Supervisory Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist

Summary

The Supervisory Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist position is located within Facilities Management Service at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, Texas.

Duties

The Supervisory Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) within a Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) department at a VA facility that provides multi-faceted specialty care for both inpatient and outpatient services that may be delivered at a variety of sites. Works in support of the medical equipment management program. In addition to duties at the full performance level, the BESS utilizes supervisory and personnel management authorities and responsibilities. The primary duties of the position may include, but are not limited to: Oversees, directs, and manages the lifecycle management of the facility's medical equipment and clinical systems. Collaborates with other departments and service lines, clinical and administrative staff, and executive leadership at the medical center, VISN, and national levels, as needed. Develops and implements policies and procedures to ensure compliance with established standards and regulations. Establishes and maintains the medical equipment management program and completes annual evaluations of the program's effectiveness. Establishes and monitors metrics, and initiates performance improvement activities. Defines, evaluates, and enhances subordinate staff's competency to perform the duties and responsibilities for their respective roles. Develops individual and/or departmental training plans that address gaps in staff and departmental competencies. Develops, delivers, and evaluates performance plans for subordinate staff. Recognizes deserving staff for exceptional performance. Addresses performance problems and conduct issues in accordance with established labor union agreements, human resources guidance, and policies. Requests and develops recruitment packages to fill/backfill any open or vacant positions. Screens and interviews applicants, conducts reference checks, and selects only qualified candidates. Employs available resources to retain talent. Develops and implements succession planning. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 2:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m., subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 580-02075-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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. 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. Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle. Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process. 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. Education, Experience, or Certification: (1) Associates or higher degree in the biomedical technology or biomedical engineering field; OR (2) Associates or higher degree in electronics, a field of information technology, or engineering (other than biomedical engineering) AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR (3) Completion of the Department of Defense (DOD) biomedical equipment technician training program; OR (4) Completion of a DOD training program in repair and maintenance of electronic systems or information technology AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR (5) Completion of a biomedical engineering technician or Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) certificate program that included an internship or apprenticeship; OR (6) Completion of biomedical engineering technician or HTM certificate program that did notinclude an internship AND 1 year of creditable experience; OR (7) Hold or having ever held certification as a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET),Certified Radiology Equipment Specialist (CRES), Certified Laboratory Equipment Specialist (CLES), or Certified Healthcare Technology Manager (CHTM). Continuous maintenance of certification is not required throughout VHA employment. English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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). GS 13 Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates. Experience. At least one year of experience at the GS-12 grade level that demonstrates the technical competencies described at that level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. s. In addition to meeting the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Skill in managing workflow by directing the work of others to accomplish program goals and objectives. (b) Skill in developing policies to oversee medical equipment and clinical systems. (c) Skill in managing interpersonal relationships between employees, team leaders, and managers. (d) Skill in applying standards for safe operation of medical equipment and clinical systems including National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the Joint Commission (TJC), and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI). (e) Ability to supervise subordinate staff (for example, plan, organize, delegate, direct, control, and review activities and performance). (f) Ability to provide guidance on multiple types of medical equipment and clinical systems. (g) Ability to analyze data to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Other Information

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.