This position is aligned under the Office of the Chief, Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Service, at the VA Augusta Health Care System, Augusta, Georgia.

Duties

This position is aligned under the Office of the Chief, Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Service, receiving supervision from the Chief, HTM. They will achieve assigned professional objectives that supplement the required core objectives required to fulfill requirements for the Biomedical Engineering Career Field. As the Biomedical Engineer, major duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to: Conducting independent project management for complex biomedical equipment installations, including planning, procurement, installation and implementation, and testing. Leading projects and coordinating with technical, clinical, and education of staff for various medical system deployments at Charlie Norwood VAMC Managing complex networked medical device installations, scheduling, and planning networked medical system upgrades, and conducting networked medical device risk assessments. Assisting with management of the medical device inventory for the hospital. Maintaining the database, manage and analyze equipment lifecycles, determine plans and timelines for equipment replacements. Managing and maintaining the Networked Medical Device Database (NMDD). Assisting with the completion of medical device recalls, network equipment risk assessments, incoming inspections, device de-installations and turn-ins, medical device risk assessments and reviews. Reviewing, managing, and remediating medical device security vulnerabilities with technicians. Responsible for becoming a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). Using COR knowledge and skills to assist with equipment procurements. Using COR knowledge to assist with managing existing service contracts as assigned and planning/developing new contractual requirements as assigned. Serving as a professional advisor, manager, and medical technology consultant to the Chief of Biomedical Engineering in the area of Biomedical engineering, as well as on other engineering principles and practices. Assisting with reviewing and updating the Medical Equipment Management Plan annually. Conducting capital asset and infrastructure planning for medical equipment, to include initial concept, installation planning, procurement effort, and implementation. Responsible for High Cost/ High Tech (HCHT) equipment planning. Completing written reports for the Chief of Biomedical Engineering, related to project updates, Key Performance Indicator (KPI) statuses and updates, and other ad-hoc reports. Conducting capital asset and infrastructure planning for medical equipment, to include initial concept, installation planning, procurement effort, and implementation. Assisting with completing written reports for the Chief of Biomedical Engineering, related to project updates, Key Performance Indicator (KPI) statuses and updates, and other ad-hoc reports. Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf Healthcare Engineer: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-General-Engineer-Career-Flyer.pdf Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of existing pay, higher or unique qualifications, or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA. Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 55226F, 55227F, 55228F, 55229F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education and/or Experience: Must meet either item (1) or (2) 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 above. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance VA Policy. 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. Listed under Education. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed in paragraph 3 above, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Biomedical Engineer, GS-7 (Entry Level) (a) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. (b) Education. Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1), above, or CCE certification with at least a bachelor's degree not listed in paragraph 3.b.(1). (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). None beyond the basic requirements. (d) Assignment. Employees serve in an entry level biomedical engineer career development position. It is expected that biomedical engineers at the entry level receive ongoing guidance from more experienced staff members and perform assignments under close supervision. Biomedical Engineer, GS-9 (Developmental Level 1) (a) Experience. At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level. OR, (b) Education. i. Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, or a related field of study, as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1). OR, ii. 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, (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: i. Knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts, and practices of the Biomedical Engineering profession. ii. Ability to interpret relevant codes, regulations, guidelines, and standards, and make recommendations to ensure compliance with medical center programs. iii. Ability to understand the operational needs of clinical services in the health care system. iv. 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. (d) Assignment. Listed under Education. GS-11 (Developmental Level 2) (a) Experience. At least [one] year of experience equivalent to the next lower level, [and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. OR, (b) Education i. Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in Biomedical Engineering, or a related field of engineering, as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1). OR, ii. Bachelor's degree, plus three full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study, as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1). AND, (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: i. 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. ii. 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. iii. 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. iv. Knowledge of basic project management principles, as applied to the healthcare setting and medical equipment, and information system implementation. (d) Assignment. Listed under Education. GS-12 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience. Completion of at least one 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 must fully meet the KSAs at that level. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: i. Ability to conduct a medical equipment management [or biomedical research program that is compliant with applicable healthcare standards and regulatory agencies. ii. Ability to develop a curriculum for a continuing education program, that address the safe and effective use of medical technology, and/or research devices. iii. 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. iv. Ability to conduct capital asset and infrastructure planning for medical equipment spanning initial concept, installation, and effective implementation of complex medical equipment. v. 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. vi. 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. vii. Knowledge of concepts related to computer based medical systems, networking protocols, and information security as it applies to medical technology within VHA. viii. Skill in communicating and working collaboratively with key stakeholders, including technical and professional staff at various levels of the organization. ix. Ability to apply project management principles to deployment of medical equipment and health information technologies. (c) Assignment. Listed under Education. Preferred Experience: Biomedical Engineer advance experience. References: VA Handbook 5005/104, Part II, Appendix G38 Biomedical Engineer Qualification Standard GS-0858, Effective Date 3/25/2019. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-7 to GS-12. Physical Requirements: This position requires frequent visits to various areas of the hospital and occasionally construction areas. Standing, sitting, bending, stooping, kneeling, and carrying of light objects (documents, briefcases, etc.) is required. Is occasionally required to assist technicians in technical work where vision and manual dexterity may be required.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Continued from Qualifications:
Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupation, 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, and/or certification/registration that are 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: (1) Such employees in an occupation that does not require a certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. (2) 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. (3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) If an employee, who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision, leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status, and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Biomedical Engineer, GS-9 (Developmental Level 1)
(d) Assignment.Biomedical Engineers, at this developmental level, require direction on more complex tasks. Employees complete technical assignments in the engineering field, under the direction of a senior biomedical engineer and will be required to rotate through, and participate in, the operations of other hospital services. At the GS-9 grade level, employees function with oversight by a supervisor for more complex assignments.

GS-11 (Developmental Level 2)
(d) Assignment. At the developmental level, employees function on a semi-independent basis with limited oversight by senior biomedical engineers. They participate in medical device hazard investigations, to assure compliance with patient safety goals, the Safe Medical Devices Act (SMDA), TJC requirements, and assist in the development of an equipment management program at the medical center. Employees may lead medical technology deployments, directly support medical equipment, or participate in research projects.

GS-12 (Full Performance Level)
(c) Assignment. At the full performance level, employees work under general supervision, with wide latitude to exercise independent judgment. Drawing upon extended professional and technical experience, employees demonstrate an intimate understanding of complex clinical and biomedical subject matter. They serve as institutional resources, working extensively with clinical stakeholders, supporting clinical services by leading market research, technology assessments, integration planning, and implementation of both current and emerging medical technologies. The employee shares responsibility for managing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), network security issues for medical systems, and the information communicated across these systems. Biomedical Engineers at the GS-12 grade level further support the clinical mission by contributing to the continuing education program for clinical staff, helping ensure safe and efficient healthcare delivery. Biomedical Engineers at the GS-12 grade level support the institution by assisting with capital asset and infrastructure planning, to help ensure successful strategic planning. They may collaborate frequently with contracting to execute judicious healthcare technology procurements. Within the Biomedical Engineering Department, the employee provides leadership that ensures high quality and responsive customer service is an integral component of biomedical engineering service delivery. They are highly effective communicators, capable of serving as subject matter experts directly supporting the life cycle management of clinical technology, to include ongoing service, system administration, training, and quality assurance. At this level, employees may assist in clinical research projects in the biomedical engineering field.

Contacts

• Address Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center One Freedom Way Augusta, GA 30901 US
• Name: Cecelia Perkins
• Phone: 540-982-2463 X2403
• Email: [email protected]