Duties
- Interprets device diagnostic data and exercises advanced clinical judgment to identify abnormal findings, device malfunctions, and clinically significant arrhythmias requiring provider notification or urgent intervention.
- Acts as a technical authority within the device clinic, providing guidance to lower-level technicians and assisting in developing clinic protocols, workflow improvements, and technical standards for cardiac device monitoring services.
- Performs device interrogations for pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs), internal loop recorders (IRLs), and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices using manufacturer-specific programmers and VA-approved platforms.
- Obtains, verifies, trends, and analyzes device parameters, including battery status, lead integrity, sensing and pacing thresholds, lead impedance, arrhythmia episodes, therapies delivered, pacing burden, and diagnostic data.
- Recognizes urgent or life-threatening findings and promptly escalates concerns to the responsible cardiology provider following established clinical protocols.
- Assists providers during clinic visits and inpatient consultations by preparing equipment, collecting device-related patient histories and interval events, and ensuring the completion of required documentation and orders.
- Supports ambulatory monitoring workflows and integrates device data with clinical workflows to facilitate timely provider review and appropriate follow-up care.
- Maintains accurate, complete, and timely documentation in the electronic health record, including device interrogation reports, programming adjustments performed under provider guidance, and patient records. education, and follow-up recommendations.
- Track device follow-up intervals, remote monitoring enrollment status, and overdue transmissions.
- Initiate patient outreach and coordinate scheduling to reduce lapses in monitoring and maintain continuity of care.
- Keep clinic logs, workload data, and performance reports in line with VA documentation standards and local service expectations.
- Assist with managing daily CIED clinic workflow to ensure timely device interrogations, remote review, documentation, and follow-up scheduling.
- Work with cardiology diagnostic teams, electrophysiology providers, nursing staff, and administrative personnel to support smooth clinic operations and quality patient care.
- Participate in quality assurance and performance improvement activities related to CIED follow-up programs, device clinic workflows, and remote monitoring processes.
- Assist in developing, reviewing, and implementing local policies, procedures, and protocols that govern CIED clinic operations, remote monitoring management, and escalation of urgent findings.
- Support equipment and supply management for the device clinic, including device programmers, monitoring equipment, and related supplies.
- Identify equipment issues or replacement needs and coordinate repairs or maintenance through appropriate VA channels.
- Contribute to process improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing clinic efficiency, patient safety, documentation compliance, and quality of care.
- Provide patient education about implanted cardiac devices, remote monitoring procedures, equipment use, and expectations for clinic communication and follow-up.
- Serve as a mentor and technical resource for lower-graded technicians and staff as assigned.
- Offer training and in-service education on device interrogation equipment, remote monitoring systems, electrocardiographic procedures, and clinic workflows.
- Other duties as assigned/stated in functional statement
Medical Technologist: vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Total-Rewards-of-a-Medical-Technologist-Career-Flyer.pdf
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday from 7:30 am until 4 pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
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)
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 #: 71403-F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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 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).
- 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:
- United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
- English Language Proficiency. Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).
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: In addition to meeting the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.
GS-9 Experience: You must have one year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level, GS-8, which is directly related to the duties of the position to be filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level. Electrocardiography technicians at the GS-8 level (EKG) perform complicated examinations or treatments for which there are no standard instructions or procedures. They utilize knowledge of anatomy and physiology including an in depth understanding of the functioning of the major systems and internal organs to interpret requests and to recognize the need for additional tests or a different position. Knowledge of pharmacology including the classification and administration of drugs, patient responses, and common dosages as related to this specialty is required. The technician has the ability to perform Signal Averaged ECG, Tilt table monitoring, electrophysiology monitoring, and event monitoring.
GS-8 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the one year of experience, you must be able to demonstrate the following KSAs at the full performance level:
1. Knowledge of pharmacology related to specialized procedures.
2. Ability to provide briefings and orientations to hospital staff including physicians.
3. Knowledge of a variety of related acute disorders and diseases, their effects on organs, and methods of treatment.
4. Ability to perform more complex procedures such as SAECG (Signal Averaged ECG), Tilt table monitoring, electrophysiology monitoring, and event monitoring.
*5. Ability to provide, or provide for, staff development and training.
*6. Ability to manage and supervise employees.
AND
GS-9 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs): In addition, the candidate
must be able to demonstrate the following technical KSAs and the potential to acquire the assignment specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*):
1. Knowledge of the more complex examination and treatment procedures and techniques such as SAECG, ETT, Tilt table monitoring, electrophysiology monitoring, and event monitoring in order to provide training and supervision in these procedures, to develop analysis interpretation formats, and to receive inquiries concerning results.
*2. Knowledge of JCAHO and other regulatory requirements.
3. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with employees at varying grade levels.
*4. Ability to provide, or provide for, staff development and training.
*5. Ability to manage and supervise employees.
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 30 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.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to travel to treatment areas with ease while pushing an Echo Machine. The incumbent must be able to stand for up to 8-10 hours while providing patient care. The incumbent must be able to lift up to 20 pounds of equipment, supplies and records. The incumbent must be able to manipulate the probes during the procedure, pushing against the patient's chest to obtain the appropriate images. Additionally, the incumbent will be required to transport patients on stretchers, beds and wheelchairs. There is the potential for extended periods of sitting at computer terminals. The incumbent is expected to use proper preventive ergonomic techniques to perform duties.
Education
Note: 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).The following is the standard grandfathering policy for all Title 38 Hybrid qualification standards. Some of these provisions may not apply to this occupation. Please carefully review the qualification standard to determine the specific education and/or licensure/certification/ registration requirements that 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. 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 does not require a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted, or demoted within the occupation.
- 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.
- Such employees in an occupation that requires 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. 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.
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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.
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.
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.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:
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.
Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
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)
- License
- Other (1)
- Performance Appraisal
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- 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.