Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (Information Systems)

Veterans Health Administration • San Diego, CA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist Information Systems (BESS IS) provides clinical and administrative support to staff, patients, and administrators for facility-wide lifecycle management of clinical systems, medical devices and systems, diagnostic software, virtual platforms, networks, and clinical applications. The role ensures compliance with the facility’s Medical Equipment Management Plan, applicable standards and regulatory requirements, and VA Directive 6550 for medical-device and system preparation, procurement, assessment, and implementation.

The specialist manages and maintains medical servers and networks, diagnostic software, clinical systems, virtual platforms, clinical applications, and related hardware. The position includes inspecting and maintaining equipment, coordinating and managing projects across procurement, installation, sustainment, and maintenance, and assessing whether equipment and systems can integrate with the electronic health record and other clinical systems. Work is documented in the Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) according to regulatory, HTM, and organizational requirements.

The role also plans for emerging technologies, facilitates operating-system updates and upgrades, applies virus protection, coordinates software patches and backups, and manages cybersecurity measures and disaster-recovery plans. The employee may sometimes work outside the normally scheduled tour of duty. The stated schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; the tour may vary. Compressed/flexible scheduling, telework, and virtual work are not available.

Applicants must meet the stated U.S. citizenship and English-proficiency requirements and the applicable education, training, certification, and grade-level qualifications. The GS-12 criteria include at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to GS-11 and demonstrated knowledge and skills in medical-device networking, interfaces, cybersecurity, information security, and related systems. The position may involve work in asbestos-containing areas and environments with electrical energy, ladders, outdoor work, hazardous materials, and occasional travel.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when recruiting qualified citizens is not possible under 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Meet one of the listed basic qualification pathways: an associate’s or higher degree in biomedical technology or biomedical engineering; an associate’s or higher degree in electronics, information technology, or engineering other than biomedical engineering plus one year of creditable experience; completion of a DOD biomedical equipment technician training program; completion of a DOD electronic-systems repair and maintenance or information-technology training program plus one year of creditable experience; completion of a biomedical engineering technician or HTM certificate program with internship or apprenticeship; completion of such a certificate program without an internship plus one year of creditable experience; or current or prior CBET, CRES, CLES, or CHTM certification.
• For GS-12, at least one year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11).
• For GS-12, knowledge of HL7 and DICOM standards and advanced testing methods for troubleshooting networked medical equipment and clinical-system interfaces.
• For GS-12, skill in maintaining computer- and server-based medical equipment, databases, and software; managing projects interfacing with an electronic health record or other information systems; and applying cybersecurity standards such as FDA, FISMA, and NIST guidance.
• For GS-12, ability to apply information-security tools such as virus protection, software updates, and operating-system patches, and to establish a medical network including VLAN configuration, IP addressing, and network security.
• Comply with pre-employment screening, background and security investigation, onboarding, identification, and other stated employment conditions.
• Participate in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Serve the stated one- or two-year trial period and receive written certification for continued employment after the period.
• Submit transcripts when relying on education for qualifications; foreign education must meet the stated equivalency and documentation requirements.
• Meet physical and safety requirements associated with work in asbestos-containing areas and potentially confined or interstitial spaces; physical exertion such as lifting, standing, bending, or reaching may be required.

Nice To Haves

• No separately identified preferred qualifications are stated. The posting describes experience with physical requirements in confined spaces and interstitial areas under “Preferred Experience,” but does not specify a years-of-experience preference.

Responsibilities

• Comply with the facility’s Medical Equipment Management Plan and applicable standards, policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements, including VA Directive 6550.
• Ensure networked medical equipment and clinical systems are inventoried in the appropriate database.
• Maintain functional knowledge of relevant safety codes and standards, including those of TJC, NFPA, FDA, NRC, AAMI, ACR, and FIPS.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on assigned committees, projects, initiatives, and workgroups.
• Manage and maintain medical servers and networks, diagnostic software, clinical systems, virtual platforms, and clinical applications software.
• Manage and maintain hardware components of virtual and physical servers, virtual data centers, medical equipment, and clinical systems.
• Perform incoming inspections and planned maintenance on medical equipment and clinical systems.
• Manage projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems, including procurement, installation, sustainment, and maintenance.
• Evaluate compatibility and adaptability of medical equipment and clinical systems for integration with the electronic health record or other clinical systems.
• Document work in the CMMS in accordance with regulatory requirements, HTM documentation guidelines, and organizational requirements.
• Manage the lifecycle of medical equipment, clinical systems, diagnostic software, virtual platforms, and clinical applications software.
• Plan for new and emerging technologies with clinical services, including medical equipment, clinical systems, network management and storage, and virtual data centers.
• Facilitate and execute operating-system updates and upgrades and virus protection.
• Review, coordinate, and implement available software patches, updates, and system and data backups with staff and manufacturers.
• Coordinate, implement, and manage cybersecurity measures and disaster-recovery plans.
• Complete work outside the normally scheduled tour of duty when required.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Follow safety protocols in asbestos-containing areas and complete annual asbestos training.
• Follow life-safety, emergency-preparedness, security, infection-control, and environmental procedures; report safety hazards, accidents, and injuries; and review hazardous-materials and waste-management information.

Benefits

• Federal employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package; specific benefits depend on the position and eligibility.
• Selected applicants may request and receive approval for credit toward annual-leave accrual based on prior federal work or military service; approval is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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