LEAD BIOMEDICAL EQUIPMENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Lead Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

Department of Veterans Affairs

Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC

Summary

The Lead Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) works in support of the Biomedical Engineering Department by managing workload among assigned employees.

Additionally, the Lead 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.

Location

1 vacancy in the following location :

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to :

• Responsible for Lifecycle management of any and all medical systems such as imaging, life support, dialysis, and monitoring to include physical and network support.
• Completes both routine and complex assignments involved in the installation, maintenance, modification, troubleshooting, repair and calibration of these complex therapeutic, diagnostic and life support medical devices and systems.
• Coordinates and works effectively with other facility support departments including but not limited to Facilities Management Service (PMS), Office of Information Technology (OIT), Sterile Processing Service (SPS), and Environmental Management Service (EMS).
• Identifies, distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and / or job specializations.
• Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload.
• Assigns daily work to staff, establishing priorities based on workload related to BESS and ensures that each employee has an integral role in developing the final team product.
• Reviews progress of work assignments, modifies as needed and checks completed work for accuracy.
• Provides inf01mation on behalf of the team to inform the supervisor of performance management issues / problems and to recommend / request related actions, such as : assignments, reassignments, promotions, tour of duty changes, peer reviews and performance appraisals.
• Leads the team in assessing its strengths and weaknesses and provides leadership to the team in exploring alternatives and determining what improvements can be made ( e.

g., in work methods, processes and procedures).

• Performs advanced testing and troubleshooting of medical devices and systems involving their interfaces and connections to information systems either directly or through the facility's hardwired and wireless networks.
• Loads operating system (OS) and clinical application software as needed.
• Executes VA guidelines when responding to network incident response ( due to infection, loss of services or regional and local policy changes).
• Maintains functional knowledge of relevant safety codes and standards of regulatory bodies including but not limited to The Joint Commission (TJC), National Fire Protection Association (NFP A), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).
• As assigned, functions as a Contracting Officer Representative (COR) and keeps appropriate certification levels.
• Uses knowledge of government contract procedures and documentation requirements to develop statements of work, sole source justifications, other applicable documentation (6550, Independent Government Cost Estimate (IGCE), etc.

and to oversee vendor work.

• Collaborates with Logistics and Contracting to procure parts and services; functions as a purchase card holder, as required.
• Investigates, remediates and documents recalls and safety alerts within established timeframes.
• Provides mentoring and technical training to peers and development graded BESS.
• Represents Biomedical / Clinical Engineering department on committees and in meetings as delegated by supervisor.

Work Schedule : 8 hour shift between 7 : 00 am - 5 : 00 pm, Monday - Friday

Telework : Not Available

Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Position Title / Functional Statement # : Lead Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist / PD10355F

Relocation / Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized

Fi nancial Disclosure Report : Not required

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
• You may be required to serve a probationary period
• Subject to a background / security investigation
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel

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 . 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.

See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

• Experience and Education . 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 , Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering Technology or in a related field such as Electronics Engineering Technology (EET) or Information Technology.
• Or , 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.

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).

All persons employed in VHA as a BESS on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply : (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.

2) BESSs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the sta