Summary The Chief Biomedical Engineer is responsible for the management of the Biomedical Engineering Department at the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System. The incumbent has responsibility for supervising technical staff including engineers, biomedical engineering technicians, and others across all sites of care within Tennessee Valley Health System as such will be required to travel between sites. Location will be decided upon selection Responsibilities This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2024. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be two weeks after the posting has opened, with subsequent cut-off dates every two weeks after. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals until the position is filled. VA Careers - Biomedical Engineer: https://youtube.com/embed/F571hsIKQUk Total-Rewards-of-an-Allied-Health-VA-Career-Brochure.pdf * Recruitment or Relocation Incentive: Recruitment or Relocation incentive may be paid in accordance with federal regulations and in consideration of budget availability for a highly qualified candidate; determination upon selection and the selectee must sign a service agreement. The Chief Biomedical Engineer supports and advances patient care by applying engineering and managerial skills to healthcare technology as demonstrated by the following major responsibilities: Responsible for establishing VISN policy and guidance for consistent methodologies, protocols, and procedures across VISN 9 including Continuous Performance Improvement/EBERS, HTM Analytics, and Digital Transformation. Identifies best practices and propagate them across the system and facilitate communications with appropriate stakeholders, especially Biomedical Engineering staff across VISN 9. Develops policy and guidance for the conduct of an equipment management program to meet current The Joint Commission (TJC) and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements. Works with clinical programs at the VISN level to identify medical technology needs and priorities and determines maintenance and quality assurance requirements. Advising senior clinical and leadership staff on medical technology addressing viability, long-term suitability, compatibility, and/or safety. Facilitates programmatic review of high cost/high tech/high volume medical equipment investments. He/she coordinates site prep planning, information technology planning, and strategic equipment initiative planning with VISN program managers and ICC leads. Responsible for providing assistance to multi-disciplinary VISN teams in deployment and utilization of complex and specialized medical technologies. He/she analyzes organizational and operational problems and recommends timely and economical solutions. Functions as one of the VISN subject matter experts in the field of Biomedical Engineering who directly supports specialized clinical technology including service, system administration, training, and quality assurance at the VISN's medical centers. Contributes to VHA, VISN, and facility patient safety goals. **Location will be decided upon selection Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 4:00PM Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: ADHOC Eligible Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 10038-F Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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: The individual must meet either item (1) or (2) below to meet this requirement: 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. Examples of acceptable engineering degrees include: Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biomechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Biochemical Engineering. Titles may vary from educational institutions and change over time. OR, Certification as a Certified Clinical Engineer (CCE) and a bachelor's degree not listed in item 3.b.(1) above. *Transcripts must be provided to verify Education if being used for qualification. 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: Such employees in an occupation that does not require a certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation. 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. 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. 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Experience: Completion of at least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower level, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the biomedical engineer (clinical) must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Ability to manage overall department resources, i.e., finance, space, equipment, supplies, and staffing at a highly complex medical center or at the VISN level. Ability to develop local or VISN policies and/or draft directives related to healthcare technology management. Skill in balancing multiple responsibilities, setting priorities, delegating tasks and projects, meeting multiple deadlines, analyzing organizational problems, and developing and implementing effective solutions. Ability to analyze complex 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. Skill in interpersonal relationships leading and dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers, within and outside the biomedical engineering program, to include conflict man. Assignment: For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. At this level, employees are supervisors and are at the facility, VISN, or National Program Office level. The supervisory biomedical engineer (clinical) is assigned overall biomedical engineering program management responsibility typically found at a university affiliated tertiary care facility (complexity level 1,) with one or more subordinate biomedical engineers. In this assignment, supervisory biomedical engineers at the facility level will have notable ongoing responsibilities, supporting VISN biomedical engineering initiatives, and/or notable ongoing responsibilities as assigned by the Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) Program Office. The range of supervisory responsibility includes development of performance standards and performance evaluations; recommendations for appointment; awards; advancements; and when appropriate, disciplinary actions and identification of continuing training needs, etc. At this level, the supervisor is responsible for the financial management of budget resources allocated to support quality assurance and maintenance/management activities necessary to assure the facility medical equipment inventory is available for patient care activities. The supervisory biomedical engineer (clinical) is responsible for compliance and reporting of medical device, cyber security, and isolation for facilities under their management oversight. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. VA Handbook 5005/104 PART II APPENDIX G38 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. Physical Requirements: No special physical exertion or lifting is required. Work is primarily performed while sitting, though some work may require periods of standing. The regular and recurring work of the position involves sitting at a desk or participating in meetings, etc. 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: 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2024. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be two weeks after the posting has opened, with subsequent cut-off dates every two weeks after. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals until the position is filled. Receiving Service Credit or 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.