Biomedical Engineering Technician Lead (BMET Lead )

Position Title: Biomedical Engineering Technician Lead (BMET Lead)

Reports to: Director of Clinical Services (with partial supervision by Director of Operations)

Department: Clinical

Work Location: Maryland

Employment Type: Full Time

Position Overview:

The BMET Lead collaborates with clinical, laboratory and operations leadership to ensure the availability, functionality and use of lifesaving equipment in Maryland County. S/he will develop a strategy that supports the Ministry of Health’s vision for planned preventive maintenance (PPM) and repair. S/he will reinforce the product lifecycle approach to management by facilitating trainings for County BMETs, apprentices and end users; providing on-the-job mentorship and troubleshooting support; supporting specification, quantification and sourcing of medical equipment; developing and revising standard operating procedures, inventorying and reporting tools.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Work with County BMETs and clinicians to review and develop preventative maintenance policies and procedures to ensure effective and reliable operation of laboratory and hospital equipment
• Maintain the equipment management system (EMS) showing availability, functionality and PPM schedule for all inventoried equipment in Maryland County
• Facilitate the development of an annual PPM and repair strategy with PIH and County Health Team leadership
• Develop and maintain smooth communication with clinical and operations teams to ensure proactive procurement, PPM and repairs.
• Support the County BMET to perform regular diagnosis, calibration, and repair on medical equipment and tools, ensuring evidence-based practice.
• Supervise testing of biomedical equipment for safety and efficiency
• Ensures safe performance of job duties by following proper safety procedures, taking all necessary safety precautions, anticipating unsafe working conditions, acting accordingly to prevent accidents and promptly reporting accidents and hazardous conditions; participates in and conducts appropriate safety training.
• Cascade end user trainings for frontline clinicians on planned preventive maintenance and use of biomedical equipment
• Join daily rounds at the hospital, providing coverage on weekends and holidays
• Collaborate with repair and maintenance service provider, PIH Liberia and cross-site leadership to optimize oxygen production at our PSA plant, ensuring availability of three days’ buffer stock at all times
• Work to ensure the maximum functionality of the oxygen plant
• Submit an annual operational plan and monthly reports to the Executive Leadership Team on the status of BMET activities and functionality of the PSA plant
• Assist the supply chain team in specification, quantification and procurement of medical devices and spare parts for medical equipment
• For all repair and maintenance work orders, ensure that deliverables under TOR are reflected in final outcomes upon report submission
• Cross-check the quality, appropriateness and accuracy of equipment and parts received against purchase requests
• Serve as a technical advisor to the HTMU on policy review and validation
• Align SOPs, inventory and electronic work order systems in use in Maryland County with newly validated national policies
• Support all strategies that foster local capacity building both at the local and national level, including establishing and support professional development plans for BMETs in Maryland county
• Establishing the annual BMET operational Plan 1 month before the end of fiscal year

Staff Development and Training

• Identify and document skill gaps required for maintaining biomedical equipment, and provide recommendations on training and or service contracts necessary to maintain this equipment
• Provide hands on training and/or coordinate training for BMET staff and clinicians as needed, and maintain a database of training resources and user manuals for priority equipment
• Develop curriculum and conduct end user trainings for BMET and oxygen equipment.

Qualifications:

• Masters in Biomedical Engineering or in a related field required
• Solid technical background in biomedical equipment and experience maintaining and repairing diagnostics equipment including lab equipment, and other diagnostic equipment, such as x-ray, ultrasounds, CT scan and others
• Experience with Biomedical general management, planning and implementing standard procedures and protocols
• Knowledge on quality, safety and biosafety management
• Knowledge on troubleshooting and providing guidance and mentorship to local teams
• Resourceful, being able to capitalize on existing teams and tools and with strategic thinking
• Ability to work well with a diverse team, prioritizing and honoring the concerns and priorities of staff of care delivery sites
• Computer literate with knowledge of word processing, spreadsheets, graphics, and statistical programs
• Fluency in English is required.

Organizational Profile:

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change. Our delivered services in the field are based in our partnership with the Governments and Ministries of Health and the support to education, training and mentorship to Health care workers and students is one of our pillars for the Health Care system strengthening.

PIH currently has implementation programs in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Sierra Leone and Navajo Nation. Through our partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we support a wide range of programs in dozens of other countries around the world.

Partners In Health (PIH) is committed to the fundamental principle of equal opportunity and equal treatment for every prospective and current employee. It is the policy of PIH not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex and gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law. PIH works in and with a number of governments in and outside the U.S., and to the extent applicable, this statement is intended to incorporate the prohibition of any unlawful discrimination covered by applicable laws in such countries, states and municipalities.

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse:

At Partners In Health, we are committed to ensuring that those who benefit from our work- including our patients, families and community members –as well as our staff are treated with dignity and respect and protected from sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment. A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Partner In Health’s PSEAH policy. Partners In Health will request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Social Justice

We are a global health and social justice organization that responds to the moral imperative to provide high-quality health care globally to those who need it most. We strive to ease suffering by placing patients at the center of all care, bringing the benefits of modern medicine to all.