Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This announcement is open to current, permanent employees of the Central Iowa VA Health Care System.

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The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Prepares proper instrument, computer and auxiliary equipment and acquires imaging procedures as indicated by protocol. Evaluates image appearance and performs any additional views as required. Processes and evaluates computer generated data. Obtains samples and/or data for non-imaging studies. Calculates and evaluates results of non-imaging studies.
• Prepares and performs cardiac monitoring and/or assists with stress tests by starting IVs, placing EKG leads, taking blood pressures, ensuring all monitoring equipment is functional.
• Performs, evaluates, and monitors quality control measurements of specialized equipment used in the performance of imaging studies, such as camera imaging systems, computers, dose calibrators, well/probe detector systems, and other ancillary equipment used daily. The technologist troubleshoots and makes a judgment on the acceptable performance of equipment prior to initiating studies on patients. Assesses performance and troubleshoots PACS and/or film processing equipment. Operates and maintains auxiliary equipment, such as, EKG gating device, pulse oximetry, and hot lab equipment. Reviews daily work schedule to plan radiopharmaceutical needs.
• Orders proper unit doses and/or prepares radiopharmaceutical kits, performs quality control, and evaluates results. Prepares and dispenses diagnostic radiopharmaceutical dosages.
• Labels blood components with a radiopharmaceutical.
• Schedules patient studies, ensuring appropriate sequence of multiple procedures and interacts with staff regarding exam preparation. Receives patient and provides proper medical care during nuclear medicine procedures. Communicates effectively with patient, family, and staff. Provides safe and sanitary conditions. Prepares patients for procedures. Obtains pertinent patient history and checks procedural contraindications. Selects and administers the appropriate radiopharmaceutical by the proper route. Identifies potential medical event and takes appropriate action.
• Recognizes and responds to emergency conditions.
• The technologist analyzes and reviews new software.
• The technologist performs radiation safety duties associated with the radio pharmacy/hot lab.
• Post appropriate signs in designated areas to comply with NRC regulations.
• Surveys, inspects, and inventories incoming radioactive materials. Reviews radioactive material packages to determine if it is properly packaged and takes appropriate actions. Utilizes proper methods for the use and storage of radioactive materials. Monitors and disposes of radioactive waste. Prepares & packages radioactive materials for transportation. Maintains proper Hazmat training as required by the DOT. Performs wipe tests and area radiation surveys. The technologist uses proper procedures for managing emergency surveys in the event of a radiation accident, radioactive spill, or contamination by performing the proper clean up, surveying and monitoring of the area. Analyzes circumstances contributing to radiation exposure and to recommend procedures to minimize exposure. Provides instruction on proper radiation emergency procedures.
• Performs and monitors quality management procedures.
• Ensures accurate CPT coding for workload credit and third-party reimbursement.
• Oversees completion of the phantom study and performance testing mandated by the National Nuclear Medicine office.
• Monitors equipment maintenance and service, ensuring that equipment is maintained within optimal specifications. The incumbent serves as liaison among in house Biomedical engineering, vendor service engineers, vendor account executives and staff to address equipment failure, perform scheduled maintenance, acquire technical upgrades and enhancements and any other issues affecting equipment performance.

Work Schedule: Full-time
Compressed/Flexible:Available
Telework: Ad-hoc
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

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 dentification 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

All requirements must be met by the close date of this announcement, 11/24/2025.

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: All applicants must be certified in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N).
• English Language Proficiency: NMTs must be proficient in spoken and written English.

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:

GS-11 Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Experience: The candidate must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-9, directly related to the position being filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. These include: Ability to document excessive radiation exposure in the working environment; Knowledge of medical events requiring documentation and the ability to properly document them and make recommendations to the radiation safety officer (RSO); Ability to communicate orally and in writing post iodine-131 therapy radiation safety precautions; Ability to troubleshoot gamma camera and auxiliary equipment problems; Ability to analyze computer generated data for technical quality and artifacts and initiate corrective measures.
AND
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: The candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical KSAs:
i. Ability to produce and assess high quality scans and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results.
ii. Knowledge and skill in use of ancillary equipment with an understanding of how the results will affect the study outcome.
iii. Knowledge of physiologic processes as they relate to altered radiopharmaceutical uptake and/or artefactual findings.
iv. Ability to obtain, assess, and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose.
v. Ability to develop new protocols for imaging procedures.
vi. Ability to analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce.
vii. Ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions.

Preferred Experience: 5 years or more experience as a nuclear medicine technologist. Previous radiation safety office training/experience.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: 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.

Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA as a NMT on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:
(1) Such employees in an occupation that requires a [certification], may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the journey (full performance) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) Such employees in an occupation that requires a certification only at higher grade levels must meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to the higher-grade levels.
(3) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
(4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(5) If an employee who was in the NMT occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status, and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

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.