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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• BESS assist in lifecycle management of any and all medical systems such as imaging, lab analyzers, life support, dialysis, and monitoring to include physical and network support.
• Completes both routine and moderately complex assignments involved in the installation, maintenance, modification, troubleshooting, repair and calibration of these therapeutic, diagnostic, and life support medical devices and systems of differing complexities.
• Coordinates and works effectively with other facility support
  departments including but not limited to Facilities Management Service (FMS), Office of Information
  Technology (OIT), Sterile Processing Service (SPS), and Environmental Management Service (EMS).
  Specific tasks include but are not limited to 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, electrical safety analyzers, oscilloscopes, patient simulators, pulse
  generators, network analyzers, and multimeters.
• Performs testing and troubleshooting of medical devices and systems involving their interfaces and
  connections to information systems either directly or through the facility's hardwired and wireless
  networks. Learns and adheres to Medical Device Isolation Architecture (MDIA) Guidelines in both pre-procurement
  and during system implementation. May load operating system (OS) and clinical application software as needed under guidance of more experienced BESS. Executes VA guidelines when assisting in responding to network incidents (due to infection, loss of services or regional and local policy changes).
• Maintains functional knowledge of relevant safety codes and standards of regulatory bodies including but
  not limited to The Joint Commission (TJC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug
  Administration (FDA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Association for the Advancement of
  Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).
• Documents all work performed in the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). This
  documentation is completed in accordance with regulatory body requirements, Healthcare Technology
  Management (HTM) Documentation of Services guidelines and other organizational requirements.
• As assigned, may work closely with designated Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to gain
  knowledge of government contract procedures and documentation requirements such as development of
  statements of work, sole source justifications, other applicable documentation (6550, Independent
  Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), etc.) and overseeing vendor work.
• Investigates, remediates and documents recalls and safety alerts within established timeframes. Identifies hazards during
  routine job performance and takes action to ensure they are addressed and corrected.
• Develops and maintains knowledge of the state of the art in medical technology, including scientific advances, basic network protocols and medical device security, and vendor changes. Focuses on professional development in all areas of medical technology lifecycle management including technical skills. Knowledge and training is obtained from formal (conference, classes) or informal (magazines, articles, peer training) means. As this is a developmental level 2 position, the employee will spend time working with more experienced BESS and/or Biomedical Engineer to learn and develop technical and administrative skills.
• Provides training and education as appropriate to medical technology end users and clinical staff.
• Provides mentoring and technical training to peers and lower graded development BESS.
• May assist with management of installation or upgrade projects for medical devices and systems. This includes but is not limited to pre-implementation planning and coordination with end users, vendors, and other onsite support staff (OIT, Informatics, SPS, etc.)
• Additional duties are performed as assigned by supervisor related to maintenance, remediation, and tracking of medical systems (action items, special projects, etc.) to meet mission critical requirements. May be asked to assist in other administrative duties as well.
• Serves as an advocate for Biomedical/Clinical Engineering department in all interactions with others.

• Work Schedule: Monday -Friday 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. Heavy lifting (45 lbs and over)

Conditions of employment

• Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required. 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.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
• 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
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.
• Subject to a background/security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

Qualifications

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.


Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

References: VA Handbook 5005 Appendix G49 Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist QUALIFICATION STANDARD , dated February 7, 2022

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-5 to GS-11.

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, GS-5 (Entry Level)

(1) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

(2) 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.

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, GS-7 (Developmental Level 1)
Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities(KSAs), and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled such as providing support of basic medical equipment and systems.
In addition, you 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 multi- meters, 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-9 (Developmental Level 2)
Experience. At least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) which demonstrates the KSAs, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled such as providing support of medical equipment and systems; performing and documenting all repairs and preventive maintenance activities; performing incoming inspections on new medical equipment and systems; and providing biomedical equipment technical training.

In addition, you 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.

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level)
Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level providing support of medical equipment and systems; utilizing schematic drawings, wiring diagrams, and technical manuals as guidelines; maintaining inventory documentation of assigned networked-attached medical equipment/systems; and providing biomedical equipment technical training. Certification as a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET), Certified Laboratory Equipment Specialist (CLES), Net+ and A+ are highly desirable at this level but not required.
In addition to the experience above, you 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 multi- meters, 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.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Learning
• Reading Comprehension
• Reasoning
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.

Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.