Description

OPENING DATE: 05/22/2026

CLOSING POSTING DATE: 09/30/2026

The Biomedical Equipment Support Specialist (BESS) provides clinical and administrative support to staff, patients, and administrators for all matters of concern relating to the facility wide lifecycle management of medical equipment. Biomedical support requires the application of engineering and mechanical concepts and methodology to provide lifecycle management and technical support of diagnostic, therapeutic devices, monitoring, and other equipment utilized in the practice of medicine, and to improve clinical care provided by doctors, nurses, and other clinical staff throughout VA. Medical equipment supported by the BESS is maintained to the standards required by multiple accrediting agencies (e.g. Food and Drug Administration, The Joint Commission, the National Fire Protection Association, etc.).Lifecycle management encompasses the following: technology assessment including defining requirements and analyzing alternatives with clinical users; technology acquisition including technical evaluation and best value determination of proposed equipment and systems; technology implementation including site preparation, incoming inspections, device/system integration, network device security implementation and clinical/technical training; technology sustainment including regular and unscheduled maintenance, upgrades and enhancements, continuing education; end of useful life tasks including decommissioning, data sanitization, and technical evaluation for condition prior to disposal; and strategic planning for end of life replacement in conjunction with clinical services.

Major Duties:

• Lifecycle management of all medical systems such as imaging, life support, dialysis, and monitoring to include physical and network support.
• Coordinates and works effectively with other facility support departments including but not limited to Facilities Management Service (FMS), Office of Information Technology (OIT), Patient Safety, Sterile Processing Service (SPS), Logistics, Contracting, Informatics, and Environmental Management Service (EMS).
• Specific tasks include but are not limited to incoming inspections, regular and unscheduled maintenance, and planning for end of life replacement in conjunction with clinical services.
• Utilizes common test equipment including, but not limited to patient simulators, pulse generators, network analyzers, test phantoms, electrical safety analyzers, oscilloscopes, and multimeters.
• Maintains functional knowledge of relevant safety codes and standards of regulatory bodies including, but not limited to, The Joint Commission (TJC), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).
• Documents all work performed in the computerized maintenance management system (CMMS).
• Applies basic networking principles to resolve medical system communication issues including, but not limited to, node to server failures.
• Provides training and education as appropriate to medical technology end users and clinical staff.
• Provides mentoring and technical training to peers and BESS at developmental levels.
• May be tasked with leading and managing installation or upgrade projects for medical devices and systems.

Work Schedule: Multiple shifts Monday through Friday, 7:00am to 3:30pm or 7:30am to 4:00pm or 8:00am to 4:30pm or 8:30am to 5:00pm
Telework: Not Authorized.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 50820-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

To view additional job duties and descriptions, visit: USAJOBS - Job Announcement

Requirements

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 (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 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who is not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Experience, Education, or Certification

1. Associates degree in Biomedical Electronics Technology, Biomedical Equipment Technology;
~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 not include 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.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
(a) Knowledge of standards including National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint Commission (TJC), and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) for safe operation of medical equipment and clinical systems.
(b) Skill in using test and calibration equipment including digital multi- meters, electrical safety analyzers, defibrillator analyzers, patient simulators, manometers, tachometers, and Local Area Network (LAN) analyzers.
(c) Skill in interpreting a variety of technical data including schematic drawings and wiring diagrams.
(d) Skill in applying networking principles, such as Access Control List (ACL), Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), and Virtual Local Area Networks (VLAN).
(e) Ability to perform advanced testing to troubleshoot medical equipment and clinical system interfaces.
(f) Ability to maintain medical computers and software.
(g) Ability to manage projects involving medical equipment and clinical systems.

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).

Grade Determinations: Grade Determinations: In addition to the Basic Requirements, applicants must meet the following Grade Requirements for the GS-11 grade level: Applicants will need at least one year of experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level.