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Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (Intensive Care)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

This position is located at the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia.
The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) provides clinical and administrative support to staff, patients, and administrators for all matters of concern relating to the facility wide lifecycle management of medical equipment. Biomedical support requires the application of engineering and mechanical concepts.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/13/2026 to 05/20/2026
Salary
$104,357 - $135,667 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 12
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Philadelphia, PA
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
12
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CBSZ-12956844-26-SC
Control number
869071600

This job is open to

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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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Duties

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  • Maintain specialized high-risk surgical or intensive care medical equipment such as anesthesia, intensive care ventilator equipment, intra-aortic balloon pumps, heart-lung bypass systems, and other advanced operating room or intensive care unit equipment.
  • Lifecycle management of all medical systems such specialized high-risk, surgical, or intensive care medical equipment in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
  • Ability to resolve failures on specialized medical equipment and clinical systems.
  • Provides training and education as appropriate to medical technology end users and clinical staff.
  • Performs manufacturer-level maintenance on intensive care systems.
  • Serves as a subject matter expert on assigned committees, projects, and workgroups.
  • Troubleshoots medical equipment and clinical systems using a variety of technical data and completes corrective action.
  • Performs incoming inspections and planned maintenance on medical equipment and clinical systems.
  • Responds to and remediates hazard alerts, recall notifications, and incidents concerning medical equipment and clinical systems. Documents all actions in the appropriate system.
  • Utilizes test equipment in accordance with manufacturer instructions.
  • Manages projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems.


Work Schedule: Monday -Friday 7:00 am - 3:30 pm
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • 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)
  • Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position.
  • Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.
  • As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 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 the efficiency of Federal service.
  • • whether your continued employment would help goals of the Agency; 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

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-12

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist- Imaging, GS-12

Experience.
At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level

In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of HL7 and DICOM standards.
(b) Skill in applying 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.
(c) Skill in operating test equipment for specialized high-risk, surgical, or intensive care medical equipment such as ventilator testers, mechanical lungs, and anesthetic gas monitors.
(d) Skill in maintaining specialized high-risk, intensive care, or surgical equipment such as ventilators, heart-lung bypass, anesthesia, and intra-aortic balloon pumps.
(e) Skill in performing advanced testing to troubleshoot specialized networked medical equipment and clinical system interfaces.
(f) Ability to resolve complex failures on specialized medical equipment and clinical systems.

Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs and over). You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Education

Certification. Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. 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.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Additional information

It is VHA policy that all VHA Health Care Personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or obtain an approved accommodation for medical, pregnancy, or religious reasons, when required by law.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

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.

If you are unable to apply online view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

The Philadelphia VA Medical Center provides health care to Veterans living in America's fifth-largest metropolitan area. The facility is staffed by approximately 3,000 employees and supports 145 acute care beds, 135-bed Community Living Center, and serves a unique Veteran based of 60,000 patients. Affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania and numerous other allied health schools and colleges, the Philadelphia VAMC offers comprehensive surgical, medical and psychiatric care to include special emphasis programs, alcohol and drug dependence treatment, and rehabilitative care. Additional information can be found on our internet site https://www.philadelphia.va.gov/.

Agency contact information

Sylina Conley
Phone
2158235800
Email
Sylina.Conley@va.gov
Address
Corporal Michael J Crescenz Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
3900 Woodland Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19104
US

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https://www.va.gov/jobs/

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