Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

Veterans Health Administration; California (MO); On-site; USD 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

The Veterans Health Administration is seeking a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist to work within Clinical Engineering/HTM, supporting lifecycle management of medical equipment and clinical systems across the facility.

Basic requirements include a biomedical technology or engineering degree or equivalent, plus relevant training or certification. The full range spans GS-05 to GS-11, with KSAs covering physics, electronics, networking, and CMMS documentation.

Qualifications

• Associates or higher degree in biomedical technology or biomedical engineering
• OR Associates or higher degree in electronics/IT/engineering with 1 year of creditable experience
• OR Completion of DOD biomedical equipment technician training
• OR Completion of a DOD training program in repair and maintenance of electronic systems or IT with 1 year experience
• OR HTM/biomedical engineering technician certificate with internship
• OR HTM/biomedical certificate without internship plus 1 year experience
• Hold or previously held CBET/CRES/CLES/CHTM certification (ongoing maintenance not required)

Responsibilities

• Support lifecycle management of medical equipment and clinical systems.
• Assist in ensuring equipment operates safely and meets standards.

Skills

Physics

Anatomy & Physiology

Electronics theory

Networking concepts

CMMS documentation

Equipment operating procedures

Education

Biomed tech/biomedical engineering degree

Electronics/IT/engineering degree + 1 year experience

DOD biomedical equipment tech training

HTM certificate program with internship

CBET/CRES/CLES/CHTM certification

Tools

Multimeters

Electrical safety analyzers

Patient simulators

Storage oscilloscopes

Manometers

Tachometers

Job description

The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) serves within Clinical Engineering/Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) and supports the lifecycle management of medical equipment and clinical systems used throughout the healthcare facility.

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, Experience, or Certification.

1. Associates or higher degree in the biomedical technology or biomedical engineering field; OR
2. Associates or higher degree in electronics, a field of information technology, or engineering (other than biomedical engineering) AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR
3. Completion of the Department of Defense (DOD) biomedical equipment technician training program; OR
4. Completion of a DOD training program in repair and maintenance of electronic systems or information technology AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR
5. Completion of a biomedical engineering technician or Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) certificate program that included an internship or apprenticeship; OR
6. Completion of biomedical engineering technician or HTM certificate program that did not include an internship AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR
7. Hold or having ever held certification as a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET), Certified Radiology Equipment Specialist (CRES), Certified Laboratory Equipment Specialist (CLES), or Certified Healthcare Technology Manager (CHTM). Continuous maintenance of certification is not required throughout VHA employment.

English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).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

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, GS-05:

• Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, GS-07:

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of physics, anatomy, and physiology.
2. Knowledge of electronics such as analog, digital, and microprocessor theory.
3. Knowledge of the use of standard level test equipment such as multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers, and tachometers.
4. Knowledge of basic networking concepts, such as computer and server hardware and software functionality, information technologies and computer virus protection software, available software patches and upgrades, and information security tools (for example, Microsoft Office, Windows operating systems, and McAfee).
5. Skill in documenting all services provided in support of medical equipment and clinical systems in a computerized maintenance management system.
6. Ability to learn equipment operating and maintenance procedures

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, GS-09:

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of basic networking concepts including Access Control List (ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).
2. Knowledge of computer and server hardware and software functionality including virus protection, operating system patches and upgrades, and information security tools.
3. Ability to interpret a variety of technical data such as schematic drawings, wiring diagrams, table charts, mathematical expressions, and formulas.
4. Ability to use standard level test equipment including multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers, and tachometers.
5. Ability to perform equipment maintenance and operating procedures

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, GS-11:

Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of standards including National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint Commission (TJC), and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) for safe operation of medical equipment and clinical systems.
2. Skill in using test and calibration equipment including digital multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, defibrillator analyzers, patient simulators, manometers, tachometers, and Local Area Network (LAN) analyzers.
3. Skill in interpreting a variety of technical data including schematic drawings and wiring diagrams.
4. Skill in applying networking principles, such as Access Control List (ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).
5. Ability to perform advanced testing to troubleshoot medical equipment and clinical system interfaces.
6. Ability to maintain medical computers and software.
7. Ability to manage projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems.

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).

Preferred Experience

Experience performing medical device maintenance and repair in a hospital or healthcare environment.

Reference

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-11.

Physical Requirements

The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment.