Supervisory Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) Information Systems

Serves as a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) specialized in information systems within a Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) department at the facility. Works in support of the medical equipment management program. In addition to duties at the full performance level, the BESS maintains medical servers and networks, diagnostic software, virtual platforms, and clinical applications software.

Responsibilities:

The BESS (Information Systems) maintains medical servers and networks, diagnostic software, virtual platforms, and clinical applications software. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Manages and maintains medical servers and networks, diagnostic software, virtual platforms, and clinical applications software.
• Manages projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems, to include procurement, installation, and maintenance.
• Manages hardware components of virtual servers, physical servers, and medical workstations.
• Facilitates operating system updates, upgrades, and virus protection.
• Identifies, troubleshoots, and completes corrective action for issues related to networked medical equipment and clinical systems.
• Evaluates compatibility and adaptability of medical equipment and clinical systems to integrate with the electronic health record or other clinical systems.
• Reviews, coordinates, and implements available software patches, updates, and system/data backups with staff and manufacturers.
• Coordinates, implements, and manages cybersecurity measures and disaster recovery plans.
• Effectively responds to, investigates, and documents cybersecurity incidents involving 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.
• Monitors cybersecurity metrics and initiates corrective action to address deficiencies.
• Complies with the facility's medical device protection program.
• Ensures networked medical equipment and clinical systems are inventoried in the appropriate database.
• Serves as a subject matter expert on assigned committees, projects, and workgroups.
• 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).
• Utilizes test equipment in accordance with manufacturer instructions.
• 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.
• Provides guidance and mentorship to expand professional knowledge and enhance technical skillsets.
• Maintains and enhances knowledge in technological advancements through professional development and technical training.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional:

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework: ADHOC-May be authorized (Employees who Telework on an occasional, episodic, or short-term, and have completed required telework training and telework agreement). Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements:

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. You may be required to serve a trial period. 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. 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

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: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).

Education, Experience, or Certification: 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 a 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.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE GRADE REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

GS-13 Experience: At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-12. Examples of experience include: Managing multiple assignments, organizing, and independently prioritizing work with minimal supervision; managing medical equipment and clinical systems including installation, planned maintenance, troubleshooting, repair, calibrations, electrical safety inspections, patient safety, cybersecurity, and decommissioning; planning, implementing, and providing technical and project oversight for medical equipment and clinical systems; performing incoming inspections on medical equipment and systems to determine that all safety regulations, manufacturer's specifications, contract requirements, and needs of users are met, and they initiate corrective action when necessary; monitoring system backups and data integrity; ensuring network connectivity between systems, servers, databases, and the electronic medical record; maintain systems security and standards; reloading operating systems and clinical application software and interface with the Office of Information and Technology (OIT) to keep systems operational; investigating equipment incidents, cases of equipment damage and abuse, equipment failure reports that cannot be duplicated, and medical device security incidents; and ensuring proper disposal of medical equipment and clinical systems including removal of protected health information (PHI) and hazardous materials.

In addition, you must have experience which demonstrates the following knowledge, skills and abilities:

(a) Skill in managing workflow by directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives.

(b) Skill in developing policies to oversee medical equipment and clinical systems.

(c) Skill in managing interpersonal relationships between employees, team leaders, and managers.

(d) Skill in applying standards for safe operation of medical equipment and clinical systems including National Fire