Summary This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. The announcement may be closed at any time after the initial open period once all vacancies have been filled. Responsibilities This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Therapeutic Radiologic Technologists (TRT) work under the guidance of the Supervisory TRT and the Chief Radiation Oncologist to administer ionizing radiation to patients. TRTs provide technical supervision in highly complex treatments. The Radiation Oncology Service is an independent service line at the San Juan VA Caribbean Healthcare System. Duties include but are not limited to: Administer ionizing radiation to specifically determined sites, using image guidance, while following prescriptions of the radiation oncologist to deliver therapeutic levels of ionizing radiation Utilizes combinations of wedges, blocks, treatment devices, multi-leaf collimators, record and verify systems, portal vision, and other specialized methodologies to accomplish treatment goals in accordance with State and Federal regulations. Schedule treatments in a manner as to optimize accelerator times while maintaining flexibility for emergency cases. Receives patients and briefly explains methods of procedures to the patients. Positions patients, selects and sets technical factors, sets up and adjust accessory equipment required. Fabricates and verifies cast molds made from cerro-bend and used for radiation treatments as needed or required. Performs simulation verification before prescribed treatment. Obtains isocenter verification as needed by the use to cone bean CT and or the use of the on-board imaging system. Takes port/verification films on patients under radiation treatment, to maintain record of treatment accuracy in accordance with departmental procedures, verifying any changes in accordance with the physician's request. Promptly records in patient's electronic treatment chart any change in treatment, i.e., change in patients SSD reading, change in field measurements, adjustments to position of treatment field, or patients' treatment status if not treated, to make corrections in the treatment calendar, calculations or prescriptions if needed. Verifies correct multi-leaf collimation and electronic dynamic wedges. Records all parameters involved with each patient including daily and accumulated doses, treatment time, field site and @type of radiation Work Schedule: 7:00 am - 3:30 pm Monday - Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 61265F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidate. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact V8EDRPSANJUAN@VA.GOV, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): May be authorized for highly qualified candidate. 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 examination. 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 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: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Education. Individuals must have successfully completed a program in therapeutic radiologic technology, evidenced by a certificate or an associate's or higher degree accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology or other accrediting bodies recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the subsequent completion of a 12-month ED accrediting body-approved program in therapeutic radiologic technology. Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 C.F.R. Part 75. They must have successfully completed an educational program meeting or exceeding the standards described in that regulation and is accredited by an organization recognized by the ED, and be radiation therapists certified by the ARRT in Radiation Therapy (T). Certification. All applicants must be certified in therapeutic radiologic technology by the ARRT in Radiation Therapy (ARRT (T). (1) All applicants must be certified in therapeutic radiologic technology by the ARRT in Radiation Therapy (ARRT (T). Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: Employees in an occupation not requiring a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted or demoted within the occupation. Employees in an occupation requiring a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees in an occupation requiring a licensure/certification/registration only at higher grade levels must meet the licensure/certification/registration requirement before they can be promoted to those higher-grade levels. 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 licensure/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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled. Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher- level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Employees at this level serve as advanced staff TRTs independently carrying out procedures which have varying assignments. This includes basic and advanced treatment modalities and procedures, which exceed the full performance level. Employee will be assigned the responsibility of emergency on-call treatments, if applicable, and perform simple Monitor Unit calculations. Other assignments include but, are not limited to performing CT simulations, troubleshooting for basic problems and machine issues, maintaining treatment rooms and equipment in a clean, neat and safe condition and assisting patients to and from the treatment room. Regardless of the nature of the specific assignment, the work must be of sufficient scope and complexity to meet the knowledge, skills and abilities to perform at this level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all the KSAs below: (a)Skill in independently performing machine warm up procedures and interpreting output levels compared with established thresholds adhering to the principles of radiation safety and all aspects of quality assurance. (b)Ability to independently perform patient chart reviews using an electronic medical record and the Record and Verify System or other similar treatment delivery systems. (c)Ability to independently perform all basic and complex CT simulations, including independently operating the CT equipment, following directives, designing custom immobilization for reproducible set-ups, obtaining optimal imaging, completing accurate data transfer for treatment planning and providing accurate and precise patient documentation. (d)Ability to utilize a Linac's On Board Imaging system to interpret complex images. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. English Language Proficiency: TRTs must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). 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. 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.
