This Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) (Imaging) is assigned to the Facilities Management Service at the James E Van Zandt VA Medical Center located in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) (Imaging) provides clinical and administrative support to staff, patients, and administrators for all matters of concern relating to the facility wide lifecycle management of advanced imaging or radiological devices and other medical devices.

Duties

Position Title: Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist - BESS (Imaging) Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Duties include: Conducts lifecycle management of advanced imaging or radiological devices to include physical and network support. Completes both routine and complex assignments involved in the installation, maintenance, modification, troubleshooting, repair and calibration of these complex therapeutic and diagnostic devices and systems. Resolves highly complex equipment failures that have immediate risks to patient safety. Coordinates and works effectively with other facility support departments including but not limited to Facilities Management Service (FMS), Office of Information Technology (OIT), Sterile Processing Service (SPS), and Environmental Management Service (EMS). Utilizes advanced radiological test equipment including but not limited to radiation dosimeters, calibration phantoms, high voltage testing devices, KV and MA meters and monitor calibration devices in addition to common test equipment including electrical safety analyzers, oscilloscopes, patient simulators, pulse generators, network analyzers, and multimeters, among others. Troubleshoots and maintains radiology information systems and interfaces (i.e. HL7, DICOM, TCP/IP) with EHR alongside PACS Administrators, OIT, BESS (Biomedical Information Systems) and other experts. Performs advanced testing and troubleshooting of advanced imaging or radiological devices involving their interfaces and connections to other medical devices or information systems either directly or through the facility's hardwired and wireless networks. Adheres to Medical Device Isolation Architecture (MDIA) Guidelines in both pre-procurement and during system implementation, and system management. Loads operating system (OS) and clinical application software as needed. Responds to network incident response (due to infection, loss of services or regional and local policy changes). Conducts lifecycle management of other medical devices and systems such as life support, dialysis, and monitoring to include physical and network support. Completes both routine and complex assignments involved in the installation, maintenance, modification, troubleshooting, repair and calibration of these complex therapeutic, diagnostic and life support medical devices and systems. Maintains functional knowledge of relevant safety codes and standards of regulatory bodies including but not limited to The Joint Commission (TJC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), American College of Radiology (ACR), Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH). Documents all work performed in the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) in accordance with regulatory body requirements, Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Documentation of Services guidelines and other organizational requirements. Maintains required medical physicist reports and other device reports for all assigned imaging devices. Functions as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and keeps appropriate certification levels. Develops statements of work, sole source justifications, other applicable documentation (6550, Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), etc.) and oversees vendor work. Collaborates with Logistics and Contracting to procure parts and services; functions as a purchase card holder, as required. Investigates, remediates and documents recalls and safety alerts within established timeframes. Participates in local safety improvement processes. Identifies hazards during routine job performance and takes action to ensure they are addressed and corrected. Maintains knowledge of the state of the art in medical technology, including scientific advances, network protocols, and vendor changes through formal (conference, classes) or informal (magazines, articles, peer training) means. May be required to attend lengthy training as many radiological imaging equipment courses can have a duration greater than one month. Provides training and education as appropriate to medical technology end users and clinical staff. Provides mentoring and technical training to peers and development graded BESS. May be tasked with leading and managing installation or upgrade projects for advanced imaging or radiological devices and other medical devices and systems. Represents Biomedical/Clinical Engineering department on committees and in meetings as delegated by supervisor. Compressed/Flexible:None. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized. Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.

Requirements

Qualifications

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: a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.) b. Experience and Education. Associates degree in Biomedical Electronics Technology, Biomedical Equipment Technology or Biomedical Engineering Technology or in a related technical field such as Electronic Technology or Information Technology and two years of experience as a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, Biomedical Equipment Technician, Field Service Engineer, Medical Equipment Repairer, or Information Technology Specialist. OR, Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering Technology or in a related field such as Electronics Engineering Technology (EET) or Information Technology. OR, Completion of a military training program in biomedical equipment and two years of experience as a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist or Biomedical Equipment Technician, Field Service Engineer, Medical Equipment Repairer or Information Technology Specialist. c. English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. 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). Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a BESS on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. BESSs 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. BESSs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. Employees who are retained as a BESS under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as a BESS. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (Imaging), GS-12 a. Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level. Certification as a Certified Radiology Equipment Specialist (CRES) is highly desirable at this level however it is not required. b. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Knowledge of codes and standards relevant to safe operation of radiation producing medical devices such as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), The Joint Commission (TJC), American College of Radiology (ACR), Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) and The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). Comprehensive knowledge of imaging techniques, technologies, radiological practices and procedures. Skill in using advanced radiological test equipment such as radiation dosimeters, calibration phantoms, high voltage testing devices, KV and MA meters and monitor calibration devices. Ability to resolve highly complex breakdowns that have an immediate risk to patient safety Ability to maintain and troubleshoot networked medical imaging equipment to include VLAN configuration, IP addressing, sub-netting, and network security, and build, configure, repair and install workstations and servers in imaging and non-imaging environments. Ability to utilize and maintain computer and server based medical equipment, medical record databases, and proprietary and generic software, experience with TCP/IP, HL7, networking, and DICOM standards. References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II Appendix G49 (VHA Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist Qualification Standard). The full performance level of this position is GS-12.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address James E Van Zandt VA Medical Center 2907 Pleasant Valley Boulevard Altoona, PA 16602 US
• Name: Chukwunonso Orakwue
• Phone: 7182132304
• Email: [email protected]