Qualifications

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: Completion of a NMTCB-recognized nuclear medicine technology program, OR 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
• Exceptions
• Non-certified applicants, who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for NMTCB or ARRT (N) certification, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate NMT under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a)(1)(D)
• Failure to obtain certification [within 1 year from the date of appointment] is justification for termination of the temporary appointment
• This may result in termination of employment
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019[, Employee Occupational Health Service.] English Language Proficiency
• [NMTs] must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, of this part
• 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: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Nuclear Medicine Technologist, GS-9 Experience
• Completion of 1 year of [creditable] experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-7) directly related to the position to be filled (i.e., experience that demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics needed to provide nuclear medicine technology services at that level) [is required.] Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• [In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:] Ability to document excessive radiation exposure in the working environment
• Knowledge of medical events requiring documentation and the ability to properly document them and make recommendations to the radiation safety officer (RSO)
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing post iodine-131 therapy radiation safety precautions
• Ability to troubleshoot gamma camera and auxiliary equipment problems
• Ability to analyze computer generated data for technical quality and artifacts and initiate corrective measures
• 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-9. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.