Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (Critical Care)
** Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (Critical Care)**
**Department of Veterans Affairs**
**Location**
3 vacancies in the following location:
** Relocation expenses reimbursed**
No
** Telework eligible**
No
**Duties**
** Summary**
The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) provides clinical and administrative support to staff, patients, and administrators for all matters of concern relating to the facility wide lifecycle management of medical equipment.
**Responsibilities**
+ Responsible for the life-cycle management of diagnostic, therapeutic, and other patient related medical equipment and systems.
+ Performs routine and complex tasks involved in the installation, maintenance, modification, troubleshooting and calibration of complex therapeutic, diagnostic and life support biomedical equipment.
+ Responsible for monitoring system backups, file integrity, ensuring network connectivity between systems, servers, databases, and the electronic medical record.
+ Must be able to reload operating systems and clinical application software in the event of a system failure and interface with OI&T locally and at other sites to keep systems operational.
+ Conducts pre-purchase evaluations and addresses pre-implementation security issues to ensure that medical device isolation architecture requirements are met.
+ Serves as project leader for equipment installation to include but not limited to: discussing contract requirements and concerns with the architect/engineer and contractor; identifying the site requirements, preparing cost analysis and justifications, preparing site plans and progress reports; acting as the project coordinator during installation, testing phases and through completion of the project to include acceptance testing, planning and coordinating work schedules with other services, arranging utility shutdowns.
+ Consults and advises clinical and administrative staff in evaluating medical equipment proposed for purchase.
+ Determines when healthcare technology, instrumentation, or systems are obsolete, hazardous and/or not cost effective to maintain.
+ Performs incoming inspections on new and unfamiliar medical equipment and systems upon receipt to determine that all government safety regulations, manufacturer's specifications, contract requirements are met.
+ Provides biomedical equipment related technical training to peers and developmental BESS's as well as clinical staff. **Work Schedule:** Monday - Friday (0800 AM - 4:30 PM)
**Financial Disclosure Report**: Not required **Travel Required**
Not required
** Supervisory status**
No
** Promotion Potential**
None
**Requirements**
** Conditions of Employment**
+ U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
+ Designated and/or random drug testing required
+ 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 probationary period
+ Subject to a background/security investigation
+ Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
+ Must pass pre-employment physical examination ** 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**. 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.
+ **Experience and Education:** (1) Associates degree in Biomedical Electronics Technology, Biomedical Equipment Technology or Biomedical Engineering Technology or in a related technical field such as Electronic Technology or Information Technology and two years of experience as a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist, Biomedical Equipment Technician, Field Service Engineer, Medical Equipment Repairer, or Information Technology Specialist.
**OR** (2) Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering Technology or in a related field such as Electronics Engineering Technology (EET) or Information Technology.**OR** (3) Completion of a military training program in biomedical equipment **and** two years of experience as a Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist or Biomedical Equipment Technician, Field Service Engineer, Medical Equipment Repairer or Information Technology Specialist.**Preferred Experience:**
+ Preferred 3-10 years' experience as a BESS in a hospital or medical device service provider setting
+ Preferred experience with high risk medical equipment such as defibrillators, ventilators, heart lung bypass machines and anesthesia units, etc.
+ Moderate to advanced experience with medical imaging equipment, to include dental x-ray, ultrasound, and networking medical devices
+ Preferred certifications such as CBET, CRES, CompTIA N+, and CompTIA S+
+ Demonstrated ability to work as a team player
+ Demonstrated superior ability to communicate effectively with clinical staff **BESS GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience.** At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level. Certification as a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET), Certified Laboratory Equipment Specialist (CLES), Net+ and A+ are highly desirable at this level but not required.
Demonstrated (KSAs).
a. Knowledge of a wide range of sciences including, but not limited to, electronics (analog and digital), computer science/networking, mechanical engineering design, pneumatics, hydraulics, chemistry, physiology, medical terminology, anatomy, optics, and biology to perform duties of a broad scope and nature on complex and sophisticated patient-related medical systems and sub-systems.
b. Ability to perform advanced testing and troubleshooting of medical devices involving their interfaces and connections to information systems either directly or through the hospitals hardwired and wireless networks.
c. Knowledge of codes and standards relevant to safe operation of medical instrumentation such as National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Joint Commission (TJC), and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).
d. Skill in the use of all types of test and calibration equipment such as digital multi-meters, electrical safety analyzers, defibrillator analyzers, patient simulators, digital oscilloscopes, pulse generators, and Local Area Network (LAN) analyzers in performing troubleshooting/repair and preventive maintenance activities.
e. Ability to configure and maintain medical servers and desktop computers.
f. Knowledge of contracting regulations, requirements, and specific contract specifications including performance-based contracts.
**References:** VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G49 dated 02/07/2018
The full performance level of this vacancy is 11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-11.
**Physical Requirements:**
+ Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over
+ Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds
+ Heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over
+ Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds
+ Straight pulling 2 hours
+ Pulling hand over hand 4 hours
+ Pushing 2 hours
+ Reaching above shoulder
+ Use of fingers
+ Both hands required
+ Walking 6 hours
+ Standing 8 hours
+ Crawling 4 hours
+ Kneeling 6 hours
+ Repeated bending 6 hours
+ Climbing, legs only 4 hours
+ Climbing, use of legs and arms
+ Both legs required Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle
+ Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
+ Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
+ Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
+ Both eyes required
+ Depth percepti