliance

Clinical service understanding

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (ABET-accredited)

Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering or related field

Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE)

Job description

The incumbent performs as a Staff Biomedical Engineer for the Major Projects Service within the Marion, IL VAMC. The Major Projects Service oversees all medical equipment and their associated clinical systems related to the planning, design, acquisition, and integration of medical equipment as part of the overall John Cochran Major Construction program.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education and/or Experience: The individual must meet either item (1) or (2) below to meet this requirement:
  • (1) Bachelor's Degree or Higher in Engineering. To be creditable, the curriculum must be from a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), as a professional engineering curriculum. Examples of acceptable engineering degrees include: Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Biochemical Engineering. Titles may vary from educational institutions and change over time. OR,
  • (2) Certification as a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and a bachelor's degree not listed in item 3.b.(1) above.
• English Language Proficiency: Biomedical Engineers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations

GS-7

None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-9

Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to the basic requirements, you must possess one of the following:

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7); OR,
• Education: Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, or a related field of study; OR, Bachelor's degree, as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1), plus two full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant's total background demonstrates the KSAs for the GS-9 level assignment. AND
• Demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs):
  • Knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts, and practices of the Biomedical Engineering profession.
  • Ability to interpret relevant codes, regulations, guidelines, and standards, and make recommendations to ensure compliance with medical center programs.
  • Ability to understand the operational needs of clinical services in the health care system.
  • Ability to prepare material on current technical topics and trends, for presentation to other technical staff and mid-level hospital management, and the ability to keep abreast of changes in technology.

GS-11

Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to the basic requirements, you must possess one of the following:

• Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9); OR,
• Education: Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in Biomedical Engineering, or a related field of study; OR, Bachelor's degree, plus three full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study. AND
• Demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs):
  • Ability to implement and/or sustain an equipment management or biomedical research program that meets The Joint Commission (TJC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), or other applicable regulatory requirements.
  • Ability to develop material for a continuing education program for clinical or research staff, that address the principles and application of medical technology, and/or biomedical theory used in healthcare.
  • Ability to advise staff on emerging medical technology, or research procedures], while keeping abreast of changes in such technology, and utilizing the information to solve biomedical engineering problems.
  • Knowledge of basic project management principles, as applied to the healthcare setting and medical equipment, and information system implementation.

GS-12

Experience Requirement: In addition to the basic requirements, you must possess one of the following:

• Experience: Completion of at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level; OR, completion of a post-doctoral research fellowship in the field of biomedical engineering. AND,
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
  • Ability to conduct a medical equipment management or biomedical research program that is compliant with applicable healthcare standards and regulatory agencies.
  • Ability to develop a curriculum for a continuing education program, that address the safe and effective use of medical technology, and/or research devices.
  • Ability to manage a recall and safety alert program for medical devices, including medical device hazard investigations, to assure compliance with patient safety goals, SMDA, and [TJC] requirements.
  • Ability to conduct capital asset and infrastructure planning for medical equipment spanning initial concept, installation, and effective implementation of complex medical equipment.
  • Ability to function as the subject matter expert in the field of biomedical engineering, directly supporting specialized clinical technology, including service, system administration, training, quality assurance, and life-cycle management.
  • Ability to effectively advise clinical and administrative staff on medical technology, including existing and emerging technology, which addresses viability, long‑term suitability, compatibility, and/or safety.
  • Knowledge of concepts related to computer based medical systems, networking protocols, and information security as it applies to medical technology within VHA.
  • Skill in communicating and working collaboratively with key stakeholders, including technical and professional staff at various levels of the organization.
  • Ability to apply project management principles to deployment of medical equipment and health information technologies.

Preferred Experience

A minimum of two (2) or more years of experience in the design and/or large-scale project development of medical equipment and healthcare facility systems, including knowledge of building construction and activation processes.

Reference

For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this position is GS-12. The grade range for this position is GS-7 - GS-12.

Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.