The Supervisory Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) works in support of the Healthcare Technology Management Service by providing leadership, guidance and supervision among assigned employees. Additionally, the Supervisory 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.
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, 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 the 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 certificated program that did not include an internship AND 1 year of creditable experience, OR Hold or have 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). 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: Supervisory Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist GS-1601-13 Experience: At least one (1) year of experience at the GS-12 grade level that demonstrates the technical competencies described at that level: Knowledge of Health Level 7 (HL7) and Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standards. Knowledge of advanced testing methods to troubleshoot networked medical equipment and clinical system interfaces. Skill in maintaining computer and server based medical equipment, databases, and software. Skill in managing medical equipment and clinical system projects that interface with an electronic health record or other information systems. Skill in applying cybersecurity standards to medical devices and clinical systems such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA), and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines. Ability to apply information security tools including virus protection, software updates, and operating system patches. Ability to establish a medical network including VLAN configuration, Internet Protocol addressing, and network security. OR Knowledge of HL7 and DICOM standards. Skill in applying 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. Skill in operating test equipment for specialized high-risk, surgical, or intensive care medical equipment such as ventilator testers, mechanical lungs, and anesthetic gas monitors. Skill in maintaining specialized high-risk, intensive care, or surgical equipment such as ventilators, heart-lung bypass, anesthesia, and intra-aortic balloon pumps. Skill in performing advanced testing to troubleshoot specialist networked medical equipment and clinical system interfaces. Ability to resolve complex failures on specialized medical equipment and clinical systems. OR Knowledge of imaging principles including techniques, technologies, radiological practices, and procedures. Knowledge of HL7 and DICOM standards. Skill in applying standards for safe operation of medical equipment and clinical systems including NFPA, Nuclear Radiation Commission (NRC), FDA, TJC, and the American College of Radiology (ACR). Ability to resolve complex failures on imaging equipment and clinical systems. Ability to perform advanced testing to troubleshooting imaging equipment and clinical system interfaces. OR Skill in managing projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems. Skills in resolving customer concerns. Ability to comply with standards for safe operation of medical equipment and clinical systems including NFPA, FDA, NRC, TJC, and AAMI. Ability to lead staff in managing daily work assignments and priorities. Ability to mentor staff in professional and technical development. Ability to analyze data to monitor overall program effectiveness. OR Skill in managing workflow by directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. Skill in developing policies to oversee medical equipment and clinical systems. Skill in managing interpersonal relationships between employees, team leaders, and managers. Ability to analyze data to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity. Ability to supervise subordinate staff (for example, plan, organize, delegate, direct, control, review activities, and performance). Ability to provide guidance on multiple types of medical equipment and clinical systems. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to meeting the KSAs at the GS-12 grade level, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill in managing workflow by directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. Skill in developing policies to oversee medical equipment and clinical systems. Skill in managing interpersonal relationships between employees, team leaders, and managers. Skill in applying standards for safe operation of medical equipment and clinical systems including 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). Ability to supervise subordinate staff (for example, plan, organize, delegate, direct, control, and review activities and performance). Ability to provide guidance on multiple types of medical equipment and clinical systems. Ability to analyze data to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G49, Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist Qualification Standard GS-1601. Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
Duties include, but are not limited to: Oversees, directs, and manages the lifecycle management of the facility's medical equipment and clinical systems. Collaborates with other departments and service lines, clinical and administrative staff, and executive leadership at the medical center, VISN, and national levels, as needed. Directs work on all aspects of medical equipment and clinical systems support to include technology assessments, acquisition, and implementation; planned and corrective maintenance; upgrades and modifications; and end of life tasks to include decommissioning, data sanitization, and technical evaluation for condition prior to disposal. Establishes workload distribution and revises work schedules to meet workload priorities, challenges, and issues. Establishes and maintains the medical equipment management program and completes annual evaluations of the program's effectiveness. Develops and implements policies and procedures to ensure compliance with established standards and regulations. Establishes and monitors metrics, and initiates performance improvement activities. Defines, evaluates, and enhances subordinate staff's competency to perform the duties and responsibilities for their respective roles. Develops individual and/or departmental training plans that address gaps in staff and departmental competencies. Develops, delivers, and evaluates performance plans for subordinate staff. Recognizes deserving staff for exceptional performance. Addresses performance problems and conduct issues in accordance with established labor union agreements, human resources guidance, and policies. Requests and develops recruitment packages to fill/backfill any open or vacant positions. Screens and interviews applicants, conducts reference checks, and selects only qualified candidates. Employs available resources to retain talent. Develops and implements succession planning. Forecasts and develops departmental budgets utilizing available data. Manages fund control points and ensures all purchases and expenditures are completed in accordance with applicable federal laws. Serves as a Government Purchase Card (GPC) holder, approving official, or alternate approving official. Serves as a Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). Develops documentation to purchase commodities and/or vendor services. Manages, monitors, and evaluates contractor performance and addresses issues or deficiencies. Regularly solicits and reviews feedback from customers to monitor the quality of the program. Identifies opportunities to improve customer service and satisfaction, and addresses customer feedback effectively and in a timely manner. Manages, responds to, and remediates hazard alerts, recall notifications, and incidents concerning medical equipment and clinical systems. Documents all actions in the appropriate system. Plans, leads, and/or manages projects for medical equipment and clinical systems. Oversees the facility's medical device protection program. Ensures networked medical equipment and clinical systems are inventoried, tracked, and patched. Validates identified cybersecurity vulnerabilities are addressed. Serves as a subject matter expert on assigned committees, projects, and workgroups. 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. Maintains knowledge of and complies with applicable standards, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements. 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. Work Schedule: 7:30 am - 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 00000