Summary Serves as an Electronics Technician in the Biomedical Engineering Section at the VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Incumbent is responsible for the full lifecycle management of complex medical electronic systems across the medical center and affiliated clinics. Performs installation, maintenance, troubleshooting, and system optimization to ensure equipment reliability, regulatory compliance, and patient safety. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Duties include but are not limited to the following: Manages the lifecycle of biomedical electronic systems, including design, installation, maintenance, and upgrades across the medical center and satellite clinics. Performs scheduled and unscheduled (emergency) maintenance to ensure systems are calibrated, fully operational, and compliant with applicable codes and standards. Troubleshoots, diagnoses, and resolves complex electronic system malfunctions, often developing unique solutions for non-routine problems. Evaluates equipment performance and recommends removal, replacement, or restoration of systems to maintain safety and reliability. Provides technical consultation and guidance to clinical staff, leadership, and equipment users on system functionality, issues, and improvements. Leads or supports projects involving electronic systems, including planning, implementation, and coordination with contractors, vendors, and other facilities. Oversees and inspects contractor work to ensure compliance with technical specifications, safety standards, and regulatory requirements. Researches emerging technologies and recommends new or alternative systems to improve operational efficiency and patient care capabilities. Prepares technical documentation, reports, briefings, and status updates on system performance, issues, and recommended solutions. Collaborates with internal staff, external vendors, and other VA facilities to resolve technical issues, coordinate support activities, and ensure continuity of operations. Performs all other duties as assigned Work Schedule: Full-Time; Monday through Friday; 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position at the GS-07 level, you must meet the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-10) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Electronics Technician, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes: (1) Work as a technician, instructor, inspector, or mechanic (civilian or military) that showed progression in theoretical and practical knowledge of electronic theory, and of the characteristics, function, operation, and capabilities of a variety of @types of electronic equipment; assisting with installation, maintenance, testing, or troubleshooting of electronic equipment or systems; using basic test equipment; and following established procedures to support operations. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates, AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ Education: successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, electronics engineering, electronics technology, or a related field; OR successfully completed at least 24 semester hours in a combination of courses such as engineering, physical science, technology, or mathematics, with at least 12 semester hours in electronics courses. NOTE: Transcripts Required. Combination: combination of successfully completed post-high school education and specialized experience that meets 100% of the qualification requirements for this position. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours (i.e., beyond the second year) is creditable toward meeting the requirements. NOTE: Transcripts Required. To qualify for this position at the GS-09 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-10) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Electronics Technician, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes: working as a technician, instructor, inspector, or mechanic (civilian or military) that showed progression in theoretical and practical knowledge of electronic theory, and of the characteristics, function, operation, and capabilities of a variety of @types of electronic equipment; troubleshooting, testing, maintenance, or repair of electronic systems; analyzing equipment malfunctions; interpreting schematics, diagrams, or technical data; and assisting with installation or modification of systems. (2) Experience in developing policies, standards, and procedures for maintenance, installation. NOTE: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates, AND hours worked per week. ~OR~ Education: successfully completed two (2) full years of graduate education or a masters degree or an internship that is directly related to the work of the Electronic Technician position in the field of electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or electronics technology. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university NOTE: Transcripts Required. Combination: equivalent combinations of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond the first year and one-half) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Electronic Technician position in the field of electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or electronics technology. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts Required. To qualify for this position at the GS-11 level, you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-10) in the Federal Service that has given you the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities required to successfully perform the duties of an Electronics Technician, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes: (1) Work as a technician, instructor, inspector, or mechanic (civilian or military) that showed progression in theoretical and practical knowledge of electronic theory, and of the characteristics, function, operation, and capabilities of a variety of @types of electronic equipment; independently analyzing, troubleshooting, and maintaining complex electronic systems; interpreting schematics and technical data; evaluating system performance; and recommending or implementing system modifications or improvements.(2) Experience in developing policies, standards, and procedures for maintenance, installation, or similar functions, provided the work clearly shows that the applicant applied a specialized knowledge of the theories and principles of a variety of electronic systems or equipment. ~OR~ Education: Successful completion of a Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree, or 3 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education that is directly related to the work of the Electronics Technician position such as electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or electronics technology. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts Required. Combination: Equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education (beyond a master's degree) and specialized experience, as described above, which may be used to meet total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include courses directly related to the work of the Electronics Technician position such as electrical engineering, electronics engineering, or electronics technology. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts Required. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. 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 Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. 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. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced Federal competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation and be found well-qualified (have a final rating of 80 or more before any Veterans preference points) for this vacancy. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
