Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Salisbury (NC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Salisbury VA Healthcare System is seeking a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) at the full performance level within the Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) department.

You will troubleshoot and perform planned maintenance on a range of medical devices and clinical systems. Candidates may be referred under grandfathering provisions and must meet basic education and certification requirements.

Qualifications

• United States citizenship requirement as stated in the vacancy.
• Education/experience or certification criteria listed in Basic Requirements.
• Possibility of Grandfathering provision for current VHA employees in this occupation.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot and perform planned maintenance on a range of medical devices and clinical systems.
• Support the Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) program within Salisbury VA.
• Coordinate with clinical staff and engineering on equipment issues and safety standards.
• Demonstrate knowledge of NFPA, FDA, TJC, and AAMI standards for safe operation.

Skills

NFPA standards

FDA/TJC/AAMI guidance

Test & calibration equipment

Schematic & wiring interpretation

Networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, VLAN)

Advanced testing & troubleshooting

Medical computers/softw maintenance

Project management of equipment

Education

Associate degree in biomedical technology/biomedical engineering

Associate degree in electronics/IT/engineering + 1 year experience

DOD biomedical equipment technician training program

DOD repair/maintenance training + 1 year experience

HTM/BME certificate with internship

HTM/BME certificate without internship + 1 year experience

Certification: CBET/CRES/CLES/CHTM

Job description

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

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-11

• (1) Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• (2) Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • (a) 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.
  • (b) 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.
  • (c) Skill in interpreting a variety of technical data including schematic drawings and wiring diagrams.
  • (d) Skill in applying networking principles, such as Access Control List (ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).
  • (e) Ability to perform advanced testing to troubleshoot medical equipment and clinical system interfaces.
  • (f) Ability to maintain medical computers and software.
  • (g) Ability to manage projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems.

Preferred Experience

Biomed Technician with 3+ years experience working on Medical Equipment. Experience with Dialysis and Water Systems is a plus.

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.

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.

Environmental Factors

The work may include electrical energy, working on ladders, working outdoors, and working alone. There may be occasional exposure to moderate risks or discomforts associated with hazardous materials. The work may involve occasional travel, driving, and/or traveling by motor vehicle.