** Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist**

**Department of Veterans Affairs**

**Summary**

The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) provides clinical and administrative support to staff, patients, and administrators for all matters of concern relating to the facility wide lifecycle management of medical equipment. The BESS will perform routine and complex tasks involved in the installation, maintenance, modification, troubleshooting and calibration of complex therapeutic, diagnostic and life support equipment utilized throughout the New Mexico VA Health Care System.

**Location**

2 vacancies in the following location:

**Duties**

**The major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:**

* Lifecycle management of all medical systems such as imaging, life support, dialysis, and monitoring to include physical and network support.

* Coordinates and works effectively with other facility support departments including but not limited to Facilities Management Service (FMS), Office of Information Technology (OIT), Patient Safety, Sterile Processing Service (SPS), Logistics, Contracting, Informatics, and Environmental Management Service (EMS). Specific tasks include but are not limited to incoming inspections, regular and unscheduled maintenance, and planning for end of life replacement in conjunction with clinical services. Utilizes common test equipment including, but not limited to patient simulators, pulse generators, network analyzers, test phantoms, electrical safety analyzers, oscilloscopes, and multimeters.

* 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).

* Documents all work performed in the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). This documentation is completed in accordance with regulatory body requirements, the Office of Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Documentation of Services policies and guidelines, and other VA requirements.

* Applies basic networking principles to resolve medical system communication issues including, but not limited to, node to server failures. Adheres to VA Medical Device Cyber Security policies and procedures in pre-procurement, during system implementation, and throughout the life of the system.

* As assigned, functions as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and keeps appropriate certification levels.

* Investigates, remediates and documents Repairable Medical Device (RMD) recalls and safety alerts issued through the VA Alerts and Recall Management System (ARMS) within established timeframes. Participates in local safety improvement processes such as Root Cause Analysis (RCA), safety work groups, and Environment of Care Rounds. Identifies hazards during routine job performance and takes action to ensure they are addressed and corrected.

* Provides training and education as appropriate to medical technology end users and clinical staff.

* May be tasked with leading and managing installation or upgrade projects for medical devices and systems. This includes but is not limited to pre-implementation planning and coordination with end users, vendors, and other onsite support staff (OIT, Informatics, SPS, etc.)

* Additional duties are performed as assigned by supervisor related to maintenance, remediation, and tracking of medical systems (action items, special projects, etc.) to meet mission critical requirements. May be asked to assist in other administrative duties as well, including participating in hiring panels.

**Work Schedule**: Monday to Friday,8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

**Telework**: Not Available

**Virtual:** This is not a virtual position.

**Position Title/Functional Statement #**:**Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist**

**Relocation/Recruitment Incentives**: Not Authorized

**Fi****nancial Disclosure Report:** Not required **Requirements**

** Conditions of Employment**

* You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.

* All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

* Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

* Must be proficient in written and spoken English.

* You may be required to serve a probationary period.

* Subject to background/security investigation.

* Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.

* Must pass pre-employment physical examination.

* Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

* Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel.

** Qualifications**

**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.

* **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. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a.

* **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 Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist or Biomedical Equipment Technician, Field Service Engineer, Medical Equipment Repairer or Information Technology Specialist.

**Grade Determinations**:

**GS-5 (Entry Level)** - Applicants will need to meet the Basic Requirements listed above.

**GS-7 (Development Level I)**

**(1) Experience**: Applicants need to have 1 year of creditable experience at the GS-5 level and demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

**(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).** In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

* (a) Ability to read, interpret, and apply a great variety of technical data such as schematic drawings, wiring diagrams, table charts, mathematical expressions and formulas.

* (b) Ability to learn equipment maintenance, operating procedures, and repair procedures from training materials and courses.

* (c) Fundamental knowledge of electronics to include analog, digital and microprocessor theory, pneumatics, hydraulics, optics, electro-mechanics, physics, basic networking, and chemistry.

* (d) Knowledge of the use of standard level test equipment to include, but not limited to, multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulator, storage oscilloscopes, manometers, tachometers, etc.

* (e) Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, medical equipment, and technology.

* (f) Knowledge of basic networking, computer/server hardware/software and information technologies and computer virus protection software, available software patches and upgrades, and information security tools (i.e. Microsoft Office, Windows operating systems, McAfee, etc.).

**GS-9 (Devel