Medical Instrument Technician (Cardiac Catheterization) Job in San Juan, PR

Vacancy No. CBTC-12804033-25-MR Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $36,049.00 to $71,932.00 Grade 4 to 8
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 9/30/2025 Close Date 10/10/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
San Juan, PR


Summary

The VA Caribbean Healthcare System is currently recruiting for a Medical Instrument Technician(Cardiac Cath). Medical Instrument Technicians (MIT-CATH) for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory (CATH) at this level function as full members of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Team. They scrub, circulate, operate equipment, and assist in the overall patient preparation and care in basic and advanced diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.


This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veteran Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies. This is a shortage FY25 occupations and Veterans Preference is WAIVED (does NOT apply).

Duties

Major duties but not are limited to:

Procedural Technician: the MIT-CATH must be able to scrub and serve as first assistant to the
attending cardiologist (except when a cardiology fellow is available) for all procedures listed below.
He/she should master sterile technique, table and supply preparation, manifold and transducer
setup, catheter, wires and general tool care and management, contrast handling, syringe labelling,
and fluoroscopy and image acquisition operation for the following procedures:

  • Diagnostic cardiac catheterization
  • PCI (includes balloon angioplasty, stenting, atherectomy and thrombectomy)
  • Intravascular ultrasound
  • Intra-coronary physiologic assessment
  • Intracoronary lithotripsy (Shockwave)
  • Drug-coated balloon angioplasty.
  • Electrophysiology Studies
  • Arrhythmia device implants (PPM, CRT, AICD)
  • Temporary endovenous and transcutaneous pacing
  • Leadless pacemaker insertion
  • Intra-aortic balloon
  • Impella axial pump
  • Pericardiocentesis
  • Transseptal puncture
  • Left atrial closure device
  • Valvuloplasty
  • Vascular closure devices
  • Hemostasis (manual, femoral clamp, or radial band) following sheath withdrawal
Procedural Circulating Assistant: when not scrubbed in a case, the MIT-CATH will function as a circulating procedural assistant with the following specific duties:
a. Deliver procedural supplies on-demand to the operator.
b. Primarily responsible for performing - sterile field just before opening the package to ensure it is correct. The read-back should
be spoken out loud for the primary operator to hear and confirm back, and include at a minimum of the following information:
  1. Item type and size/shape specifications (e.g. 5F JL4 diagnostic)
  2. Item expiration date (full date if year is current one, only year if future year).
  3. For all implants, the MIT-CATH must obtain an independent verification from an additional staff member of the procedural team (MIT-CATH, RN, or physician).
c. Setup equipment needed for additional procedures such as rotational atherectomy, pressure wire, or intravascular imaging.
d. Assist with positioning of the patient or procedure monitors.

Work Schedule: 8:00-4:30pm Monday to Friday, Must be standby on call for cardiac emergencies 24/7.
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 60077F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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.
  • You may be required to serve a trial period.
  • 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.
  • 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).

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 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:
  • 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".
  • 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).

Grade Determinations:

Medical Instrument Technician (Cardiac Cath): Basic Developmental Levels
GS-04: Experience: At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level GS-03 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. Six months of this experience may have been in medically related fields such as nursing assistant, practical nursing, or similar fields. The remaining six months must have been in operating diagnostic and therapeutic equipment covered by this occupation. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited at this level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
OR
Education. Successful completion of two years of education above high school or an associate degree with a major field of study directly related to the medical instrument technician occupation.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).
  • Knowledge of basic medical terminology.
  • Ability to learn the components, operating characteristics, and settings of the equipment to be used.
  • Ability to learn typical patient reactions to the basic procedures involved and ability to recognize signs of distress.
  • Ability to learn the standard positions for the procedure being conducted.
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing.
GS-5: Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level GS-04 which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience in operating equipment related to the specialization for which application is made or in related functional areas. Experience gained in the operation of equipment for animal diagnosis or treatment may be credited through this grade level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
OR
Education. Successful completion of 4 academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, or a bachelor's degree in a major field of study appropriate to medical instrument technician functions.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.
  • Knowledge of standard medical terminology to interpret physician orders or instructions.
  • Knowledge of common physical disabilities and ability to position patients for the examination or treatment.
  • Ability to learn the normal and abnormal results for routine procedures to recognize and report obvious abnormalities.
  • Ability to operate the equipment to administer routine/standard diagnostic treatment or procedures.
  • Ability to perform standard operator maintenance on the equipment including the ability to disassemble, clean, reassemble, .

GS-6: Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs
  • Knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the heart and basic electrocardiography.
  • Knowledge of sterile techniques, catheterization laboratory supplies, and equipment used in the procedure.
  • Ability to circulate, assist, monitor and document hemodynamics and electrocardiograms during the procedure.
  • Ability to set up and adjust the ultrasound equipment to meet the conditions of the examination and the patient and to operate the equipment for standardized, routine procedures.
  • Knowledge of and ability to prepare intra-aortic balloon catheters.
Certification. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certification is desirable.
GS-07: Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  • Ability to assist with insertion of temporary transvenous pacemaker catheters.
  • Ability to maintain intra-aortic balloon pump equipment during procedure.
  • Ability to complete individual cases by pulling sheaths and holding pressure to obtain hemostasis.
  • Ability to assist with closure devices.
  • Ability to appropriately educate patients and patient families regarding procedures and post-catheterization care.
  • Certification. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are desirable
GS-8: Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics of the positions to be filled.
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs
  • Ability to scrub, circulate, and monitor advanced procedures (including electrophysiological) to include rotoblation, intravascular ultrasound, RADI or wave-wire, angiojet, filter wires, myocardial biopsies EPS, permanent pacemaker insertions, AICD insertions, and biventricular pacemaker insertion.
  • Advanced knowledge of equipment, medications, and supplies used in the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and the ability to set-up, calibrate, operate, and troubleshoot this equipment.
  • Knowledge and understanding of wave forms from the great vessels and all chambers of the heart including the ability to recognize and distinguish normal from abnormal, artifact from abnormality, and forewarn the physician of an impending life-threatening situation.
  • Knowledge of quality control and performance improvement indicators for the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory and ability to prepare and analyze quality control of test results.
Preferred Experience: Two (2) years of recent Cardiac Catheterization Lab experience from a hospital setting within the last 5 years and BLS/ACLS certification.

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-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-04 to G-08.

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 or 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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:
1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. All other applicants.



IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

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.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required Documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

  • Resume, required. - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title, Grade Level (for Federal positions), Duties (be as detailed as possible and ensure they demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position Month & Year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008), Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week). Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
  • Copy of transcript
  • Current and/or highest grade held SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action (Not an award SF50), required.


The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

  • Cover Letter
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • Copy of Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) certifications are desirable.
  • Other (2)
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript



Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/10/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12804033.

  1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
  2. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.

NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Agency contact information

Mireya Rodriguez-Perez
Address
San Juan VA Medical Center
10 Calle Casia
San Juan, PR 00921
US

Next steps

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.

You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.

NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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