The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) needs employees who possess the energy, compassion, and commitment to serve those who served our Country. Whatever the job title, every position in VA will give you a chance to make a meaningful and personal contribution to the lives of truly special and deserving people - our Veterans. Working for VA is one of the most emotionally satisfying and professionally rewarding ways to dedicate the best within you to your Country's service.
If you are transitioning from the military or a Veteran already, we invite you to explore the benefits of continuing your career at the VA. The VA is committed to hiring Veterans .
The VA is much more than just another employer. It is an honorable, open and welcoming community of those who care. Gratitude is our motivation and service is our mission.
The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define “who we are,” our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families and other beneficiaries. The Values are I ntegrity, C ommitment, A dvocacy, R espect and E xcellence (“ I CARE ”).
America's Veterans need you!
To find out more, go to http://www.va.gov/jobs/ .
KEY REQUIREMENTS
- You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job.
- You will be subject to a background/suitability investigation.
DUTIES:
DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.
You will serve as a Biomedical Equipment Specialist responsible for the medical equipment and systems at the VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) and its Outpatient Clinics. You will be responsible for on-site technical support of medical systems within the VA Caribbean Healthcare System as well as in all the Medical, Surgical, and Outpatient Clinics and Services. This support includes pre-purchase evaluation, clinical applications, clinical training, technical training, utilization, installation, prevent and corrective maintenance, modification, accident investigation, life-cycle management and analysis of maintenance policies and procedures, corrective actions and other changes. These systems include state of the art; highly sophisticated instrumentation, networked and/or server based digital-imaging systems, as well as state of the art microprocessor based digital-imaging systems. (MBDIS). You will also serves as consultant to the clinical and administrative staff on technical principles, good manufacturing practices, as well as clinical applications. Through this support the incumbent's position is critical to the delivery of high quality patient care. You will be assigned to the Biomedical Section of the Facility Management Services (FMS).
Work Schedule: Other 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
***RELOCATION EXPENSES AND/OR INCENTIVES ARE NOT AUTHORIZED***
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level in Federal service. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to: supporting highly complex medical and non-medical systems such as networked physiological monitoring telemetry systems, life support equipment, therapeutic and surgical laser respiratory equipment and ventilators, multichannel analyzers, infusion pumps, programmable nurse call systems, electrophysiology systems, imagining equipment and systems, server based medical systems and biomedical instrumentation and systems; analyzing reports concerning isolated and repetitive maintenance troubleshooting procedures; and installing and maintaining software and hardware necessary to maintain medical systems operations. NOTE: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.
OR
Possess a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree; or three (3) full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M., if related. Education must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work. NOTE: A transcript or course listing must be submitted if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. See "How to Apply" for a description of a course listing. Applications submitted without this information will not be considered. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
OR
Possess an equivalent combination of higher level graduate education and specialized experience to meet the total experience requirements for the GS-11 level. NOTE: To calculate the combination of education and experience, determine the amount of experience you have as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level. Then determine the amount of education you have as a percentage of the education required for the grade level. Only education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level is qualifying. Add the two percentages; the total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify for the grade level. A transcript or course listing must be submitted if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. See "How to Apply" for a description of a course listing. Applications submitted without this information will not be considered. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED)
AND
English Language Proficiency Requirement: Applicant must possess the ability to speak and write fluently and proficiently in English in order to receive consideration for this position. Applicant's inability to proficiently speak and write in English will result in an ineligible rating. The hiring facility will interview or test to evaluate the applicant's ability to write and speak in English
AND
This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placements Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The selective placement factor for this position is:
Knowledge of basic medical procedures, medical terminology, and basic interpretation of test results.
NOTE: Application materials must reflect this knowledge in order to receive credit for this selective factor; failure to provide proof will result in loss of consideration
You will be rated on the following Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other characteristics (KSAOs) as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
Knowledge and experience in the theories, techniques, and applications of electricity analog and digital electronics microprocessor theory, biomedical / computer technology and pneumatics .
Knowledge in computer hardware, software, databases management and networking, information systems capacity management principles and concepts
Knowledge of the principles and technical theory of medical instrumentation and the clinical application as it relates to the operation of complex medical and non-medical equipment systems
Ability to read and evaluate practical and technical information from manufacturers, contract specifications manuals, historical data, etc.
Demonstrated skill and ability to troubleshoot, repair, and maintain a wide variety of complex medical and non-medical equipment, general electronic equipment to highly sophisticated clinical instrumentation systems.
Ability to communicate, effectively, orally and in writing, and to interact successfully with a variety of professional, technical, and administrative staff.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
Performance of the duties can be physically demanding involving walking, sitting, bending, some standing and long periods of intense concentration. Lifting of objects between 10 and 50 pounds is common and, on occasion, lifting of heavier objects is necessary. Climbing on ladders and very rarely on scaffolds is needed and contributes to the arduous nature of the job. In other situations there may be special requirements for agility or dexterity such as exceptional hand/eye coordination. Trips to satellite outpatient clinics are sometimes necessary and will involve transportation via station vehicle.The work performed is of a precise nature requiring long periods of concentration that is often interrupted. You are often faced with changing priorities and with meeting deadlines. You will seldom deal with- other VACHS personnel or patients who may be uncooperative or hostile due to circumstantial pressures. You will be required to display tact, patience and a professional, helpful manner regardless of circumstances.
For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at http://www.opm.gov/qualifications .
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. If your resume does not support your questionnaire answers, we will not allow credit for your response(s).
APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Please refer to this checklist to ensure proper accreditation and for foreign education requirements.
Veteran's Preference:
- When applying for Federal jobs, eligible veterans should claim preference on the Occupational Questionnaire in the section provided and provide a legible copy of DD-214(s) showing all dates of service as well as character of service (honorable, general, etc.). Additionally, veterans with service-connected disability of 10% or more must also submit a copy of their official statement from the Department of Veterans Affairs, or from a branch of the Armed Forces, certifying their service-connected disability and/or their receipt of compensation for service-connected disability. If the military member is within 120 days of separation and does not yet have a DD214, the member may instead submit any written document from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty service in the armed forces under honorable conditions not later than 120 days after the date the certification is signed.
- Veterans with service-connected disability of less than 10%, non service-connected disability, and Purple Heart recipients, as-well-as those claiming derived preference for a spouse, widow or widower, or natural mother, should refer to and submit a completed " SF15, "Application for 10-Point Veteran Preference ," (go to http://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/SF15.pdf ) and required documentation with your application materials. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit http://www.fedshirevets.gov/job/veterans.aspx .
HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED:
Applicants will be ranked based on four quality groups, as follows:
Best qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position;
Highly qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the requirements of the job;
Well qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in some, but not all, of the requirements of the job; and
Qualified - applicants possessing experience and/or education that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors.
After the vacancy announcement closes, reviewed applications are evaluated against the questionnaire responses and placed in the appropriate quality group. Qualified veterans will be afforded preference by being placed at the top of the appropriate quality group. Qualifying veterans with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be placed at the top of the best qualified group. The best qualified group is the first to be referred to the hiring facility for further consideration and possible interview. The remaining groups may be referred based on the number of applicants available.
BENEFITS:
VA offers a comprehensive benefits package. This link provides an overview of the benefits currently offered: http://www.va.gov/jobs/job_benefits/benefits.asp .
The Federal Government has special appointing authorities for persons with qualifying disabilities (go to http://www.opm.gov/disability/peoplewithdisabilities.asp ). For additional information on these, and other special appointing authorities, refer to this checklist or contact the hiring Human Resources Management Service at: 10 CASIA STREET SAN JUAN, PR 00921
OTHER INFORMATION:
The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 85 or more) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/ctap/index.asp .
VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.
