Summary The Medical Instrument Technician (Diagnostic Ultrasound) operates independently and without direct supervision as the technologist responsible for the performance and coordination of all diagnostic medical sonography including abdominal, extremity, obstetrical/gynecologic and vascular technology.
Learn more about this agency Duties Help
Duties include but are not limited to:
- Performs ultrasound procedures and special, complicated examinations such as to the abdomen, pelvis, transvaginal, chest, small parts, thyroid, and scrotum.
- Performs vascular studies: carotid, vertebral, renal artery, aortic aneurysm, portal-systemic shunts, etc.
- Assists in fluid aspirations.
- Performs equipment system check prior to use to assess acceptable performance based on established guidelines. Troubleshoots equipment in diagnostic procedures and can make minor repairs and/or adjustments. Must recognize and report major equipment malfunctions within a timely manner to service representative and imaging program manager, initiating work orders necessary to drive repairs when there are equipment problems or down time.
- Calibrates equipment following established calibration parameters making adjustment to the system as needed.
- Navigates the patient's electronic clinical record prior to exam, including, clinical diagnosis laboratory results and reviews prior ultrasound/vascular exams and other exams to prepare for and to understand existing pathology. Maintains electronic records and files of exams performed on patients.
- Demonstrates excellent customer service at all times using tact, diplomacy and courtesy in dealing with customer base, patients, family, visitors, volunteers and staff.
- Understands and is knowledgeable of anatomy and physiology and cross-sectional anatomy, recognizing unusual images and determining proper positioning to best demonstrate areas of interest.
- Schedules exams in a manner to optimize scanner times while maintaining flexibility for emergency cases.
- Confers with radiologists to determine requirement of non-standard exams. Determines technical factors, positioning, number and thickness of scans, etc., to produce and satisfy requirements of US scanning. Schedules patients for examinations. Advises radiologists or referring physicians of examination results. Notifies them of scans requiring their immediate attention. Communicates with coworkers, hospital staff and provides to successfully hand off patients after an exam is completed. Makes necessary documentation in CPRS regarding patient status and completes incident reports for all infiltrates, extravasations and other unforeseen events.
- Explains examinations to be performed to the patients so that an understanding of the purpose of the study as well as any requirements of the patients are thoroughly understood.
- Participates in the training of physicians, students, and radiology technicians so that these individuals may acquire an understanding of the principles of ultrasound and how it relates to other diagnostic exams.
- Advises interpreting provider of significant abnormalities that would require their immediate attention and visualization while the patient is undergoing examination.
- Distributes completed examinations and related information to the radiologist responsible for the interpretation of the exams.
Work Schedule : Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year). Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66
. 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 : Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement # : 14376F.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
Requirements Help
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, 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 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.
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.
Education : There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions.
Licensure or Certification : Not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations".
English Language Proficiency : Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
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 for employment, candidates must meet the following grade-determining criteria for placement at grade level specified.
Medical Instrument Technician (Diagnostic Ultrasound) GS-8 Experience . At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct diagnostic ultrasound examinations in complex and unusual cases. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. 1. Ability to perform diagnostic ultrasound examination on multiple areas of the body, including, but not limited to, the abdomen, pelvis, transvaginal, chest, small parts, thyroid, breast, and scrotum.
2. Ability to perform vascular studies such as vertebral, renal artery, aortic aneurysm, portal-systemic shunts, etc.
3. Ability to assist radiologists with biopsy procedures determining the location, depth, and required needle angle for the lesion to be sampled.
4. Ability to assist in surgical procedures and fluid aspirations.
Certification . Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
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: 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:
Additional information Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
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.
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