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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Lists the major duties and responsibilities of the position: EEG Technicians perform, under a physician's direction, diagnostic tests, both invasive and noninvasive, of the pulmonary system (lung) and the cardiovascular system (heart and circulation) and neurologic system. They operate, monitor, and collect data from instruments used in procedures such as cardiac catheterization, angiography, angioplasty, or Neurology procedures (such as continuous video EEG monitoring and EEG testing). Registration as an EEG technologist is required. They operate with the electroencephalograph and other devices such as evoked potential equipment to record the electrical activity of the brain. Registration is offered by the American Board of Registration of EEG, CNIM & EP Technologists (ABRET) or the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Techs (AAET) General Description of Assigned Duties The incumbent performs as an expert EEG technologist. He/she maintains state of the art quality in the principles, practices and procedures associated with Electroencephalography. Using state of the art equipment, the incumbent obtains EEGs and evoked potentials on patients with a variety of serious medical and neurological illnesses. All of the testing performed requires on line analysis by the technologist to obtain the necessary data for correct diagnosis of the patient. In all procedures the incumbent works closely with physicians from Neurology Service and the Epilepsy Center of Excellence. The incumbent is able to utilize the sophisticated equipment to obtain continuous video-EEG monitoring in patients with undiagnosed spells. The incumbent will interface with company representatives and will be familiar with new techniques. The incumbent must be able to perform procedures independently but works under the direction of the Director, Epilepsy Center of Excellence or designee. Functions or scope of assigned duties. The work involves performance of a wide range of sophisticated diagnostic procedures and therapeutic techniques representing important components of the care of many patients. Inpatients and outpatients with diverse disorders may require such testing and or treatments so this position has significant scope within our medical center.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

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.
• 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 identification 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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. 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 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.
• Education. There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels.
• Licensure or Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations". For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition.
• English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

Grade Determinations:
(1) GS-6
(a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities1. Knowledge of basic medical terminology, neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and EEG interpretation.2. Ability to position patients for the examination or treatment including using standard alternate positions for patient with common physical disabilities.3. Ability to operate the appropriate EEG equipment to administer routine, standardized diagnostic or treatment procedures.4. Knowledge of normal and abnormal results to recognize and report obvious abnormalities during procedures.5. Knowledge of universal precautions and basic sterilization methods to clean instruments to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.6. Knowledge of EEG and peripheral equipment to conduct routine maintenance and adjustment checks.(c) Certification. No certification or registration is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) certification.(d) Assignment. Operates and monitors EEG equipment in the EEG Lab, intensive care units, operating room, and the patient's bedside. Performs a full range of standard, routine EEG examinations including routine awake and sleep recordings, electrocerebral silence recordings, multiple sleep latency recordings, intraoperative monitoring, electrocorticography. Performs nerve conduction studies using electromyography equipment. Prepares recordings for interpretation and performs a preliminary review and interpretation of the recordings.
(2) GS-7
(a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to independently conduct difficult but standardized electroencephalography examinations. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities1. Ability to perform more complex electroencephalography studies such as evoked potential (visual, auditory, somatosensory) and transcranial Doppler studies.2. Knowledge of medication effects related to electroencephalography studies and clinical situations requiring medication.3. Knowledge of life threatening or medically emergent testing or patient situations.4. Ability to recognize artifacts (patient or environmental) and document, eliminate, or take proper measures to monitor the artifact.(c) Certification. No certification or registration is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certifications.(d) Assignment. At this level, the medical instrument technician (EEG) independently performs routine but complex procedures and has advanced knowledge in certain areas. They are able to deal with difficult or more complex patients. They are able to identify and correct most artifacts. Procedures are fully explained to the patient and family members to set them at ease. Interpretative skills are sufficient to allow identification of more serious conditions requiring rapid intervention.
(3) GS-8
(a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided knowledge of the more complex procedures, the pharma-cology related to this occupation, and knowledge of related acute disorders and diseases and their effects on organs and methods of treatment. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities1. Ability to interpret testing data to evaluate critical information for surgeons and other medical staff during testing procedures.2. Knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the nervous system and the ability to understand the relationship of EEG and evoked potential testing in detecting states of disease and health.3. Knowledge of behavior assessment during seizure attacks in order to insure adequacy of recordings during seizure discharges.4. Knowledge of a variety of advanced EEG equipment and peripheral equipment such as equipment for brain mapping, video EEG telemetry systems with seizure detection computers, and spike analysis software.5. Knowledge of anticonvulsant medications and their effects on the EEG as well as other frequently used pharmaceuticals.6. Ability to adapt neurodiagnostic devices, parameters, and procedures to complex, unusual, and often critical situations.
(c) Certification. No certification or registration is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certifications.
(d) Assignment. This represents the full performance level. Medical instrument technicians (EEG) at this level are expected to provide independent performance of a full range of procedures. The technician consistently delivers high quality studies for the most complex and non-routine procedures in difficult or demanding environments such as research, intraoperative monitoring, or intensive care monitoring. Procedures are tailored to clinical questions to be answered and may require additional monitors, electrodes, or other devices as clinically indicated. The technician interprets study results and brings to the attention of the physician or supervisor more subtle abnormalities that may require intervention. The technician will highlight portions of recordings of clinical importance for review by the clinical neurophysiologist and will accurately describe the concurrent behavior of the patient. Positive interaction with other health care staff to inform them of the indications for testing; the value, possible outcomes, and limitations of testing; and the policies of the laboratory are expected.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G27.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-06 to GS-08.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.