Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

Summary

Serves as a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) within a Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) department at a VA facility. Works in support of the medical equipment management program. Troubleshoots and performs planned maintenance on a range of medical devices and clinical systems.

About the role

Employees at this grade level serve as entry-level developmental BESSs. It is expected that they receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require regular supervision. BESSs at this grade level perform basic tasks designed to prepare them for promotion.

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoots and performs planned maintenance on general medical equipment
• Assists with incoming inspections and documentation
• Manages the lifecycle of medical equipment and clinical systems
• Troubleshoots medical equipment and clinical systems using a variety of technical data and completes corrective action
• Performs incoming inspections and planned maintenance on medical equipment and clinical systems
• Documents all work in the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS)
• Remedies hazard alerts, recall notifications, and incidents concerning medical equipment and clinical systems
• Documents all actions in the appropriate system
• Maintains system backups, ensures network connectivity, mitigates cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and maintains clinical systems
• Utilizes test equipment in accordance with manufacturer instructions
• Manages projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems
• Provides customer support to staff, evaluates issues and needs, responds with solutions, and keeps customers abreast of status
• Edits staff on the safe operation and user-level maintenance of medical equipment and clinical systems
• Serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and/or purchase card holder
• Develops documentation to purchase commodities and/or vendor services
• Manages, monitors, and evaluates contractor performance and addresses issues or deficiencies
• Complies with applicable standards, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
• Provides guidance and mentorship to expand professional knowledge and enhance technical skillsets
• Maintains and enhances knowledge in technological advancements through professional development and technical training

Requirements

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

• 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: Associates or higher degree in the 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 repair and maintenance of electronic systems or information technology AND 1 year of creditable experience OR Completion of a biomedical engineering technician or Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) certificate program that included an internship or apprenticeship OR Completion of a biomedical engineering technician or HTM certificate program that did not include an internship AND 1 year of creditable experience OR 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
• 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: 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
• Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist - GS-09 Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist - GS-11 Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade

Qualifications

Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements

Skills

Knowledge of physics, anatomy, and physiology

• Knowledge of electronics such as analog, digital, and microprocessor theory
• Knowledge of the use of standard level test equipment such as multimeters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers, and tachometers
• 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)

Benefits

None specified

Pay

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-5 to GS-11

Schedule

Monday thru Friday - 8am - 4:30pm

Virtual

This is not a virtual position