Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (Information Systems)

Veterans Health Administration • Hines, IL

2d • Onsite

About The Position

The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS), specialized in information systems, works within a VA facility’s Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) department in support of the medical equipment management program. In addition to duties performed at the full-performance level, the specialist maintains medical servers and networks, diagnostic software, virtual platforms, and clinical application software.

The position manages the lifecycle and support of network infrastructure and networked medical equipment and systems, including imaging, life-support, dialysis, and monitoring systems. It maintains and troubleshoots computerized networks, databases, servers, and biomedical information systems that store or facilitate patient information. The specialist plans and implements emerging technologies, responds to network incidents, documents work, and may serve as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). The role also addresses recalls and safety alerts, keeps current with medical technology developments, and provides training to end users and clinical staff.

The position is at the GS-12 full-performance level. The schedule is Monday through Friday, with listed tours of 7:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. or 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; tours may include weekends. Telework is not available, and the position is not virtual. The position requires a 1- or 2-year trial period. Physical and mental demands include sustained concentration, precision, work under stress and strict deadlines, and regular work in critical patient-care areas alongside patients and clinical staff.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Meet one of the stated basic qualification pathways: an associate or higher degree in biomedical technology or biomedical engineering; an associate or higher degree in electronics, information technology, or another engineering field plus one year of creditable experience; completion of specified Department of Defense biomedical equipment or electronic systems/information technology training programs, with the stated experience where applicable; completion of a biomedical engineering technician or HTM certificate program with an internship/apprenticeship, or without one plus one year of creditable experience; or qualifying CBET, CRES, CLES, or CHTM certification (current continuous maintenance of certification is not required during VHA employment).
• At least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 level in the Federal service.
• Specialized experience managing medical equipment and clinical-system lifecycles; troubleshooting and correcting issues; performing incoming inspections and planned maintenance; documenting work and safety actions in appropriate systems; addressing hazard alerts, recalls, and incidents; monitoring backups and connectivity; mitigating cybersecurity vulnerabilities; maintaining clinical systems; using test equipment according to manufacturer instructions; managing projects; and loading operating-system and clinical-application software as needed.
• If serving as a COR, knowledge of government contract procedures and documentation, including statements of work, sole-source justifications, VA Form 6550, and Independent Government Cost Estimates; ability to oversee vendor work and manage contractor performance.
• Knowledge of Health Level 7 (HL7) and Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standards.
• Knowledge of advanced testing methods for troubleshooting networked medical equipment and clinical-system interfaces.
• Skill in maintaining computer- and server-based medical equipment, databases, and software.
• Skill in managing medical equipment and clinical-system projects that interface with an electronic health record or other information systems.
• Skill in applying cybersecurity standards to medical devices and clinical systems, including FDA, FISMA, and NIST guidelines.
• Ability to use information security tools, including virus protection, software updates, and operating-system patches.
• Ability to establish a medical network, including VLAN configuration, IP addressing, and network security.
• Subject to background and security investigation, pre-employment drug testing for applicants selected for testing-designated positions, and a pre-employment physical examination.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as VA health care personnel.
• Must complete the online onboarding process and required application documentation, and provide acceptable identification for employment verification.
• Must serve a 1- or 2-year trial period, during which continued employment is evaluated.
• Technical, academic, and mental demands are high; work requires precision, long periods of concentration, handling stress and strict deadlines, and a professional manner in critical patient-care areas.

Responsibilities

• Manage the lifecycle of network equipment and infrastructure, including switches, servers, routers, and related equipment supporting complex networked medical devices and systems.
• Manage, troubleshoot, and maintain computerized networks, databases, servers, and biomedical information systems that store or facilitate patient information.
• Plan for and implement new and emerging technologies, including diagnostic modalities, network management and storage, and virtual data centers.
• Design, implement, and manage network incident responses involving infection, loss of service, or regional and local policy changes, following VA guidelines.
• As assigned, manage the lifecycle of medical devices and systems, including imaging, life-support, dialysis, and monitoring equipment, providing physical and network support.
• Document all work in the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) in accordance with regulatory, HTM, and organizational requirements.
• As assigned, serve as a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and maintain appropriate certification levels.
• Investigate, remediate, and document recalls and safety alerts within established timeframes.
• Maintain knowledge of developments in medical technology, scientific advances, network protocols, and vendor changes.
• Provide training and education to medical technology end users and clinical staff as appropriate.
• Perform additional assigned work related to maintenance, remediation, tracking, action items, and special projects to meet mission-critical requirements.
• Monitor system backups, ensure network connectivity, mitigate cybersecurity vulnerabilities, maintain clinical systems, and load operating-system and clinical-application software as needed.
• When serving as a COR, develop contract-related documentation, oversee vendor work, monitor contractor performance, and address issues or deficiencies.
• Develop documentation to purchase commodities and vendor services and manage medical equipment and clinical-system projects.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package is available to eligible employees; specific benefits depend on position type and should be confirmed with the hiring agency.
• Selected applicants may be eligible to request credit for prior federal or military service toward annual leave accrual, subject to approval.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Associate degree