Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

Veterans Health Administration; Nebraska; On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration is seeking a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) at a VA facility, performing planned maintenance and troubleshooting of medical devices and clinical systems. This role operates within the Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) department to support the medical equipment management program.

The incumbent must meet basic requirements for U.S. citizenship and possess an appropriate biomedical engineering-related degree or certification, with progressive

Qualifications

• Education and/or certification requirements as listed for VA Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist grades.
• US citizenship required per basic requirements.
• Experience requirements scale with grade levels GS-05 to GS-11.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoots and performs planned maintenance on a range of medical devices and clinical systems.
• Supports the medical equipment management program within HTM.
• Demonstrates ability to interpret technical data and operate test equipment.

Skills

Electrical testing

Networking concepts

Schematic reading

Test equipment knowledge

Documentation in CMMS

Customer service

Education

Associates or higher in biomedical tech/biomed eng

Associates in electronics/IT/engineering + 1 year experience

DOD BEMT training program

HTM/biomedical certificate with internship

CBET/CRES/CLES/CHTM certification

Tools

Multimeters

Electrical safety analyzers

Oscilloscopes

Manometers

Tachometers

PCs / IT equipment

Job description

Serves as a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) at the full performance level within a Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) department at a VA facility. Works in support of the medical equipment management program. Troubleshoots and performs planned maintenance on a range of medical devices and clinical systems.

Basic Requirements

• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Education, Experience, or Certification.
  • Associates or higher degree in the biomedical technology or biomedical engineering field; OR
  • Associates or higher degree in electronics, a field of information technology, or engineering (other than biomedical engineering) AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR
  • Completion of the Department of Defense (DOD) biomedical equipment technician training program; OR
  • Completion of a DOD training program in repair and maintenance of electronic systems or information technology AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR
  • Completion of a biomedical engineering technician or Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) certificate program that included an internship or apprenticeship; OR
  • Completion of biomedical engineering technician or HTM certificate program that did not include an internship AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR
  • 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.

Grandfathering Provision

Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and assignment held including positive education and certification. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

• Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but they may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
• Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Foreign Education

To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials.

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade levels specified.

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:
  • Knowledge of physics, anatomy, and physiology.
  • Knowledge of electronics such as analog, digital, and microprocessor theory.
  • Knowledge of the use of standard level test equipment such as multimeters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers, and tachometers.
  • 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).
  • Skill in documenting all services provided in support of medical equipment and clinical systems in a computerized maintenance management system.
  • 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:
  • Knowledge of basic networking concepts including Access Control List(ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).
  • Knowledge of computer and server hardware and software functionality including virus protection, operating system patches and upgrades, and information security tools.
  • Ability to interpret a variety of technical data such as schematic drawings, wiring diagrams, table charts, mathematical expressions, and formulas.
  • Ability to use standard level test equipment including multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers, and tachometers.
  • 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:
  • 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.
  • Skill in using test and calibration equipment including digital multimeters, electrical safety analyzers, defibrillator analyzers, patient simulators, manometers, tachometers, and Local Area Network (LAN) analyzers.
  • Skill in interpreting a variety of technical data including schematic drawings and wiring diagrams.
  • Skill in applying networking principles, such as Access Control List (ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).
  • Ability to perform advanced testing to troubleshoot medical equipment and clinical system interfaces.
  • Ability to maintain medical computers and software.
  • Ability to manage projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems.

Preferred Experience:

Must be able to communicate, read, speak, and write proficiently in English. Must be able to lift 50lbs. Proficient on computers. Must have at least one year of experience troubleshooting, servicing, or repairing any type of equipment.

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. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.