This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Learn more 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: There are no specific education requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. 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 essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. Titles and Certifications/Registrations: Echocardiography Technicians operate diagnostic equipment to graphically record the position and motion of the heart walls or the internal structure of the heart and neighboring tissue by the echo obtained from beams of ultrasonic waves directed through the chest wall. Registration is offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI), as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS). English Language Proficiency: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoke and written English in accordance with 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). Grade Determinations: GS-8: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. Example of this experience: performing a range of standard, but complex, echocardiographic examinations with responsibility for calibrating all instruments prior to the procedure. Keeping an accurate record of tests, daily logs, and videotapes. Maintaining cidex logs. This would be experience which provided the overall knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct diagnostic echocardiography examinations in complex and unusual cases. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:1. Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode, two-dimensional, pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display, and color flow Doppler imaging.2. Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases.3. Ability to perform complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves, chamber enlargement, and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves, etc.4. Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic, Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography, (invasive) stress echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography.5. Ability to adapt transducer positioning, instrument controls, and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings. References: VA Handbook 5005/15, Part II, Appendix G27 Physical Requirements: Work is primarily active; position requires lifting up to 25 pounds; moving; operating and handling equipment; assisting patient to and from the bed; walking, standing and sitting for prolonged periods of time. ["Echocardiography technician assignments at this level involve performing routine, standardized cardiac ultrasound examinations under the supervision of a fully qualified cardiac sonographer. The work involves generating adequate gray scale images to define cardiac borders and learning to perform Doppler integration of cardiac valves for determination of flow velocities. The Medical Instrument Technician (MIT) performs echocardiography studies (heart ultrasound) and records the procedure for Interpretation by a cardiologist. This Is a diagnostic ultrasound procedure to assess heart function and identify possible abnormalities to assist the cardiologist with determining the most appropriate treatment plan for the patient. The MIT is responsible for ensuring all procedure images are property filed and the final procedure reports are downloaded onto electronic records. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (hours may be flexible)\nTelework: Not Available\nVirtual: This is not a virtual position.\nFunctional Statement #: 000000\nEDRP Authorized: Contact Kelli Cromwell, Kelli.Cromwell@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance\nRelocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized\nPermanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized\nFinancial Disclosure Report: Not required"]