Medical Instrument Technician (Polysomnography)

The Medical Instrument Technician Polysomnography position is located within Medical Service at the Dayton VA Medical Center, Dayton, Ohio. The primary responsibility of this position is to monitor and operate equipment used in sleep studies. Overall responsibilities include taking an active role in portable sleep study and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) programs, and support of sleep-related treatment and teaching programs.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Downloads, confirms adequate recording, and electronically transfers reports to the electronic health record folder for completion.
• Scores sleep studies and alerts providers of critical or urgent results.
• Assists in communicating sleep study results with patients and arranges for appropriate follow-up in the sleep clinic.
• Independently programs and sets up initial positive airway pressure (PAP) equipment for issue to Veteran based on prescription, including pressure adjustments per prescription or provider recommendation.
• Works with a variety of brand and types of positive airway pressure (PAP) equipment.
• Educates Veterans on safe and proper use of PAP machine, mask, and associated equipment to assure optimal function and sleep quality.
• Ensures patient's significant other or caregiver fully understands setup procedures and function.
• Troubleshoots PAP equipment in CPAP clinic or in other settings as required and evaluates mask interfaces to determine causes for poor efficacy, compliance, or need for equipment replacement to correct problems whenever possible or discuss with sleep specialist if needed.
• Ability to fill in as overnight sleep technician.

Work Schedule: Monday-Sunday 7:30 pm to 7:00 am/ 6 shifts and 7:30 pm to 6:30 am/ 1 shift per pay period
Compressed/Flexible: Available
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: Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 93079-A
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• Licensure or Certification: No certification or registration is required. Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certifications are also desirable for employees at this level.
• English Proficiency: Proficient in English (written and spoken) is required for patient care positions

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-8
(a) 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 a knowledge of the more complex procedures as well as knowledge of the uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders.
In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
1. Advanced knowledge or the International Classification of Sleep Disorders and the ability to recognize uncommon and/or rare sleep disorders.
2. Ability to summarize and report polysomnographic data in narrative form.
3. Knowledge of event characteristics (e.g., respiratory, cardiac, sleep stage, seizures, etc.) and ability to take appropriate action.
4. Ability to provide briefings and orientation to hospital staff including physicians.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Some of the work involves regular and recurring physical exertion in standing, bending, kneeling, reaching, gripping, and walking. Moderate heavy lifting is required to assist patients and operate equipment. Extended periods of sitting may be required when attending meetings or completion of administrative tasks.

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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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.