Therapeutic Medical Physicist (Advanced Level)

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)

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:1. Therapeutic Medical Physics2. Therapeutic Radiologic or Therapeutic Radiological Physics3. 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 PhysicsGS-14 Therapeutic Medical Physicist (Advanced Level)In addition to the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of 1 year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade. Employees at this level who are not supervisors are able to carry out assigned tasks independently in all areas of radiation therapy requiring TMP competencies which substantially exceed the full performance level and require advanced knowledge in all areas of radiation therapy. Regardless of the nature of the specific assignment, the work must be of sufficient scope and complexity to meet the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform at this grade level.

In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Advanced expertise and experience in the safe and efficient use of all radiotherapy devices for external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy.
• Highly developed expertise with commissioning linear accelerators and treatment planning systems for complex clinical use, to include project management, performance testing, data acquisition, beam modeling, and validation testing.
• Advanced knowledge (treatment simulation, planning, dosimetry, and treatment methods) of the scientific, clinical, and technical applications of one or more specialized procedures including, but not limited to, high dose rate brachytherapy, low dose rate brachytherapy, stereotactic body radiation therapy, stereotactic radiation therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, total body irradiation, advanced image-guided therapy, and adaptive therapy.
• Advanced expertise in acceptance testing, clinical commissioning, and (when applicable) calibration procedures for a variety of ancillary radiation oncology delivery, imaging, dosimetry, metrology, and computational systems.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Appendix G48The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-14. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-14.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 lbs); Moderate carrying (15-44 lbs); straight pulling (1 hour); pushing (1 hour); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (8-12 hours); standing (8-12 hours); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaegar 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; both eyes required; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted). Transferring patients and objects may be required. Don protective clothing in isolation situation or operative / invasive procedures. May occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium. Work to be performed inside; working around equipment with moving parts, working around and with electronic devices and electricity, working around moving objects; working closely with others.

Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.