Biomedical Engineer

Summary

Responsible for providing Technical Assistance for the Central Virginia VA Health Care System's Biomedical Engineering Section ensuring that VA Policy and Standards are adhered to in the Planning, Development, Implementation, Integration, Acquisition, Installation and Testing of Critical Patient Care/Medical Equipment. Supports Biomedical Engineering through submission of Service Contracts, Contracting Repair Requests, and Manages the Associated Invoice Payment.

Duties

• Major Duties Include but are not limited to: Assists with the Medical Equipment Management Program that meets current Joint Commission, NFPA, and relevant VHA requirements. Assists with a recall and safety alert program for medical devices, including medical device hazard investigations, to ensure compliance with patient safety goals, Safe Medical Device Act, and Joint Commission requirements. Advises clinical and administrative staff on medical equipment technology including existing and emerging technology which addresses viability, long-term suitability, compatibility, and/or safety. Analyzes organizational and operational problems and recommends timely and economical solutions spanning initial concept, installation, and effective implementation of complex patient care/medical equipment and systems. Applies a working knowledge of the capabilities, limitations, operations, design features, and use of a variety of test equipment and measurement instruments such as digital meters, oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, waveform generators, electrical safety analyzers, MAS meters, and radiation output meters. Incumbent must have knowledge and experience in electronic troubleshooting techniques and use of common hand tools and soldering equipment. This knowledge is related to, and in some instances equivalent to, a full professional engineering knowledge which enables the incumbent to analyze how and why a specific device or system functions while referencing manuals and training guides, if needed. Reads, interprets, and applies technical data such as schematic drawings, wiring diagrams, tables, charts, and formulas to effect repairs. Effectively communicates, both orally and in writing. This skill enables the incumbent to work with VA and vendor personnel to effectively document maintenance activities as well as writing effective, clear, and concise technical and user instructions, policy memoranda, reports, project documentation, and position papers. Applies some knowledge of basic networking skills including modification of Access Control Lists, Virtual Local Area Network and IP principles. Applies some knowledge of project management to manage multiple concurrent projects effectively and efficiently. Demonstrates excellent communication skills for interactions with multi-disciplinary staff and high-level management. Assist Chief Biomedical Engineer with identifying developmental training needs of employees. Serves as a technical resource to all Biomedical Engineering staff and provides advice or instruction to section members in the repair and maintenance of all types of complex patient care/medical equipment and electronic systems, computer and office equipment, electrical safety, biomedical theory, and administrative matters. Provides various levels of technical assistance to all Biomedical Engineering staff as determined by their position. Assists Biomedical Equipment Support Specialists (BESS) with maintenance and repair and serves in a back-up capacity when necessary. Supports the design, maintenance, and programming of all networked medical equipment and systems. Development and expansion of these highly technical networked medical equipment and systems involves interdisciplinary coordination and planning. Assists the Chief Biomedical Engineer with pre-purchase assessments for patient care equipment and systems in compliance with VHA Direction 6550. Performs other related duties as assigned by the Chief Biomedical Engineer or designee. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:3-am-4pm 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

Qualifications

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. English Language Proficiency: Biomedical Engineers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. Education and/or Experience: The individual must meet either item (1) or (2) below to meet this requirement: (1) 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. Examples of acceptable engineering degrees include: Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Biochemical Engineering. Titles may vary from educational institutions and change over time. OR, (2) Certification as a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and a bachelor's degree not listed in item 3.b.(1) above. 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: In addition to the Basic Requirements, applicants must meet the following Grade Requirements for the GS-7 to GS-12 grade level: GS-7 (Entry Level) Experience- None beyond the basic requirements. Education- Bachelor's degree as outlined in paragraph, above, or CCE certification with at least a bachelor's degree. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-None beyond the basic requirements. GS-9 (Developmental (Level 1) Experience-At least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level. ~OR~ Education- Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, or a related field of study. ~OR~Bachelor's degree, plus two full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study, that demonstrates the KSAs for the GS-9 level assignment. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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 healthcare 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 (Developmental (Level 2) Experience-At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower level, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. ~OR~ Education- Ph.D., or equivalent doctoral degree in Biomedical Engineering, or a related field of engineering. ~OR~ Bachelor's degree, plus three full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study, a related field of engineering. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities- In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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 (Full Performance Level) Experience-Completion of at least one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level; or completion of a post-doctoral research fellowship in the field of biomedical engineering, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities-In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of 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. Preferred Experience: At Least 3 years of experience as a Biomedical Engineer in an HTM program of VHA. 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.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 identification 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.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

How to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13034440. The application process is as follows: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 09/10/2026. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.