Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography) Job in Martinsburg, WV

Vacancy No. CBTF-12753292-25-JAH Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $51,442.00 to $82,305.00 Grade 6 to 8
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/9/2025 Close Date 7/8/2026
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Status Candidates
Locations:
Martinsburg, WV


Summary

This position requires a highly skilled Sonographer with a comprehensive, specialized education in the medical and technical aspects of diagnostic cardiac sonography. This position is located with the Specialty Service line working under the Chief of Medicine, Cardiologist and Cardiopulmonary coordinator at the Martinsburg, WV, VAMC.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current permanent employees of the Martinsburg West Virginia VA Medical Center and Department of Veteran Affairs agency employees.

Duties

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties may include but are not limited to;

  • Independently perform diagnostic tests, provide patient education, and act as a liaison and information source for the patient and family, nursing staff and medical staff.
  • Responsible for the delivery of professional services and the provision of high-quality patient care in the Echo Lab.
  • Review performance for quality and accuracy.
  • Performs cardiac ultrasound (echocardiograms) autonomously to acquire the maximum diagnostic image quality. All echocardiograms include M-mode, two-dimensional and doppler examinations
  • Performs portable ultrasound procedures on the patients who cannot be transported to the department.
  • Maintains logs and controls.
  • Manipulates high technology ultrasound equipment in the production of diagnostic images
  • Receives patients and explains the procedure.
  • Positions the patient in sitting, recumbent, prone or oblique position in the echocardiographic laboratory or by the bedside.
  • Positions the transducer to the thorax, or body part under examination, using contact real time imaging techniques.
  • Must have basic understanding of computer operations, including the operation of alphanumeric keyboard input, in order to select various programs to best demonstrate cardiac structures or body parts, in different positions, and to prepare equipment for operation, and to change imaging modalities as conditions warrant on different ultrasound systems.
  • Assesses and interprets cardiac structures and blood flow during doppler studies.
  • Operates various items of photographic equipment to record oscilloscope images.
  • Operates videotape recorder and/or digital recorder to maintain a record for physician interpretation and for future reference.
  • Operates continuous wave doppler with color flow mapping.
  • Trains other staff including physicians and medical students, relevant to ultrasound such as appearance and functions of various systems and the physical abnormalities.
  • Performs basic maintenance of ultrasound equipment on a regular basis and notifies supervisor of any equipment problems.
  • Maintains adequate stock of equipment.
  • Consults with cardiologist and/or physician regarding interpretation of echo testing results.
  • Schedules and prioritizes patients for echocardiograms studies.
  • Screens echo consults to determine if patient requires urgent evaluation.
  • Maintains patient log upon completion of exam.
  • Labels videotape of completed exam.
  • Provides a preliminary report of the echocardiogram prior to review by cardiologist and/or physician.
  • Files completed reports in appropriate locations and maintains a copy of all exams within the Cardiopulmonary Department.
  • Receives information and keep abreast of new developments in the field and makes recommendations as to how improvements might be made to operate the section.
  • Other tasks/duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full time: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 22163F
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 probationary 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).

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.
  • 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 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.)
  • Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
  • 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.
Grade Determinations:
GS-6 Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography).

(a) Experience: At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-5) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled.
  • GS-5 Experience includes:
    • 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, and calibrate the machine.
(b) GS-6 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the heart and great vessels.
  • Knowledge of cardiac arrhythmias and their relationship to hemodynamic conditions of the cardiac cycle.
  • Knowledge of basic cardiac ultrasound physics and the acoustic mechanisms by which high quality cardiac images are obtained.
  • 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.
  • Ability to interact with patients explaining procedures and positioning the patient for the procedure.
(c) Assignment: Echocardiography technician assignments at this level involve performing routine, standardized cardiac ultrasound examinations under the supervision of a fully qualified cardiac sonographer. The work involves generating adequate gray scale images to define cardiac borders and learning to perform Doppler integration of cardiac valves for determination of flow velocities.

GS-7 Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography).

(a) Experience: At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-6) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the individual with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to independently conduct difficult but standardized echocardiographic examinations.

(b) GS-7 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Ability to scan transthoracic echocardiograms in all views with colorflow and some Doppler.
  • Ability to conduct cardiac testing to determine the severity and variety of cardiac problems, i.e., calcular dysfunction, myocardial wall kinesia, effusions, endocardial lesions, et.
  • Knowledge of the set-up for transesophageal echocardiograms.
  • 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 more complex, but standardized procedures.
(c) Assignment: At this level, medical instrument technicians (echocardiography) perform a range of standard, but complex, echocardiographic examinations with responsibility for calibrating all instruments prior to the procedure. They are expected to keep an accurate record of tests, daily logs, and videotapes. They maintain cidex logs.

GS-8 Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography). Full Performance Level (FPL).

(a) Experience: At least one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-7) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics related to the duties of the positions to be filled. This would be experience which provided the overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct diagnostic echocardiography examinations in compelx and unusual cases.

(b) GS-8 Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display, and colorflow Doppler imaging.
  • Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases.
  • Ability to perform complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves, chamber enlargement, and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves, etc.
  • Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic, Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography, (invasive) stress echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography.
  • Ability to adapt transducer positioning, instrument controls, and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings.
(c) Assignment: This represents the full performance level. Echocardiography technicians at this level identify and record anomalies indicative of disease, injury, or other medically significant condition from ultrasound imaging and simultaneous recordings of the Doppler. They incorporate the causes and results of a variety of symptoms and conditions into a plan of ultrasonic diagnostic examination. They change and develop sounding techniques to accommodate such variables as limited patient mobility, variation in physical condition or dimension of the patient, presence of prosthesis or foreign objects, and ultrasonic response of different body parts. They produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler ultrasound.

Preferred Experience: Certification by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) and Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) with 1-3 years as a cardiac sonographer is preferred.

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-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-6 to GS-8.

Physical Requirements: The physical requirements of the position (i.e. standing, bending, stooping, sitting, pulling, pushing, etc.) Requires standing, bending stooping, sitting, pulling and pushing patients must be able to perform gross and fine coordinated hand movements.

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

Additional information

Note: Applicants 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 of these provisions may not apply to this occupation.

All persons employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Such employees in an occupation that does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within 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:

  • Such employees in an occupation that requires a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
  • 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.
  • If an employee who was retained in an occupation listed in 38 U.S.C. ? 7401(3) under this provision leaves that occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
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.

Benefits

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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 Martinsburg West Virginia VA Medical Center employees.
  2. All other Agency employees.

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
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action



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
  • License
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

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 07/08/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12753292.

  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

Joseph Hannan
Address
Martinsburg VA Medical Center
510 Butler Avenue
Martinsburg, WV 25405
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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