Medical Instrument Technician-EKG

The technician works in the Vascular Lab, operating diagnostic medical equipment such as exercise stress test systems (treadmills) in the Nuclear Medicine Department under a Cardiologist's supervision, the MUSE Cardiology Storage System, ambulatory blood pressure studies, cardiac arrhythmia monitoring and scanning (Event & Holter monitors), Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) vascular analyzers for arterial disease (resting and exercise), and 12- lead ECG heart tracings.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties will vary by grade, but at the GS-7 level:

• Independently performs the full range of electrocardiography procedures, including Holter monitor application and scanning, event monitor application and monitoring, ECG management, and operation of nuclear and non-nuclear treadmills.
• Conduct ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and Ankle Brachial Index vascular studies.
• The technician operates diagnostic medical equipment to support the treatment of Veterans and assists registered nurses and physicians as needed. Equipment handled includes exercise stress test systems, Holter and Event Monitor scanning, Ankle Brachial Index, and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring devices.
• Receive and review procedure requests or consults, interpreting physician orders for the appropriateness of procedures and assessing Veterans' ability to perform prescribed tests. Assignments typically follow established precedents.
• When encountering requests for uncommon, specialized, or new procedures, the technician applies standard protocols or seeks assistance from supervisors or cardiologists as necessary. They educate Veterans during pre-procedure sessions to ensure patient understanding, confidence, and cooperation. This includes independently explaining procedures, positioning requirements (table or treadmill), monitor equipment, potential adverse reactions to stress agents, the importance of accurate monitoring, and diary entries. The technician responds to inquiries from Veterans and their families.
• The role includes Medical Instrument Technician duties with a stress test specialty, requiring experience operating specialized nuclear and non-nuclear treadmills.
• The technician also specializes in Holter/Event Monitoring, applying and instructing on equipment use, compiling and revising data, preparing reports for physician review, and scheduling Veterans for monitor application and removal.
• They provide instruction to nursing staff in patient care and clinic areas on EKG equipment operation and train physicians and cardiology staff in the use and storage of the MUSE System.
• The technician possesses knowledge of common patient reactions and signs of distress, including the ability to recognize, report, and assist in treating potentially life-threatening arrhythmias.
• They understand typical equipment settings, standardized procedures, common errors, and corrective measures.
• Modifications to procedures or positioning are made to obtain accurate results when caring for Veterans with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, or scar tissue.
• Serves as a mentor or preceptor to lower-grade technicians.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 7:30am-4:00pm.
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
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 #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

NOTE: THE 2-PAGE RESUME REQUIREMENT DOES NOT APPLY TO THIS OCCUPATIONAL SERIES. FOR MORE INFORMATION, REFER TO REQUIRED DOCUMENTS BELOW.

*To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

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 chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation.
• Certification: No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BCLS (Basic Cardiac Life Support) and ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) certifications.

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:

GS-6 Electrocardiograph Technician (EKG):

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:

1. Ability to recognize special patient needs such as disabilities, impaired mobility, and complicating medical conditions in order to prepare and position the patient for the prescribed procedure.
2. Knowledge of the specialized equipment and accessories appropriate to Holter monitoring and ability to perform such tests.
3. Knowledge of universal precautions and sterilization techniques and ability to follow CDC guidelines in cleaning equipment.
4. Ability to monitor the patient for adverse reactions and take appropriate action.
5. Ability to operate the equipment to perform standard and routine highly specialized procedures including exercise stress testing.

Assignment: Medical instrument technicians (EKG) at this level receive and interpret physician's requests for diagnostic procedures and/or treatments; explain the procedure to the patient to secure the patient's confidence and cooperation; document the patient's record; independently perform standardized testing monitoring the patient for adverse reactions; and operate, calibrate, and clean and/or sterilize commonly used equipment. Assignments at this level require knowledge of standard medical terminology as well as common diseases and their specific affects.

GS-7 Electrocardiograph Technician (EKG):

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. This would be experience which provided knowledge of the equipment, standard tests and procedures, and typical readings including arrhythmias and abnormalities.

* In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1. Knowledge of typical patient reactions and signs of distress including the ability to recognize, report and treat potentially lethal arrhythmias.
2. Knowledge of common equipment settings and standardized procedures plus knowledge of common errors and corrective measures.
3. Ability to modify procedures/positions to obtain the correct results with patients with complicating conditions such as amputations, Parkinson's disease, structural defects, and scar tissue.
4. Ability to act as a mentor or preceptor to lower graded technicians.
5. Ability to conduct in-service training on the EKG equipment and related instrumentation.

Assignment: This represents the full performance level. Medical instrument technicians (EKG) at this level operate and monitor electrocardiographic equipment to perform specialized examinations and studies involving exercise stress testing, ambulatory monitoring of arrhythmias, and indirect carotid pulse tracings on chronic patients. They monitor tracings to identify arrhythmias and when gross abnormalities appear, when to repeat certain procedures, when to stop test procedures, and when to get the immediate attention of a physician. They evaluate test results to determine appropriate machine adjustments and use alternative techniques and procedures when established procedures do not accomplish acceptable results. This includes adapting equipment and accessories to yield the best results during the examination. They edit and select an appropriate sample portion of the tracing for further interpretation by the physician.

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-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-6 to GS-7.

*There are no physical requirements for this occupation per OCHCO Communications email to VA Handbook 5019, updated on 4/17/2026.

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/.

• 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 evaluation.
• 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.