Biomedical Engineer

01Basic Requirements

United States Citizenship: [Be] a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with [VA Handbook 5005, Part II,] chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3.g.) 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 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).

02Grade Determinations

Biomedical Engineer, GS-7 (Entry Level) Experience. None beyond the basic requirements. Education. Bachelor's degree or CCE certification with at least a bachelor's degree not listed above. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. None beyond the basic requirement. Assignment. Employees serve in an entry level biomedical engineer career development position.

It is expected that biomedical engineers at the entry level receive ongoing guidance from mor experienced staff members and perform assignments under close supervision. Biomedical Engineer, GS-9 (Development Level) Experience. At least (1) one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower level. OR, Education. a. Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering, or a related field of study (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR, b.

Bachelor's degree, plus (2) two full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study, provided the applicant's total background demonstrates the KSA's for the GS-9 level assignment. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) 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 health care 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. Assignment.

Biomedical Engineers, at this developmental level, require direction on more complex tasks. Employees complete technical assignments in the engineering field, under the direction of a senior biomedical engineer and will be required to rotate through, and participate in, the operations of other hospital services. At the GS-9 grade level, employees function with oversight by a supervisor for more complex assignments Biomedical Engineer, GS-11 (Development Level 2) Experience.

At least (1) one year of specialized 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 (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). OR, Bachelor's degree, plus (3) three full years of progressively higher level graduate education in a related field of study. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) 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. Assignment. At the developmental level, employees function on a semi-independent basis with limited oversight by senior biomedical engineers.

They participate in medical device hazard investigations, to assure compliance with patient safety goals, the Safe Medical Devices Act (SMDA), TJC requirements, and assist in the development of an equipment management program at the medical center. Employees may lead medical technology deployments, directly support medical equipment, or participate in research projects. Biomedical Engineer, 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.

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-7 to GS-12.

03Physical Requirements

See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.

Duties include but are not limited to: Develops, implements, and manages medical and special purpose servers and networks, diagnostic software, virtual platforms, and clinical applications software. Manages projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems, to include procurement, installation, and maintenance. Manages hardware components of virtual servers, physical servers, and medical workstations. Provides guidance and mentorship for professional and technical development.

• Facilitates operating system updates, upgrades, and virus protection.
• Evaluates compatibility and adaptability of medical equipment and clinical systems to integrate with the electronic health record or other clinical systems.
• Reviews, coordinates, and implements available software patches, updates, and system/data backups with staff and manufacturers.
• Coordinates, implements, and manages cybersecurity measures and disaster recovery plans.

Effectively responds to, investigates, and documents cybersecurity incidents involving medical equipment and clinical systems. Monitors cybersecurity metrics and initiates corrective action to address deficiencies. Develops, implements, and manages the facility's medical device protection program. Ensures networked medical equipment and clinical systems are inventoried in the appropriate database. Facilitates training of HTM staff to develop knowledge of networked medical equipment and clinical systems.

Serves as a subject matter expert on assigned committees, projects, and workgroups. Completes other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized