Qualifications

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: Master's degree or higher in a physics, science, or engineering discipline recognized by an accredited college or university with at least 30 semester hours in medical physics, health physics, radiological science, physics, engineering, chemistry, or biology
• or an equivalent foreign degree and coursework substantiated by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services
• Board Certification: Persons hired or reassigned to TMP positions in the VHA must be board certified in the field of therapeutic medical physics by an approved certifying body
• The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education
• Approved Certifying Bodies (a) The American Board of Radiology (ABR) in any of the following field titles: Therapeutic Medical Physics Therapeutic Radiologic or Therapeutic Radiological Physics Radiologic Physics or Radiological Physics (b) The American Board of Medical Physics (ABMP) in the subfield of Radiation Oncology Physics
• (c) The Canadian College of Physicists in Medicine (CCPM) in the subfield of Radiation Oncology Physics
• 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-14 Supervisory Therapeutic Medical Physicist (a) Experience
• In addition to the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of 1 year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• (b) Assignments
• For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• A supervisory TMP provides professional, scientific, and clinical practice of therapeutic medical physics for external beam and brachytherapy treatment procedures from treatment simulation to treatment planning to the actual treatment delivery
• The incumbent oversees the technical development and implementation of new radiotherapy techniques and modalities
• oversees the activities of all other TMPs, dosimetrists, and other staff members assigned to the unit
• directs the technical aspects of treatment procedures
• and, performs duties qualifying them as a supervisor to include planning and directing work, developing performance plans, evaluating staff performance, and other administrative functions
• The supervisory TMP has full supervisory responsibility for a staff that includes lower level TMP positions and other clinical and professional staff within the unit
• The employee directs the implementation of new equipment and processes through oversight of the following activities: assesses radiation therapy equipment needs
• monitors acceptance testing and commissioning of new radiation therapy equipment
• evaluates the adequacy of room shielding and radiation surveys
• develops and implements treatment processes in concert with a radiation oncologist
• and, ensures the precision and accuracy of treatment delivery
• The employee optimizes technical infrastructure and workflow for streamlined operations in the department of radiation oncology through the mastery and application of techniques such as Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
• The employee directs the radiation therapy treatment planning team through oversight of the following activities: designs and approves of treatment plans
• monitors the accuracy of treatment data recorded in the patient's medical records
• provides consultation to the radiation oncologist regarding difficult treatment cases
• performs patient-specific treatment validation measurements
• develops medical physics policies and procedures for the delivery and quality assessment of advanced treatment modalities such as intensity modulated radiation therapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy and brachytherapy
• The employee develops, operates, and documents the medical physics quality assurance program
• ensures regulatory compliance
• supervises the Radiation Safety Officer's radiation safety program
• and, trains and educates radiation oncology team members in safe operations in Radiation Oncology
• (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1
• Ability to oversee the technical development and implementation of new radiotherapy techniques and modalities
• This includes knowledge of current standards of care, VA policies, trends and changes in delivery technology, as well as fair, principled, and decisive leadership practices
• 2
• Ability to optimize technical infrastructure and workflow for streamlined operations in the department of radiation oncology
• This includes the knowledge and application of techniques such as Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA)
• 3
• Ability to assess the qualifications and abilities of current and prospective employees, to include staff performance evaluations and professional development
• 4
• Advanced knowledge of regulatory requirements, manufacturer's standards, and professional society guidelines for performing quality assurance of radiation therapy equipment to include accelerators, simulators, and high dose rate/low dose rate brachytherapy delivery systems
• 5
• Ability to use written and verbal communication with a strong command of technical writing considerations
• 6
• Ability to collaborate with the members of other disciplines and supervisors and to represent the profession both in and outside of VHA
• This includes knowledge of the roles, contributions, and interrelationships with other health care specialties and supporting divisions
• 7
• Knowledge of instructional methods and documenting competencies
• 8
• Ability to manage and supervises employees
• 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-14
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.