Lab Instrument Technician Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
The Supervisory Echocardiogram Technician (Supervisory Echo Tech) works under the general supervision of the Chief of Cardiology or designee at the W.G. "Bill" Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury, NC with functions involving technical operations in Cardiology.
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Duties
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Provides direct supervision to Medical Instrument Technicians (Echocardiography) as well as as-needed support at various locations.
This position is a working supervisor position. The incumbent will spend up to 50% of their time on supervisory duties. However, this is subject to variation based on clinical need.
The incumbent plans work schedules and directs the day to day operations of the echocardiography labs in the Salisbury VA Healthcare system, makes changes in the organization of work within allowable costs and established policies. Has the authority to develop plans and schedules for guidance of subordinates in the accomplishment of work to meet program goals of the echocardiography lab/Cardiology section. Establishes objectives and broad priorities to align with those of upper-level management.
Duties of the Supervisory Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiograph) include but are not limited to:

• Analyzing work requirements and determining staff and resources needed to accomplish work.
• Reviewing and analyzing records and reports of work production, costs and equipment and staff resources used to evaluate progress and control or reduce costs. Reports progress and resolution of problems in achieving goals and objectives to higher levels of management.
• Assigns and explains work requirements relative to echocardiography for new requirements or changes, as well as existing progress.
• Resolves technical work problems not covered by precedents or established policies for non-routine or complex procedures.
• Develops and updates guidelines and policies for non-routine or complex assignments.
• Initiates formal and follow-up actions for personnel functions, has authority to establish internal guidelines and approve, modify, or reject personnel actions of subordinate supervisors or employees.
• Prepares formal evaluations of the performance of key employees or other subordinates and reviews evaluations prepared by subordinates.
• Establishes policies and procedures for the echocardiology lab, including protocols and policies for Quality Assurance and IAC accreditation, in addition to assisting with special projects and database operations.
• Performs real-time 3-Dimensional cardiac ultrasound utilizing online and offline computer enhancement and reconstruction, including using 3-Dimensional Q-Lab analysis and 3D cropping tools. They must provide training to technical staff and students in those mentioned modalities.
• The incumbent must have a solid knowledge of computer systems and current computer technology. Must be conscientious regarding confidentiality. They must be able to troubleshoot data storage and retrieval problems and promptly report malfunctions to Clinical Engineering, OIT, and the Chief, Cardiology Section as needed.
• Manages Echocardiography images in XCELERA or similar system for acquisitions, storage, and archiving of echocardiographic images. The incumbent will be familiar with and collaborate with PACS and Clinical Engineering as required.
• The position works independently and reports to the Chief of Cardiology. The supervisor reviews completed work for results achieved and for conformance to department policies and requirements. At this level the supervisor places considerable reliance on the Supervisory Echo Technicians' knowledge of complex procedures, and completed work is evaluated for technical soundness, appropriateness, and conformity to policy. The Supervisory Echo Tech will regularly use a variety of sources for guidance and making clinical decisions. The incumbant uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as agency policies, regulations, precedents, and work directions for application to specific cases or problems.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm
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)
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: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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
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: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels.
• Licensure or Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations".

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).
Echocardiography Technicians operate diagnostic equipment to graphically record the position and motion of the heart walls or the internal structure of the heart and neighboring tissue by the echo obtained from beams of ultrasonic waves directed through the chest wall. Registration is offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI), as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS).
Creditable Experience - Knowledge of Current Medical Instrument Technician Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have required the use of knowledge, skills, abilities and other characteristics associated with current Medical Instrument Technician practice appropriate to the identified specialty area. Specialized developmental experience obtained under supervision of appropriately certified individuals may be credited at higher levels and is addressed in individual appendices.
Quality of Experience: Experience is only creditable if it is equivalent to at least the next lower grade level and is directly related to the position/specialty to be filled.
Part-time Experience: Part time experience is credited according to its relationship to a full time work week. For example, an individual employed 20 hours per week, or on a ½ time basis would receive one work week credit for each two weeks of service.
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the criteria discussed in the applicable headings, or that defined in the appendices, must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

• Education/Training: To be creditable education must have been gained in an accredited Community College, College, or University.
• Training: Completion of appropriate training such as in-service training programs, on the job training, training acquired while in the Armed Forces, government sponsored developmental training programs, and/or training under physicians certified in the functional area will be allowed on a month-for- month basis through the GS-5 level.
• Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs. Specialized developmental experience obtained under supervision of appropriately certified individuals may be credited at higher levels and is addressed in individual appendices.

Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography) GS-10: In addition to the core competencies defined at the GS-9 level, positions at this grade may be supervisory or non-supervisory with specialized advanced knowledge and assignments

• Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*):
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: KSAs 1, 2, and 3 are appropriate for all positions at this level. KSAs 4 and 5 are to be used in accordance with their appropriateness for the specific assignment.
  
  1. Advanced knowledge of complex and non-standard treatment and examination procedures and techniques.
  2. * Ability to plan and assist in the establishment of a completely integrated treatment and examination program.
  3. * Ability to evaluate new products and equipment and make recommendations concerning developments which would improve operations.
  4. * Ability to manage the fiscal matters of the functions supervised (which would include fund controls, contracts, and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs, and administer the allocated budget.
  5. * Knowledge of and ability to provide the full range of supervisory duties which would include responsibility for assignment of work to be performed; performance evaluation; selection of staff; and recommendation of awards, advancements, and, when appropriate, disciplinary actions.
• Certification: Registration by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) is highly desirable. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-10.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
Education
There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation.
Additional information
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.
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