Biomedical Engineer

Full Job Description

The Biomedical Engineer position provides professional engineering support for the Healthcare Technology Management program at the VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS).

The program includes medical technology assessment, strategic planning, acquisition support, implementation, coordination, equipment management, and ongoing maintenance support.

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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 and/or Experience: Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering.

To be creditable, the curriculum must be from a school of engineering with at least one curriculum accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), as a professional engineering curriculum.

(Acceptable engineering degrees include: Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Biochemical Engineering); OR Certification as a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and a bachelor's degree not listed above.

English Language Proficiency: Biomedical Engineers must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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).

Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation, 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/or certification/registration 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: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation.

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.

Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

If an employee, who was retained in an 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.

Grade Determinations: GS-7 Experience: No experience beyond the basic requirements listed above; OR, Education: Bachelor's degree or CCE certification with at least a bachelor's degree not listed above.

GS-9 Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7); or Education: applicants can substitute a Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, or related field of study (as listed above); or applicants can substitute a bachelor's degree (as outlined above in the basic requirements) plus 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a field of study.

-AND- In addition to the experience/education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Knowledge of the principles, theories, concepts, and practices of the Biomedical Engineering profession.

Ability to interpret relevant codes, regulations, guidelines, and standards, and make recommendations to ensure compliance with medical center programs.

Ability to understand the operational needs of clinical services in the health care system.

Ability to prepare material on current technical topics and trends, for presentation to other technical staff and mid-level hospital management, and the ability to keep abreast of changes in technology.

GS-11 Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower level (GS-9); OR, Education applicants can substitute a Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in Biomedical Engineering, or a related field of engineering (as outlined in the basic requirements above); or applicants can substitute a bachelor's degree (as outlined above in the basic requirements) plus 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a field of study.

-AND- In addition to the experience/education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to implement and/or sustain an equipment management or biomedical research program that meets The Joint Commission (TJC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), or other applicable regulatory requirements.

Ability to develop material for a continuing education program for clinical or research staff, that address the principles and application of medical technology, and/or biomedical theory used in healthcare.

Ability to advise staff on emerging medical technology, or research procedures, while keeping abreast of changes in such technology, and utilizing the information to solve biomedical engineering problems.

Knowledge of basic project management principles, as applied to the healthcare setting and medical equipment, and information system implementation.

GS-12 Experience: Applicants must have at least 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower level (GS-11); or completion of a post-doctoral research fellowship in the field of biomedical engineering, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level.

-AND- In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to conduct a medical equipment management or biomedical research program that is compliant with applicable healthcare standards and regulatory agencies.

Ability to develop a curriculum for a continuing education program, that address the safe and effective use of medical technology, and/or research devices.

Ability to manage a recall and safety alert program for medical devices, including medical device hazard investigations, to assure compliance with patient safety goals, SMDA, and TJC requirements.

Ability to conduct capital asset and infrastructure planning for medical equipment spanning initial concept, installation, and effective implementation of complex medical equipment.

Ability to function as the subject matter expert in the field of biomedical engineering, directly supporting specialized clinical technology, including service, system administration, training, quality assurance, and life-cycle management.

Ability to effectively advise clinical and administrative staff on medical technology, including existing and emerging technology, which addresses viability, long-term suitability, compatibility, and/or safety.

Knowledge of concepts related to computer based medical systems, networking protocols, and information security as it applies to medical technology within VHA.

Skill in communicating and working collaboratively with key stakeholders, including technical and professional staff at various levels of the organization.

Ability to apply project management principles to deployment of medical equipment and health information technologies.

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-12.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07 to GS-12. Major Duties:

Major duties to include but not limited to: Responsible for the cost-effective maintenance of the medical center's entire inventory of complex medical instrumentation and for a significant portion of the non-medical instrumentation as well.

Maintenance expenses must be minimized while the quality and timeliness of service maximized.

In this endeavor the incumbent assists the medical and administrative staff in the most effective expenditure of funds allocated for replacement and additional equipment.

Responsible for supporting the Healthcare Technology Management section training program, in-house cross training, and vendor training, to ensure that the Biomedical Equipment Support Specialists are kept abreast of the changing technology as effectively as possible within the available resources.

In managing the material resources utilized by the Healthcare Technology Management Section, the incumbent must make difficult and crucial decisions while maintain the delicate balance between economics, engineering, and medical care.

Responsible for providing professional engineering direction to comply with legislative and accrediting requirements at the medical center.

The requirements include federal (e.g., OSHA, EPA, FDA, NFPA), state and local authorities having specific jurisdiction concerning protection and quality of life and environment, as well as accrediting bodies (e.g., TJC, CAP).

Develops policies and procedures to comply with these frequently conflicting requirements while minimizing adverse impact to patient care.

Responsible for coordinating and managing the Healthcare Technology Management Section's Medical Device Isolation Architecture and network security also coordinate and manage projects that require Healthcare Technology Management as the lead or an interface.

Responsible for ensuring that working conditions and work practices within the section are such that the possibility of on-the-job injuries are minimized (i.e., safety training, worksite inspections, etc.).

Ensures that all employees within the section are knowledgeable of, and adhere to, policies and procedures as they relate to work-related injuries and illnesses.

Responsible for evaluation of major failure problems or inadequate performance of medical equipment systems.

The incumbent must draw from a wide experience of medical equipment systems to solve such problems, since maintenance instructions or other guidelines are inadequate for final solution.

The medical equipment systems generally include a number of physically separate and technologically different subsystems.

Prepares quality assurance monitor reports, standard operational procedures, and preventive maintenance procedures as required.

Incumbent develops and or assists in the development/review of medical center policy memoranda in his/her area of responsibility.

Introduces newest technology and practices to the medical center involving medical systems often with profound impact on clinical and administrative services processes.

Actively promotes the viability of VASDHS by supporting strategic planning, working with executive administrative staff, and Engineering management to plan, implement, and design solutions to needs.

Responsible for managing the Healthcare Technology Management Section's recall and safety alert program for medical devices hazard investigations to assure compliance with patient safety goals, SMDA, and The Joint Commission requirements.

Performs other related duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday though Friday, from 8:00 am-4:30pm. Compressed/Flexible: Not Available. Telework: Not Available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required.