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
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f) 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
• Grade Determinations: Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level): Experience
• At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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
• Grandfathering Provision
• Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and assignment held including positive education and certification
• For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or be changed to a lower grade within the occupation, but they may not be promoted beyond the journey level or be newly placed in supervisory or managerial positions
• (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 retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/placements
• 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 GS-11
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.