Supervisory Biomedical Engineer

Summary

The incumbent Supervisory/Deputy Chief Biomedical Engineer for VA San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) supports the Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Program. The HTM Program includes healthcare technology strategic planning, pre-purchase assessment, acquisition support, project management and communication, implementation coordination, program management, process improvement, equipment management, training, and ongoing maintenance support across the enterprise.

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Duties

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Major duties to include but not limited to:

• Serves as a resident expert and project manager of healthcare technology for VASDHS.
• Leads technology assessment of healthcare technology by working collaboratively with medical staff to evaluate market offerings, determine requirements, design system configurations, and develop specifications.
• Works collaboratively with the Contracting staff to procure equipment that best meets clinical needs on balance with competitive processes and value considerations.
• Coordinates implementation of healthcare technology including assessing site preparation requirements, managing project activities and timelines, monitoring installations, and facilitating training of equipment operators and maintainers.
• Manages implementation and recurring technical support of healthcare technologies and actively collaborates with OI&T and clinical service lines to optimize effectiveness of the systems.
• Balances multiple projects simultaneously and works with a broad range of clinical, technical, and administrative stakeholders, through strong project management, change management, relationship- building, and communication skills.
• Ensures that medical device recalls and hazard alerts are acted upon as appropriate and that equipment related safety enhancements are implemented across the VASDHS.
• Ensures that equipment installations enhance and/or support patient safety practices and supports implementation of effective education programs for healthcare technology users.
• Manages equipment procurement processes including equipment functionality, developing technical specifications, evaluating technical proposals, and contributing to price negotiations.
• Analyzes maintenance and support strategies including review of out-sourcing versus in-house support for different aspects of the system.
• Consults on construction projects, Information Technology projects, space functional changes, and associated planning with respect to medical technologies and their related clinical areas (OR, ICU, PACU, etc).
• Provides engineering review and guidance encompassing the Medical Devices Protection Program (MDPP), life cycle management, high-cost high tech equipment, professional engineering consulting with the medical staff in all areas involving medical instrumentation: in-house services for calibration, repair and safety of all medical instrumentation and assurance of meeting guidelines set by the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) and other code-setting agencies regarding overall maintenance and safety of medical instrumentation.
• Gives critical support to the HTM program by interacting with professional and medical staff as a member of numerous committees dealing with issues touching upon medical equipment and processes.
• Provides professional engineering direction to comply with legislative and accrediting requirements at the medical center including federal (e.g., OSHA, EPA, FDA, NFPA), state and local authorities having specific jurisdiction concerning protection and quality of life and environment, as well as accrediting bodies (e.g. TJC, CAP).
• Develops policies and procedures to comply with these frequently conflicting requirements while minimizing adverse impact to patient care.
• Promotes the viability of VASDHS by supporting strategic planning, working with executive administrative staff and Engineering management to plan, implement, and design solutions to needs.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

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

Compressed/Flexible: Not Available.

Telework: Not Available.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 000000

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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 ([click to reveal website link]https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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.
• 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 may be required to serve a 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

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 and/or Experience:
  
  
  • 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. (Acceptable engineering degrees include: Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Biochemical Engineering); OR
  • Certification as a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and a bachelor's degree not listed above.
• English Language Proficiency: Biomedical Engineers must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § .

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).

Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupation, on the effective date of this qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education, and/or certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

1. Such employees in an occupation that does not require a certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation.
2. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis, prior to the effective date of the qualification standard, may not have their temporary appointment extended, or be reappointed on a temporary, or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
3. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
4. If an employee, who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. § 7401(3) under this provision, leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status, and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations:

GS-13 Experience: Applicants must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level and must fully meet the KSAs at that level.

-AND-

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA's:

1. Knowledge of the management of overall department resources, i.e., finances, space, equipment, supplies, and staffing at the local level.
2. Ability to draft and/or recommend local policies and/or directives related to healthcare technology management.
3. Ability to balance multiple responsibilities, set priorities, delegate tasks, meet multiple deadlines, analyze organizational problems, and develop and implement effective solutions.
4. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations, and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the area of responsibility.
5. Skill in interpersonal relationships in leading and dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers, both within and outside the biomedical engineering program, to include conflict management, dispute resolution, mediation, or reasonable accommodations.

Preferred Experience: High Tech Medical Equipment Procurements, Medical Device Protection Program, Supervisory Experience, and Budgeting.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit [click to reveal website link]https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

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: [click to reveal website link]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: [click to reveal website link]https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

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.