Summary The incumbent will work in the Cardiology Non-Invasive Lab which provides service to a variety of departments throughout the hospital such as the Cardiac Catheterization Lab, Electrophysiology Lab, Recovery Room, Critical Care Units, and Emergency Room. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to the following: Responsible for performing the following technical diagnostic tests: Transthoracic Echocardiograms and Stress Echocardiograms. May be required to assist with Trans-esophageal Echocardiograms. Be proficient in operating a diagnostic ultrasound machine to perform a complete echocardiogram study by obtaining and recording two and three dimensional ultrasound pictures, m-mode, pulsed wave, continuous wave, and color Doppler, as well as Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Follow the standard format developed by the American Society of Echocardiography. Responsible for specific measurements and calculations that will be included in the echocardiogram test report (e.g. stenotic valve area, pressure gradient). The incumbent must have knowledge of the more complex examination, treatment procedures and techniques, which include transthoracic echo with bubble study, contrast transthoracic echo studies, and LVAD assessment. Responsible for setting up, performing, and analyzing data of pharmacological stress, exercise stress, and contrast echocardiograms. Keep abreast of technical developments and evolving applications in the field of echocardiography. Proficient in operating a diagnostic ultrasound machine to obtain quality images to be recorded on digital capture device for cardiologist review. Assist the Cardiologist by performing image optimization during TEE. Use all echocardiography modalities to obtain quality diagnostic imaging and apply a comprehensive approach in the assessment of the cardiovascular structures. Advanced procedures may be performed in a variety of settings including the operating room (O.R.) or specialized procedural suites. Responsible for training cardiology fellows, and other technicians in echocardiographic techniques so that individuals may acquire an understanding of the principles of ultrasound and be able to obtain standard views and be able to understand echocardiographic interpretation. Alert the physician to findings on the echocardiogram that may require prompt intervention before an official interpretation can be rendered (i.e., severe pericardia! effusion with tamponade, aortic dissection, etc.). Responsible for "trouble shooting" diagnostic ultrasound equipment when problems occur, which requires an increased knowledge of computer networking and application processing. Responsible for initiating and placing work orders to biomedical technicians to repair equipment. Other assigned duties Work Schedule: Full Time; 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Not available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 000000 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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. 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. 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. 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. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions. 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". For all specialties identified in this standard, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certifications are desirable. Training which does not result in official certification does not meet this definition. 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. 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. The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 Hybrid qualification standards. Some provisions may not apply to this occupation. 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). Grade Determinations: 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 KSA's: 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. Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Special Assignments. There may be a rare non-supervisory position supporting this grade level. Such a position would typically include independently carrying out the most complex laboratory procedures such as real-time 3D cardiac ultrasounds utilizing on-line and off line computer enhancement and reconstruction technology and 3D reconstruction using off- line computers for rendering real-time 3D images to specified parameters as well as teaching the correct methodology of echocardiography procedures, theory of operations, and theory of interpretation of results to trainees. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. This vacancy is listed at the full performance. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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 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. 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. 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.
