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Medical Instrument Technician - Polysomnography

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration

Summary

The Medical Instrument Technician - Polysomnography (MIT), plays a crucial role in the evaluation, management, & education of patients with sleep disorders, ensuring high-quality patient care & adherence to sleep medicine protocols. They support patients through telehealth, in-person appointments, and telephone consultations, ensuring optimal use of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy. Requires expertise in sleep disorder diagnostics, PAP technologies, & adherence to regulatory standards.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$36,409 - $72,644 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 4 - 8
Promotion potential
8
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Excepted Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CBSU-13094278-27-MC
Control number
889461800

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All US Citizens ***If you ARE a current, permanent federal employee, please apply to the internal announcement CBSU-13094279-27-MC*** NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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Duties

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*** This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 21, 2026. The initial cutoff date for referral of eligible applications will be November 2, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as needed basis until positions are filled. ***

Responsibilities include triaging consults, facilitating CPAP clinic operations, managing sleep study data, and providing direct patient education and equipment troubleshooting. Duties include, but are not limited to:

  • Applies established protocols for accurate sleep study interpretation and scoring.
  • Demonstrates proficiency in identifying and treating sleep-related breathing disorders.
  • Provides expertise in PAP therapy, including mask fitting and device setup (CPAP, BiPAP, AVAPS, Servo Ventilator).
  • Ensures appropriate oxygen therapy coordination with Home Oxygen services.
  • Conducts PAP mask fittings and patient education on equipment use.
  • Performs CPAP/BiPAP setup, troubleshooting, and re-evaluation.
  • Enrolls and manages patients within CPAP/BiPAP clinic follow-up programs.
  • Demonstrates strong customer service skills, providing compassionate patient interactions.
  • Utilizes CPRS to manage patient records, consult tracking, and clinic scheduling.
  • Reviews and archives sleep studies, ensuring data accuracy and compliance.
  • Generates technical summary reports for physician review and quality assurance.
  • Ensures contract compliance with home oxygen/CPAP providers.
  • Develops and implements process improvements for clinic efficiency.
  • Provides guidance to patients on PAP-related concerns through multiple communication channels.
  • Collaborates with healthcare teams to ensure continuity of care.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30AM to 4:00PM
Telework: May be available on an Ad-hoc basis as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 53982A, 53983A, 53984A, 53985A, 53986A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
  • 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

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.

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.

Certification: Certification is not required for this occupation; however, Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is strongly desirable at the GS6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. The Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification is also highly desirable for employees at the GS8 level.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations:

GS4 MIT-Polysomnography Experience or Education: Must have at least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level whichdemonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level.
~OR~
Successfully completed two years of education above high school or an associate's degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation.

GS4 MIT-Polysomnography Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

  • Knowledge of basic medical terminology.
  • Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used.
  • Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress.
  • Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted.
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing.
GS5 MIT-Polysomnography Experience or Education: Must have 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 position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the particular specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level.
~OR~
Successfully completed 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions.

GS5 MIT-Polysomnography Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions.
  • Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment.
  • Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities.
  • Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures.
  • Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, and calibrate the machine.
GS6 MIT-Polysomnography Experience: Must have 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.

GS6 MIT-Polysomnography Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of standard, computerized polysomnographs for recording continuous all night physiological data including EEG, EOG, EKG, EMG and respiratory parameters.
  • Knowledge of standard devices such as oximeters, respiratory effort devices, nasal pressure devices, thermistors, thermocouples, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, and laboratory computers including the ability to calibrate and operate the equipment and recognize and eliminate recording artifacts.
  • Knowledge of medical terminology and medical record organization to review medical records, sleep study orders, consent forms, medical charts, etc.
  • Knowledge of polysmnographic procedural protocols (including overnight sleep studies, MSL T, MWT, PAP, etc.).
  • Knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology and the international 10-20 electrode placement system in order to conduct the sleep studies.

GS7 MIT-Polysomnography Experience: Must have 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 the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to independently conduct difficult but standardized polysomnography examinations.

GS7 MIT-Polysomnography Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of CPAP function and operation to select and fit appropriate PAP patient interface devices.
  • Ability to independently titrate and document PAP level to achieve therapeutic goals.
  • Knowledge of indications, complications, and contraindications of CPAP therapy.
  • Knowledge of Bi-Level pressure titrations.
  • Ability to recognize changes seen during the PSG tracing and identify all stages of sleep. This includes the ability to score and analyze sleep stages in clinical polysomnography recordings.

GS8 MIT-Polysomnography Experience: Must have at least 1 year of experience comparable to the GS7 grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience which provided a knowledge of the more complex procedures as well as knowledge of the uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders.

GS8 MIT-Polysomnography Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's): In addition to the experience, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Advanced knowledge or the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders
  • Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form
  • Knowledge of event characteristics (e.g., respiratory, cardiac, sleep stage, seizures, etc.) and ability to take appropriate action
  • Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff including physicians
Preferred Experience: Registration by the Board of Registered Polysomnographic Technologists (BRPT) is highly desirable.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS4 to GS8.

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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Physical Requirements: Incumbent exercises physical effort in the performance of duties-continually standing, bending, walking, stooping, frequently pushing and pulling patients stretchers and mobile imaging equipment, occasionally lift and carry items weighing up to thirty pounds. Position also requires operation of the computer keyboard which requires frequent involvement (flexion and extension) of both wrists. Positioning patients who are unconscious or disabled requires considerable effort and working in awkward positions. Heavy lifting of totally incapacitated patients is done only with the help of other employees. Eyestrain may be encountered. Work is performed in areas having adequate heating and cooling and is exposed to disagreeable odors and minor injuries. Portable examinations may be required, which entail transporting equipment to bedside and examining the patient on the ward.

Receiving Service Credit for 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

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.

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

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.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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: The VA Salt Lake City Health Care System mission is: "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." We accomplish this by serving and honoring the Veterans of the intermountain west. We offer a balance of professional and clinical complexity that stimulates growth, but still also allows the professional an opportunity to enjoy life outside of work.

The health care system serves 70,000 Veterans in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada with the George E. Wahlen VA Medical Center and 10 community clinics. The medical center is a teaching a hospital, with state-of-the-art technology, education and research, making it an ideal career choice for many clinical and administrative professionals.

Our main facility is in Salt Lake City at the base of the Wasatch Mountains and adjacent to the University of Utah. Salt Lake is close to five National Parks, creating limitless year-around outdoor recreation. Dubbed the "Silicon Slopes," the area has a buzzing technology scene, performing arts scene, and a diverse culture. Salt Lake offers the perfect mix of social activity, modern businesses and family life, making it an ideal location to start a career, raise a family, or ease into retirement.

If you are interested in a career that offers an integrated patient-centered approach while providing compassionate and state of the art care to Veterans, we welcome you to apply.

Agency contact information

VISN 19 HR Contact Center
Phone
719-227-4600
Email
V19USAJOBS@VA.GOV
Address
VA Salt Lake City Health Care System
500 Foothill Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84148
US

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