Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

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.

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 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-05
• Experience or Education
• None beyond the basic requirements
• Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist - GS-07 Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of physics - anatomy - and physiology
• (b) Knowledge of electronics such as analog - digital - and microprocessor theory
• (c) Knowledge of the use of standard level test equipment such as multimeters - electrical safety analyzers - patient simulators - storage oscilloscopes - manometers - and tachometers
• (d) Knowledge of basic networking concepts - such as computer and server hardware and software functionality - information technologies and computer virus protection software - available software patches and upgrades - and information security tools (for example - Microsoft Office - Windows operating systems - and McAfee)
• (e) Skill in documenting all services provided in support of medical equipment and clinical systems in a computerized maintenance management system
• (f) Ability to learn equipment operating and maintenance procedures
• Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist - GS-09
• Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of basic networking concepts including Access Control List (ACL) - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) - and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN)
• (b) Knowledge of computer and server hardware and software functionality including virus protection - operating system patches and upgrades - and information security tools
• (c) Ability to interpret a variety of technical data such as schematic drawings - wiring diagrams - table charts - mathematical expressions - and formulas
• (d) Ability to use standard level test equipment including multi-meters - electrical safety analyzers - patient simulators - storage oscilloscopes - manometers - and tachometers
• (e) Ability to perform equipment maintenance and operating procedures
• Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist - GS-11
• Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• 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 multimeters - 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
• 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
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-05 to GS-11
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
  
  

Duties

• Major duties 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
• Perform 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
• Documents all work performed in the computerized maintenance management system(CMMS)
• Applies basic networking principles to resolve medical system communication issues such as 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
• Loads operating system and clinical application software as needed
• Executes VA policy when responding to network incident response such as due to infection or a loss in service due to policy changes
• Acts as the 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
• Provides training and education as appropriate to medical technology end users and clinical staff
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday 7:00Am to 3:30 PM Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: GS-11 04023F - GS-9 004455F - GS-7 004456F - GS-5 004457F
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized