Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

Full Job Description

The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) (Biomedical Information Systems) provides clinical and administrative support to staff, patients, and administrators for all matters of concern relating to the facility wide lifecycle management of networks, networked medical equipment and associated systems.

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: English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C.

chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English.

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 Experience: Associates or higher degree in the biomedical technology or biomedical engineering field; OR Associates or higher degree in electronics, a field of information technology, or engineering (other than biomedical engineering) AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR Completion of the Department of Defense (DOD) biomedical equipment technician training program; OR Completion of a DOD training program in repair and maintenance of electronic systems or information technology AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR Completion of a biomedical engineering technician or Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) certificate program that included an internship or apprenticeship; OR Completion of biomedical engineering technician or HTM certificate program that did not include an internship AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR 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.

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-05 Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (Entry Level): Experience or Education: None beyond basic requirements.

GS-07 Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist: Applicants must have at least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a)Knowledge of physics, anatomy, and physiology.(b) Knowledge of electronics such as analog, digital, and microprocessor theory.(c) Knowledge of the use of standard level test equipment such as multimeters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers, and tachometers.(d) Knowledge of basic networking concepts, such as computer and server hardware and software functionality, information technologies and computer virus protection software, available software patches and upgrades, and information security tools (for example, Microsoft Office, Windows operating systems, and McAfee).e) Skill in documenting all services provided in support of medical equipment and clinical systems in a computerized maintenance management system.(f) Ability to learn equipment operating and maintenance procedures.

Assignment: Employees at this grade level serve as developmental BESSs performing an increasing range of duties, under less frequent supervision, but receive guidance and direction regarding unfamiliar or unusual situations for more complex issues designed to prepare them for promotion.

They troubleshoot and perform planned maintenance on general medical equipment. Developmental-level BESSs assist with incoming inspections and documentation.

GS-09 Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist: Applicants must have at least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a)Knowledge of basic networking concepts including Access Control List (ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).(b) Knowledge of computer and server hardware and software functionality including virus protection, operating system patches and upgrades, and information security tools.(c) Ability to interpret a variety of technical data such as schematic drawings, wiring diagrams, table charts, mathematical expressions, and formulas.

(d) Ability to use standard level test equipment including multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, patient simulators, storage oscilloscopes, manometers, and tachometers.(e) Ability to perform equipment maintenance and operating procedures.

Assignment: Employees at this grade level serve as a developmental BESS performing increasingly more complex tasks designed to prepare them to work independently at the full performance level.

They troubleshoot and perform planned maintenance on medical equipment. Developmental-level BESSs assist with incoming inspections and documentation.

BESSs in this assignment receive increasingly less frequent supervision, direction, or guidance from more experienced staff members GS-11 Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist: Applicants must have at least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:(a) Knowledge of 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.(b) Skill in using test and calibration equipment including digital multimeters, electrical safety analyzers, defibrillator analyzers, patient simulators, manometers, tachometers, and Local Area Network (LAN) analyzers.(c) Skill in interpreting a variety of technical data including schematic drawings and wiring diagrams.

(d) Skill in applying networking principles, such as Access Control List (ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).(e) Ability to perform advanced testing to troubleshoot medical equipment and clinical system interfaces.(f) Ability to maintain medical computers and software.(g) Ability to manage projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems.

Assignment: Employees in this assignment serve as full performance level (FPL) BESSs responsible for managing multiple assignments, organizing, and independently prioritizing their work with minimal supervision.

At this level, BESSs manage medical equipment and clinical systems including installation, planned maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, calibrations, electrical safety inspections, patient safety, cybersecurity, and decommissioning.

They plan, implement, and provide technical and project oversight for medical equipment and clinical systems.

BESSs develop technical requirements, draft requests for proposal (RFP) language, sole-source justifications, and statements of work (SOW).

They conduct market research, product evaluations, evaluate contractor performance, and conduct pre-procurement assessments.

They serve as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) or Contracting Officer Technical Representative (COTR) to purchase medical equipment, maintenance and repair contracts, and facility projects as needed.

BESSs conduct prepurchase evaluations and address pre-implementation security issues to ensure medical device isolation architecture (MDIA) requirements are met.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Major Duties:

Duties will be but are not limited to: Manages the lifecycle of medical equipment and clinical systems.

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. Documents all work in the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS).

Responds to and remediates hazard alerts, recall notifications, and incidents concerning medical equipment and clinical systems. Documents all actions in the appropriate system.

Monitors system backups, ensures network connectivity, mitigates cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and maintains clinical systems. Utilizes test equipment in accordance with manufacturer instructions.

Manages projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems. Provides customer support to staff, evaluates issues and needs, responds with solutions, and keeps customers abreast of status.

Educates staff on the safe operation and user-level maintenance of medical equipment and clinical systems. Serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) and/or purchase card holder.

Develops documentation to purchase commodities and/or vendor services. Manages, monitors, and evaluates contractor performance and addresses issues or deficiencies.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 07941-F, 07932-F, 07933-F, 079344-F