Medical Instrument Technician (Electroencephalography)

The Birmingham VA, Neurology Service is seeking an Intermittent Medical Instrument Technician (EMG/EEG) for the VA Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama. The incumbent provides non-invasive EMG/EEG diagnostic procedures. Medical Instrument Technicians (EMG/EEG) at this level are expected to provide independent performance of a full range of procedures.

Intermittent schedule is every other weekend including covering 24-hour call - up to 16 hours per weekend worked.

Duties and responsibilities of the Medical Instrument Technician (EMG/EEG) include but not limited to:

• Employs various techniques and operates conventional or portable EMG/EEG equipment to perform a diverse array of neurodiagnostic procedures in an outpatient and inpatient setting.
• Perform nerve conductions, recognizes normal and abnormal results, and recognizes and takes reasonable steps to eliminate physiological and non-physiological artifact.
• EEG technician will place electrodes in the correct positions and occasionally analyze test results with the neurologist to determine the electrical response from the patient's brain.
• EEG technician participates in emergency call back urgent EEG tests after hours.
• EMG or EEG technician will assist in teaching fellows and residents how to operate conventional equipment (EMG/EEG machines) and assist in teaching fellows and residents how to verify parameters on equipment, electrode placement, and performance of procedures according to established guidelines.
• The technician consistently delivers high quality studies for the most complex and non-routine procedures in difficult or demanding environment.
• EEG technician will perform routine tracings, assess ICU patients for EEG and video EEG monitoring, and intraoperative EEG recordings.
• The technician interprets study results and brings to the attention of the physician or supervisor more subtle abnormalities that may require intervention.
• The EEG technician will record all nerve conduction waveforms and include them in a report for the staff neurologist to review.
• The technician will highlight portions of recordings of clinical importance for review by the clinical neurophysiologist and will accurately describe the concurrent behavior of the patient.
• The technician will facilitate positive interactions with other health care staff to inform them of the indications for testing, the value, possible outcomes, and limitations of testing, and the policies of the laboratory.
• Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.
• Maintains safe and orderly work areas.

Work Schedule: Intermittent, every other weekend, including covering 24- hour call, up to 16 hours per weekend worked.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: FS-521-298
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Notifications:

• Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50, (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title, series, grade, step, tenure and type of service (Competitive or Excepted).
• Veterans' preference does not apply for current permanent Federal agency employees.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. 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.
• 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 specialties, Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification are desirable.

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. 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.

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.

Grade Determinations: GS-8
Experience: At least 1 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 knowledge of the more complex procedures, the pharmacology related to this occupation, and knowledge of related acute disorders and diseases and their effects on organs and methods of treatment.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities):

• Ability to interpret testing data to evaluate critical information for surgeons and other medical staff during testing procedures.
• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology of the nervous system and the ability to understand the relationship of EEG and evoked potential testing in detecting states of disease and health.
• Knowledge of behavior assessment during seizure attacks in order to insure adequacy of recordings during seizure discharges.
• Knowledge of a variety of advanced EEG equipment and peripheral equipment such as equipment for brain mapping, video EEG telemetry systems with seizure detection computers, and spike analysis software.
• Knowledge of anticonvulsant medications and their effects on the EEG as well as other frequently used pharmaceuticals.
• Ability to adapt neurodiagnostic devices, parameters, and procedures to complex, unusual, and often critical situations.

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.

Physical Requirements: Must be able to stand on feet for long periods. Must be physically dexterous for the application of electrodes. Must have sufficient physical strength to assist in patient position and the movement of portable equipment.

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.