Supervisory Biomedical Engineer

Summary

The Chief Healthcare Technology Manager (HTM) service line Chief (Chief HTM) is responsible for the professional and administrative management at a Level III complexity Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (NAVAHCS). He/she has responsibility for supervising technical staff including Biomedical Engineers, Biomedical Engineering Support Specialists, and other technical staff such as interns, trainees, and master's degree students.

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Duties

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Duties include but are not limited to:

• The HTM Chief reports directly to the Associate Director. He/she receives administrative direction with assignments in terms of broadly defined missions or functions.
• Approves multiyear and long-range plans developed by the supervisors of subordinate levels and subsequently manages the overall work to ensure achievement of those goals and objectives.
• The HTM Chief has full administrative, managerial, and supervisory responsibilities for the Medical Center HTM program. He/she is fully responsible for planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, and evaluating this program at each facility and its outpatient clinics.
• Responsible for the full range of personnel actions and organization design proposals recommended by subordinate supervisors.
• Performs as the HTM service line Chief/Supervisor, leading the NAVAHCS HTM service line, which consists of Biomedical Engineers, Biomedical Engineering Support Specialist, and administrative staff. The HTM service line also typically incudes VHA HTM Program Office Biomedical Engineer Interns, VISN 22 Biomedical Engineers Trainees, and University of Connecticut Biomedical Engineer Masters Students.
• Serves as a staff advisor to the VISN 22 HTM Chief in Biomedical Engineering as well as engineering principles and practices, which relate to the area of specialization and scientific discipline, drawing from professional educational background, as well as practical experience.
• Monitors daily activities related to medical equipment and clinical systems. This includes assuring electronic studies reach the archive location, and that they are correctly represented.
• Maintains communications with vendors and other sources to ensure that working technical knowledge is always current. Keeps abreast of medical equipment/clinical systems developments throughout the VA technology community as well as current developments in medical imaging systems and database management systems.
• Coordinates and sets priority for special requests from various programs/divisions. Supports the tele-health program and solves problems or issues.
• Implement and/or sustain an equipment management or biomedical reprogram that meets The Joint Commission (TJC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), or other applicable regulatory requirements.
• 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.
• 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
• Retain knowledge of basic project management principles, as applied to the healthcare setting and medical equipment, and information system implementation.

Work Schedule : 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday.

Telework : Not authorized

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 00000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : May be authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not authorized

Requirements

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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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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 1 or 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.
• English Language Proficiency. Biomedical Engineers must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Education and/or Experience. The individual must meet either items below to meet this requirement:
  • 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,
  • Certification as a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and a bachelor's degree not listed in item 3.b.(1) 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).

Certification as a Project Manager is not required, but highly desired.

Grade Determinations : GS-14

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

1. Experience. Completion of at least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower level (GS-13), and must fully meet the KSAs at that level.
2. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the biomedical engineer (clinical) must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
   1. Ability to conduct capital asset and infrastructure planning for medical equipment spanning initial concept, installation, and effective implementation of complex medical equipment
   2. Knowledge and capacity to support the most complex and specialized clinical technology including service, system administration, training, and quality assurance.
   3. Knowledge of, and the ability to interpret and apply complex codes, regulations guidelines, and standards associated with the biomedical engineering field
   4. Ability to develop and implement policies that are consistent with organizational objectives.
   5. Ability to communicate and work collaboratively with key stakeholders, including technical and professional staff at various levels of the organization.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G38 Biomedical Engineer Qualification Standard dated march 25, 2019

Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over, heavy carrying, 45 pounds and over, pulling hand over hand (4 hours), reaching above shoulder, walking and standing (1 or 2 hours), kneeling (1 hour), climbing, use of legs and arms, ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, both eyes required, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing (aid may be permitted), mental and emotional stability.

Education

Education and/or Experience. The individual must meet either items below to meet this requirement:

• 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,
• Certification as a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and a bachelor's degree not listed in item 3.b.(1) above.

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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.

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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.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.