Nuclear Med Technologist

Description:

As a Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT) for the Diagnostic Imagining Dept. the incumbent performs a broad spectrum of quality control and radiation safety measures, and document the data required to maintain compliance with the statutes and regulations mandated for a Nuclear Medicine Program. The NMT will perform required procedures for safe receipt, handling, transport, usage, storage and disposal of radioactive materials compliant with the NRC, NHPP, DOT and license conditions.

Requirements:

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.
• Certification . All applicants must be certified in nuclear medicine technology by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) (N). NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification eligibility requirements are normally satisfied by one of the following:
  • (1) Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program, OR
  • (2) Completion of a nuclear medicine technology program accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), or other accrediting agencies as recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), culminating in a certificate, associate, baccalaureate, or master's degree. Educational programs must have structured clinical training sufficient to provide clinical competency in radiation safety, instrumentation, clinical procedures, and radio-pharmacy, as deemed acceptable by the NMTCB.
  • Failure to Obtain Credential. In all cases, NMTs must actively pursue meeting certification requirements starting from the date of their appointment. Failure to become certified within 1 year from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0601 NMT occupation and may result in termination of employment.
  • Loss of Credential. Once certified, NMTs must maintain a full, valid, and unrestricted certification. Loss of credential will result in removal from the GS-0601 NMT occupation and may result in termination of employment. For occupations which require an active certification at all grade levels, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists. For occupations which require an active credential (licensure/certification/registration) in assignments above the journey level only, at the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may remain at an appropriate lower grade level in the occupation when both of the following apply: the credential is not a requirement and a placement opportunity exists.
• English Language Proficiency . NMTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 2, Section D, Paragraph 5a.

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). All persons employed in VHA as a NMT on the effective date of this qualification standard (December 10, 2019) are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements 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. Such employees in an occupation that requires a certification, may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the journey (full performance) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Such employees in an occupation that requires a certification only at higher grade levels must meet the certification requirement before they can be promoted to the higher-grade levels.
3. 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.
4. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
5. If an employee who was in the NMT 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 : Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Fusion Imaging Technologist )GS-11

• EXPERIENCE: For assignments above the journey level, the candidate must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-09), directly related to the position being filled and must fully meet the KSAs at that level.
• DEMONSTRATED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): The candidate must demonstrate all the following technical KSAs:
  • Ability to produce and assess high quality fusion and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results.
  • Practical knowledge and skill in the use of ancillary equipment with an understanding of how the results will affect the study outcome.
  • Knowledge of physiologic processes as they relate to altered radiopharmaceutical uptake and/or artefactual findings.
  • Knowledge of CT and/or MR radiographic techniques utilized in quality control and acquisition parameters.
  • Ability to recognize and correct fusion imaging errors.

Preferred Experience: Minimum of two years experience preferred. Demonstrates expertise as a Certified Nuclear Medicine Fusion Technologist, with proficiency in hybrid imaging modalities such as PET/CT and SPECT/CT. Strong background in advance imaging techniques, radiopharmaceutical preparation, quality control, and radiation safety protocols. Additional experience in post-processing, quantitative analysis, and multidisciplinary collaboration to optimize patient outcomes is highly desirable.

Reference: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II Appendix G19, Nuclear Medicine Technologist (Fusion Imaging), GS-0601-11. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11 . The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-11

Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019