Summary The position of Education Technician - Simulation resides in the Nursing Education Department, under the office of the Chief of Nursing Education for the Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) at the full performance level. This position focuses on providing professional educational and technical knowledge to assist in the operation and further development of the education program, with major emphasis on simulation instruction and clinical skills development. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Creates moulage for standardized patients and manikins and provides instructional guidance to others on the creation and usage of moulage techniques and training. Prepares and maintains clinical simulation equipment, media, computers, and materials related to simulation learning and instruction. Assists students, staff and faculty with all forms of simulation work, training and education and provides technical and administrative support to faculty in preparation for simulation training experiences. Assists training faculty and educators in the use of clinical simulation equipment. Assists instructor(s) in operating simulator-based clinical education of trainees. Executes simulation by operating simulation control room and equipment, recording simulation activities, monitoring safety of participants and participating in scenarios. Performs post-simulation activities such as debriefing playbacks, administering student and faculty evaluations, cataloging recordings and returning lab to pre-scenario conditions. Supports and assists in role playing, prop placement and moulage set-up to simulate a healthcare setting. Tests equipment per established periodicity and policy, assuring that simulation capabilities of the center are in working order. Programs simulation software to model clinical simulators' physiological responses to instructor specifications. Installs software and hardware upgrades and maintains functionality of manikin components as directed by manufacturer's support. Conducts tours and clinical simulation sessions for internal/external stakeholders, groups, or individuals. Establishes and maintains inventory of supplies and equipment as needed for clinical simulation. Collaborates with departmental staff, facility POCs and external entities on the maintenance and repair of clinical simulation equipment. Inputs data into Talent Management System (TMS), various simulation software solution database(s) and simulation BLS/ACLS/RQI and performs report generation and file maintenance. Responsible for the creation, implementation, practice, and staff instruction of the simulation center equipment decontamination procedures including technical skills and accurate documentation. Reports on the status of usage of equipment and supplies; works with internal/external sourcing contacts for the routine selection and ordering of equipment, replacement parts, and supplies required for the operation of the center. Works closely with Simulation Nurse Educator and Service Chief on equipment intake and send-outs, accurate equipment inventory logs, and prepares proper documents for Electronic Inventory Lists to be modified when needed. Manages the Simulation Center's supplies and equipment as evidenced via inventory of supplies/equipment records, organizing, ordering, and restocking, and assessing needs of the end-users. Operates and maintains audiovisual equipment used in clinical simulation with prioritization by the Simulation Manager and Service Chief. Work Schedule: Full-Time, 8 Hour Shifts, Monday - Friday, Times negotiable based on educational needs. Mobile support required for Resuscitation Quality Improvement (RQI) stations and training. Mobility up to 20%. Compressed/Flexible: Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Education Technician - Simulation/PD137400 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 Subject to background/security investigation Pre-employment physical required 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period or trial period, 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, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 05/26/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade A Quality Ranking Factor has also been requested by the facility to help determine which of the basically qualified applicants are likely to be better qualified for a position. The quality ranking factor for this position is: Experience working in a healthcare education, training, or simulation environment. Quality Ranking Factors are skills, knowledge, abilities, or other worker characteristics which could be expected to result in superior performance on the job. Quality ranking factors will not be used for screening but may be used as ranking criteria. Applicants with higher proficiency levels may rank above those with lower proficiency levels on a quality ranking factor. You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Performing clerical and recordkeeping functions, such as maintaining training or simulation files and records, and entering or updating information in training management systems. Supporting resource and operational readiness by assisting with preparation and maintenance of training or simulation environments, restocking materials, and monitoring basic equipment condition. Applying basic technical problem-solving, such as responding to routine user inquiries and troubleshooting minor equipment, hardware, or software issues during training operations. Using technology and following established procedures to assist with equipment setup or use, monitor participant activity for safety, and restore training spaces to required conditions. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Clerical Manages Resources Technical Problem Solving Technology Application Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Driver's License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid, unrestricted State driver's license, have a safe driving record, and demonstrate that he or she is medically qualified to operate the appropriate motor vehicle safely. Applicants are required to pass agency Government Vehicle Drivers physical examination. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license. Physical Requirements: Approximately 80 percent of work is performed while sitting at a desk in conferences, briefings, meetings, simulation space, classrooms, and the equivalent. The work is primarily sedentary but may require prolonged physical activity and standing in front of groups and limited moving of furniture and lifting moderately heavy objects such as boxes of student materials and simulation equipment. Must work multiple projects simultaneously and handle occasional high levels of stress and conflicting priorities. Approximately 20 percent of work involves travel into the field to visit academic institutions, training sites, other medical centers, and VA facilities. Physical demands may include activities deemed repetitive in nature (repeated motions to achieve tasks) and involve movement or motions in various positions (standing, sitting, walking, lifting, keyboarding, etc.). The work requires physical effort. There will be walking, standing, bending, carrying of items such as task trainers, manikins, boxes of training equipment, movement of equipment such as beds, overbed tables, chairs, etc. Typically, the employee will configure the simulation center or in-situ area to meet the requirement of the simulation activity that will take place. The work will require walking and lifting as indicated below: Walking-required to become familiar with the Medical Center and location of training locations and to support in-situ simulations at point of care. Lifting-Simulation equipment that may weigh more than 50 pounds Transport - movement of equipment throughout the Medical Center and to, from and throughout the outlying areas. Work Environment: The work environment involves everyday risks and discomfort requiring normal safety precautions associated with typical office, simulation training room, and classroom settings. The work area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. Position may involve travel, including the normal everyday risks and discomforts of auto, bus. rail, and air transportation. The duties of this position will be performed in the Clinical Simulation Center as well as in training areas throughout the Medical Center and the outlying areas. Incumbent must be familiar with the Medical Center. The work environment includes everyday low risks or discomforts which require normal safety precautions typical of office, meeting and training rooms. 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 There is no educational substitution at this grade level. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. 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.
