Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

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. 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.

Experience or Education
:
None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment
:
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. They troubleshoot and perform planned maintenance on general medical equipment. Entry-level BESSs assist with incoming inspections and documentation.

Experience
:
One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• 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).
• Skill in documenting all services provided in support of medical equipment and clinical systems in a computerized maintenance management system.
• Ability to learn equipment operating and maintenance procedures.

Experience
:
One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Knowledge of basic networking concepts including Access Control List (ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).
• Knowledge of computer and server hardware and software functionality including virus protection, operating system patches and upgrades, and information security tools.
• A…