Job opening: Bio Equip Support Spec
Salary: $44 001 - 104 861 per year
Published at: Dec 18 2024
Employment Type: Full-time
The Eastern Colorado Health Care System VA Hospital is currently recruiting for two GS-5 target 11 Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist-BESSs.
Duties
The full performance level of the Supervisory, Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist-BESS duties include, but aren't limited to the following:
Responsible for Lifecycle management of all medical systems such as life support, diagnostic, dialysis, and monitoring to include physical and network support
Coordinates & partners w/ other facility support departments including Facilities Management Service (FMS), Office of Information Technology (OIT), Patient Safety, Sterile Processing Service (SPS), Logistics, Contracting, Informatics, and Environmental Management Service (EMS)
Conducts incoming inspections, performs regular & unscheduled maintenance, & plans for end-of-life replacement in conjunction w/ clinical services
Utilizes common test equipment including, but not limited to patient simulators, pulse generators, network analyzers, test phantoms, electrical safety analyzers, oscilloscopes & multimeters
Maintains functional knowledge of relevant safety codes & standards of regulatory bodies like 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)
Documents all work performed in computerized maintenance management system (CMMS)
Completes documentation according to regulatory body requirements, the Office of Healthcare Technology Management (HTM), policies & guidelines, & other VA requirements
Applies basic networking principles to resolve medical system communication issues including, but not limited to, installing clinical application software as needed & patches workstations
Executes VA policy when responding to network incident response (due to infection, loss of services due to policy changes)
Serves as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) & keeps appropriate certification levels
Uses knowledge of government contract procedures & documentation requirements to develop statements of work, sole source justifications, other applicable documentation (VA Form 6550, Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), etc.) & oversees vendor work
Collaborates w/ Logistics & Contracting to procure parts & services & serves as a purchase card holder
Investigates, remediates & documents Repairable Medical Device (RMD) recalls & safety alerts issued through VA Alerts & Recall Management System (ARMS) within established timeframes
Participates in local safety improvement processes such as Root Cause Analysis (RCA), safety work groups & Environment of Care Rounds
Identifies hazards during routine job performance & ensures they are addressed & corrected
Maintains knowledge of the state of the art in medical technology, including scientific advances, network protocols & vendor changes
Focuses on professional development in all areas of medical technology lifecycle management including technical skills
Obtains knowledge through formal trainings, e.g. conference or vendor-provided classes, or informal training, e.g., magazines, articles, peer training
Provides training & education to medical technology end users & clinical staff
Provides mentoring & technical training to peers & junior BESS staff at developmental levels
Leads & manages installation or upgrade projects for medical devices and systems, as needed
This includes, but is not limited to pre-implementation planning & coordination w/ end users, vendors & other onsite support staff (OIT, Informatics, SPS, etc.)
Maintains, remediates & tracks medical systems (action items, special projects, etc.) to meet mission critical requirements
Represents Biomedical/Clinical Engineering department on committees & in meetings as delegated by supervisor
Assists w/ the biomedical on-call program for the facility
Participates educational activities, completes unit based in-services, & mandatory educational activities in a self-directed manner by deadlines
Demonstrates positive, effective communication skills & professional behavior that promote cooperation & teamwork
Practices good customer customer service and demonstrates VA I-CARE values
Participates in unit-based quality of care performance improvement activities, unit based performance improvement measures & results
Identifies problem areas by practicing evidence-based practices on unit
Perform other duties as assigned
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 7:30am - 4pm, work hours are somewhat negotiable, however position is subject to on-call/call backs during evenings, nights, weekends & holidays as needed to support operations of a 24/7 facility & its associated CBOCs.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: PD51731A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Qualifications
Applicants pending educational requirements completion may be referred & tentatively selected but can't be hired until all requirements are met
Basic Requirements
US Citizenship Non-citizens may only be appointed when you can't recruit qualified citizens
English Language Proficiency Must be able to speak & write English
Education, Experience or Certification
Associates or higher degree in 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 electronic systems repair & maintenance or information technology AND 1 year of creditable experience
OR
Completion of biomedical engineering technician or Healthcare Technology Management, HTM certificate program that included internship or apprenticeship
OR
Completion of biomedical engineering technician or HTM certificate program that didn't include internship AND 1 year creditable experience
OR
Hold or 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 certification maintenance isn't required throughout VHA employment
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 Following criteria must be met when determining candidate's grade in addition to basic requirements for employment
GS-5
Experience/Education None beyond basic requirements
GS-7
Experience At least 1 year experience equivalent to GS-5 grade level
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills & Abilities, KSAs Candidate must demonstrate all following KSAs in addition to above experience
1) Knowledge of physics, anatomy & physiology
2) Knowledge of electronics such as analog, digital & microprocessor theory
3) Knowledge of the use of standard level test equipment such as multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers & tachometers
4) Knowledge of basic networking concepts, e.g. computer & server hardware and software functionality, information technologies & computer virus protection software, available software patches & upgrades, and information security tools, e.g. Microsoft Office, Windows operating systems & McAfee
5) Skill in documenting all services provided in support of medical equipment & clinical systems in computerized maintenance management system
6) Ability to learn equipment operating & maintenance procedures
GS-9
Experience At least 1 year experience equivalent to GS-7 grade level
Demonstrated KSAs Candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs in addition to above experience
1) Knowledge of basic networking concepts including Access Control List, ACL, Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, TCP/IP & Virtual Local Area Networks, VLAN
2) Knowledge of computer & server hardware & software functionality including virus protection, operating system patches & upgrades & information security tools
3) Ability to interpret a variety of technical data such as schematic drawings, wiring diagrams, table charts, mathematical expressions & formulas
4) Ability to use standard level test equipment including multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers & tachometers
5) Ability to perform equipment maintenance & operating procedures
GS-11
Experience One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
Demonstrated KSAs Candidate must demonstrate all following KSAs plus above experience
1) Knowledge of standards including National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, Food & Drug Administration, FDA, The Joint Commission, TJC & the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, AAMI for safe operation of medical equipment & clinical systems
2) Skill in using test & calibration equipment including digital multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, defibrillator analyzers, patient simulators, manometers, tachometers & Local Area Network, LAN analyzers
3) Skill in interpreting a variety of technical data including schematic drawings & wiring diagrams
4) Skill in applying networking principles, e.g. Access Control List, ACL, Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, TCP/IP & Virtual Local Area Networks, VLAN
5) Ability to perform advanced testing to troubleshoot medical equipment & clinical system interfaces
6) Ability to maintain medical computers & software
7) Ability to manage projects involving medical equipment & clinical systems
Preferred Experience More than 2 years clinical BESS experience in a hospital setting
Reference Please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ for more information on this qualification standard
Vacancy full performance level is GS-11. Applicants may be selected for grades GS-5 to GS-11 for this vacancy
Physical Requirements
Subject to stressful situations
Must be able to be calm & professional
Maybe exposed to noxious chemicals, contagious diseases, radiation & infections
Continual exposure to hazardous conditions involving lethal operating voltages, rotating machinery & high pressures/vacuums
Requires constant adherence to safe work habits & proper use of personal protective equipment
Required to walk, sit & stand for long time periods
Frequent benchwork requires precision & good concentration w/ proper hand-eye coordination
Some climbing & working on ladders
Must be able to lift objects up to 50 lbs
Must escort on site contractors for equipment installations, often climbing several flights of stairs & coordinating between buildings
Work is primarily inside constructed areas w/ heating & ventilation but for safety reasons some areas don't have heat &/or ventilation
May be exposed to extremely high electrical voltages volts & currents which when not properly addressed could result in severe injury up to & including death
May receive bruises/burns caused by electric shock & hot components
May be exposed to patient bodily fluids
May be required to work on equipment used in surgical operations requiring proper attire & cleanliness
Must possess & maintain valid state driver's license to provide coverage, repair & transport biomedical equipment for ECHCS facility & associated CBOCs
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Transcripts must include your name, the school's entire name, can be unofficial transcripts, must have the name of the course, date course taken, grade received for the course, amount of credits earned for the course, date degree conferred, name of degree received.
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/.
Contacts
- Address VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
1700 N Wheeling St
Aurora, CO 80045
US
- Name: VISN 19 HR Contact Center
- Phone: 719-227-4600
- Email: [email protected]
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