Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist - Radiation Oncology

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 EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Demonstrates thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology, pathology, medical terminology, oncology, radiobiology, radiation physics, radiation oncology techniques, radiation safety and the psychosocial aspects of cancer.
• Possesses a working knowledge of consultation, simulation, treatment planning and treatment procedures.
• Interprets treatment plans generated by dosimetry and delivers the prescribed dose using accurate field parameters, relevant treatment protocols, and immobilization devices.
• Follows current guidelines, methods, and standards to perform Quality Assurance (QA) procedures of all treatment machines and CT scanners prior to daily business hours. Alerts appropriate staff, as necessary, if recorded values fall below or exceed set parameters.
• Skilled in the operation of complex and technical equipment to include use of the Varian True Beam linear accelerator, ARIA patient management systems, record and verify systems, electronic portal imaging, 3-D conformal radiation therapy systems, multi-leaf collimators, intensity modulated radiation therapy, On-Board Imaging, Cone Beam CT, and SBRT.
• Administers ionizing radiation treatments from the simple to the highly-complex for the purpose of treating disease.
• Performs quality control procedures for radiation therapy including weekly chart checks for data accuracy and completion.
• Orally communicates exam preparations/special orders to patients, team members, and hospital staff
• Coordinates scheduling of simulation, planning, and treatment procedures.
• Properly identifies individual patient by the required identification methods set forth by hospital policy and departmental procedures prior to simulation and each daily radiation treatment.
• Knowledge of disease process, co-morbid conditions, and other factors relating to individual patients in selecting appropriate positioning devices for procedure to be performed.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM EST
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 688-26234-F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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.
• 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. 4 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)).
• English Language Proficiency. TRTs must be proficient in spoken and written English. See 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
• 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: (1) Employees in an occupation not requiring a licensure/certification/registration, may be reassigned, promoted or demoted within the occupation. (2) 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. (3) 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. (4) 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. (5) 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. NOTE: Each uncertified TRT permanently employed on June 21, 1986, and whose competence in the safe administration of ionizing radiation was affirmed, in writing, by a VA licensed physician not later than January 1, 1987, is considered fully qualified. These employees may be promoted, up to and including the journey level, demoted or reassigned within the GS-0648 occupational series. Any employee initially retained in this manner who leaves this job series loses protected status and must meet the full requirements in effect at the time of reentry.

Grade Determinations:

Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist, GS-10

Experience. At least one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9*) directly related to the position being filled *Examples of

GS-09 Experience: Independently assigned to most areas of radiation therapy and to some advanced therapies. Assignments at this level include but not limited to providing emergency treatment delivery, simple Monitor Unit dose calculation as assigned; scheduling simulation and treatment procedures; handling and storing radioactive materials; educating patient, family and staff on the administration of ionizing radiation; inspecting equipment for safety, operability and troubleshooting basic problems and machine issues. Skill in independently setting up the patient in preparation for basic and complex radiation treatments on a linear accelerator, as prescribed by the radiation oncologist; Skill in independently performing machine warm-up procedures to interpret output levels compared with established thresholds adhering to the principles of radiation safety and all aspects of quality assurance; Skill to independently perform patient chart reviews and effectively document records utilizing an electronic medical records system and the Record and Verify System or other similar treatment delivery systems.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. Candidates must demonstrate all the KSAs below:

1. 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.
2. Ability to independently perform patient chart reviews using an electronic medical record and the Record and Verify System or other similar treatment delivery systems.
3. 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.
4. Ability to utilize a Linac's On Board Imaging system to interpret complex images

Preferred Experience:

• 5 years experience in radiation therapy.

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.

Physical Requirements: Heavy Lifting and carrying (50lbs.), straight pulling/pushing, hand-over-hand pushing (2 hours),
reaching above shoulder level, use of fingers and both hands required, walking/standing/crawling (5 hours), repeated bending (3 hours), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of color, emotional and mental stability.

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.