Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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As a Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT) you will be responsible for administering, under the direction of a physician, both diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and adjunct medications. You will be responsible for the safe use of ionizing and nonionizing radiation for diagnostic, therapeutic, and research purposes. You will also review patients' medical history to understand the patients' illness and pending diagnostic or treatment procedure; instruct the patient before, during, and following the procedure; evaluate the satisfactory preparation of the patient before beginning a procedure; and recognize emergency patient conditions and initiate lifesaving first aid when appropriate. You will acquire, process and transfer the imaging study for review by the Nuclear Medicine physician. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Receiving/interpreting requests
• Securing patient confidence/cooperation
• Preparing radiopharmaceuticals for patient administration
• Performing and monitoring specialized tests and/or studies
• Managing protocols for new tests
• Assisting in, or performing, exposure pattern studies
• Assisting in, or establishing, radiation safety policies
• Utilizing computerized systems in networking and processing

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. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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).
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period (OR "2-year trial period") during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:
• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.
• Upon completion of your probationary period ( "trial period"), your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.
• Certification: Certification in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N). NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification eligibility requirements are normally satisfied by one of the following:
  • Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program, OR
  • Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), culminating in a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree. Educational programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety, instrumentation, clinical procedures, and radio-pharmacy, as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB.

1. Ability to produce and assess high quality scans and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results.
2. Knowledge and skill in use of ancillary equipment with an understanding of how the results will affect the study outcome.
3. Knowledge of physiologic processes as they relate to altered radiopharmaceutical uptake and/or artefactual findings.
4. Ability to obtain, assess, and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose.
5. Ability to develop new protocols for imaging procedures.
6. Ability to analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce.
7. Ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions.

• Certification by the CA Dept of Public Health in Nuclear Medicine in all scopes defined in Section 30533, Plus Venipuncture
• Extensive PET/CT experience to include recent cardiac, neurology, and cancer imaging. Ability to utilize and understand advanced PET applications to include TOF, misregistration of images, beam hardening, metal artifact, etc.
• Experience adjusting/rewriting prewritten protocols on Siemens computers.
• Theragnostic experience with I-131 thyroid therapy, Ra-223 Xofigo, Y-90 Thera Sphere, and Lu-177 Pluvicto.
• Extensive experience in USP>825>radio pharmacy. Understanding and ability to perform USP <825> compliant testing for self and lab. Experience preparing radiopharmaceuticals from bulk 99mTc. Ability to perform all QC to assure radiopharmaceuticals purity. Experience with 99Mo generators.
• PACS experience.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.