Summary This position is located at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville, FL. The Nuclear Medicine Technologist performs technical work in support of the Diagnostic Imaging Service, Nuclear Medicine section, under the direction of Chief Nuclear Medicine Technologist and Chief of Diagnostic Imaging Service. Responsibilities The Nuclear Medicine Technologist works closely with Nuclear Medicine Lead and Supervisor, Attending Radiologists, Residents, and Fellows. The technologist uses radiopharmaceuticals, operates radiation detectors, scanning apparatuses and related equipment, as part of the diagnostic or therapeutic plan, for patients having special and complex imaging procedures in General Nuclear Medicine, Nuclear Cardiology and PET/CT including advanced therapies/exams to diagnose/treat various functional disorders that require specialized knowledge and skills. The NM Technologist performs the full range of specialized, advanced tests or studies according to established methods, reviewing and analyzing conventional testing problems and recommending or implementing solutions to overcome them. Duties and functions of the nuclear Medicine Technologist include but are not limited to the following: Administers radiopharmaceuticals and/ or pharmaceuticals using standard precaution techniques, including: Verifying patient identity and medication reconciliation before the administration of medication, radiopharmaceuticals, or I.V. contrast. Determining the route of administration according to established protocol (e.g., subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous, etc.). Establishing and / or verifying venipuncture access using aseptic technique. Positioning the patient and obtaining images including: Waiting an appropriate length of time after the administration of a radiopharmaceutical to begin the imaging procedure. Acquiring imaging views according to established protocols and acquiring additional views to optimize information content. Properly positioning the patient using supportive materials and immobilizers, as necessary. Exercising independent judgment in positioning a patient or detector unit to best demonstrate pathology and to adapt to the patient's limitations. Indicating appropriate anatomic landmarks for each view of the procedure. Review images to assure that the correct information is supplied. Provides patient care by: Providing for proper comfort and care to the patient before, during, and after a procedure, including the monitoring of intravenous lines, oxygen supplies, and drains. Establishing and maintaining proper communication with patients in accordance with HIPAA. Behaving in a professional manner in consideration and observation of patients' rights and dignity. Providing functionally safe and sanitary conditions for the patient and staff in compliance with standard precautions policies. Recognizing and responding to medical emergency conditions by: Initiating a call for assistance. Administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation when necessary. Maintaining intravenous fluids, oxygen and other life-support assistance until dedicated medical emergency staff arrives. The technologist displays: Thorough knowledge of molecular level physiological functions that relate to glucose metabolism, blood flow, brain oxygen utilization, perfusion, and receptor-ligand binding rates. Thorough knowledge of physiologic processes that relate to organ system function and anatomy and their radiopharmaceutical demonstration of normal and pathologic states. Performing data collection, processing, and analysis by: Performing data collection, processing, and analysis in accordance with established protocols. Exercising independent judgment in selecting appropriate images for processing. Selecting appropriate filters, frequency cutoff, and attenuation and motion correction when reconstructing SPECT images. Defining regions of interest (ROI's) with reproducible results and correctly applying background subtraction. Performing computer data manipulations as required by standard nuclear medicine procedures (e.g., activity curve generation, quantification, SPECT slice production). Labeling processed images (e.g., anatomical positioning, ROI's, Date, etc.). Processing PET/CT data to produce parametric images. Preserving and retrieving data from storage media. Verifying computer parameter settings and data interface, including: Assuring that the camera detector and computer register the same count rate at the maximum frame rate. Verifying that the camera detector and computer have the same image orientation. Obtaining a dead time measurement on the computer. Verifying accuracy of ECG gating. Performing pixel calibration. Operating PET/CT computer hardware, processing software, and basic Windows and Unix platforms. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am - 4:30 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 05158F Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). 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 Citizenship. Must be a United States Citizen per VA policy. English Language Proficiency. NMTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, per VA Handbook 5005, Qualification Standards. 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. 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. Grandfathering Provision. 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 REQUIREMENTS - Nuclear Medicine Technologist, GS-11 In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met: Experience. The candidate must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level directly related to the position being filled, and must fully meet the KSAs at that level which are: 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. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The candidate must demonstrate all of the following technical KSAs: Ability to produce and assess high quality scans and quality control images using independent judgement to recognize abnormal or unacceptable results. Knowledge and skill in 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. Ability to obtain, assess, and document pre-therapy patient preparation information and provide post-therapy patient education following proper administration of advanced therapy dose. Ability to develop new protocols for imaging procedures. Ability to analyze instances of increased radiation exposure levels and recommend measures to reduce. Ability to analyze consequences of improper packaging of radioactive material and take appropriate actions. Reference. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements. The work requires long periods of standing and walking. There is some bending, lifting, and carrying of light items such as CR film cassettes. There is occasional moderate exertion such as lifting multi-exposure film cassettes or assisting other technicians in lifting and positioning patients. Heavy lifting of totally incapacitated patients is done only with the help of other employees. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.