Biomedical Engineer

Duties:

Examples of duties will be but is not limited to:

• Assists in developing planning organizing implementing and maintenance of the Medical Equipment Management Program and projects affecting the department.
• Advise clinical and leadership staff on medical engineering technology and changes in such technology.
• Provide educational opportunities to clinical staff on the safe and effective use of medical equipment and/or technology.
• Involved in the Quality Assurance and Continuous Quality Management program.
• Developing and improving complex medical equipment systems.
• Facilitating the introduction of new medical equipment into the medical center.
• Assists in reviewing comparing and selecting medical equipment for use in the medical center.
• Evaluating functional and operational requirements of medical and engineering systems to establish and confirm specific requirements for final application.
• Assists in developing policies and guidelines for the installation maintenance and electrical safety or a wide variety of equipment systems.
• Assisting with implementation of preventative maintenance programs for all medical equipment and medical equipment systems.
• Assisting with implementation of biomedical engineering computer software and software updates.
• Ensuring compliance with the Safe Medical Device Act.
• Developing the work performance specifications for a variety of service contractors including servicing specialized imaging equipment.

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.
• 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 drivers licenses or state-issued dentification 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.

• 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.

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.

Education and/or Experience: Bachelors 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;

Certification as a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and a bachelors degree not listed above.

Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation 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 and/or certification/registration that are 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 in an occupation that does not require a certification/registration may be reassigned promoted or demoted within the occupation.(2) Employees 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 standard.(3) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.(4) If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

English Language Proficiency: Biomedical engineers must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2 section D paragraph 5a this part.

Grade Determinations:

GS-7 (Entry Level) In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed in paragraph 3 above the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.

Education. Bachelors degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1) above or CCE cert. with at least a bachelors degree not listed in paragraph

3.b. (1)

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:1) Masters degree in Biomedical Engineering or a related field of study as outlined in paragraph

3.b.(1).

OR

2) Bachelors degree as outlined in paragraph 3.b.(1) plus two full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study provided the applicants total background 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:

1. Knowledge of the principles theories concepts and practices of the Biomedical Engineering profession.
2. Ability to interpret relevant codes regulations guidelines and standards and make recommendations to ensure compliance with medical center programs.
3. Ability to understand the operational needs of clinical services in the health care system.
4. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Knowledge of basic project management principles as applied to the healthcare setting and medical equipment and information system implementation.

1. Ability to conduct a medical equipment management or biomedical research program that is compliant with applicable healthcare standards and regulatory agencies.
2. Ability to develop a curriculum for a continuing education program that address the safe and effective use of medical technology and/or research devices.
3. 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.
4. Ability to conduct capital asset and infrastructure planning for medical equipment spanning initial concept installation and effective implementation of complex medical equipment.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Knowledge of concepts related to computer based medical systems networking protocols and information security as it applies to medical technology within VHA.
8. Skill in communicating and working collaboratively with key stakeholders including technical and professional staff at various levels of the organization.
9. Ability to apply project management principles to deployment of medical equipment and health information technologies.

Additional information

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.