Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist

Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. 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.

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 V8_EDRP_SANJUAN@VA.GOV, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): May be authorized for highly qualified candidate.

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.

How you will be evaluated

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

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.

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

• Resume

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 (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Other (1)
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.

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