Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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This is an External Announcement open to all US Citizens. Current, permanent Federal employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs must apply under the Internal Announcement https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/870442400 to recieve Internal Consideration. Veterans' preference does not apply.

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The duties of the Medical Supply Technician include, but are not limited to:

• Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates activities of day-to-day operations.
• Assumes responsibility for the coordination of sterile processing service focused on high level disinfection, sterilization, sterile storage, infection control and prevention, staff education, self-management, and customer satisfaction throughout the continuum of care.
• Ensures even distribution and prioritization of workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations.
• Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload.
• Assigns tasks as necessary to provide new employees with the experience and training required to perform decontamination of scopes and instrumentation in the work area.
• Monitors and reports on the status of work.
• Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow.
• Reviews or spot checks reusable medical device (RMD) reprocessing work to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions (e.g., work sequences, procedures, methods, and deadlines).
• Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of all RMD flowing through the department.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 11:00pm - 7:30am
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• 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 identification 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.
• English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.
• Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or
• Education. One year above high school that included at least 6 semester hours in health carerelated courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operatingroom and surgical technician courses or other courses related to the position; or
• Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable
• 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:
a. Creditable Experience
(1) Knowledge of Current MST Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with MST responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MST.
(2) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MST experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
(3) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a MST is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MST employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

Grade Determinations: For GS-08 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing).
(a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate KSAs:
1. Ability to manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds.
2. Ability to direct staff and manage tasks to be completed.
3. Ability to oversee and supervise all aspects of decontamination, preparation, sterilization, monitoring, and distribution of RME.
4. Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluating work, recommending awards, approving leave, identifying training needs, and resolving staff issues.

(c) Assignment. The Supervisory MST functions as a first-level supervisor responsible for the oversight of a group of MSTs, with administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work. Oversees attendance and leave, including approval of sick and annual leave and vacation schedules. Informs higher level management of anticipated vacancies or increases in workload. Recommends promotions, reassignments, recognition of superior performance, retention or release of probationary employees or other changes of assigned personnel. Holds corrective interviews with employees, referring disciplinary problems to higher levels of management. Resolves informal complaints of employees and deals with union representatives on personnel matters. Provides technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the organizational unit.

Preferred Experience: Applicants generally need at least 5 years of experience in SPS, along with specific certifications in SPS like VA Level 2, or National Certification, or ability to obtain within 1 year of hire.

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-08.

Physical Requirements: This position includes a level of physicality normally associated with duties performed by medical supply technicians such as direct reprocessing of RMD. Examples may include but are not limited to:

• This position requires physical ability for potentially long periods of walking (8 hours) with instances of walking on slippery or uneven surfaces, standing (8 hours), repeated bending (8 hours), repetitive motions, or kneeling (8 hours).
• This position requires physical ability for heavy lifting (45 pounds and over), heavy carrying (45 pounds and over), straight pulling (8 hours), and pushing (8 hours).
• This position requires ability to appropriately work in environments with excessive noise, intermittent noise, and constant noise.
• This position requires the ability to appropriately work with and manage chemicals such as solvents (degreasing agents), disinfectants, detergents, etc.
• This position requires the ability to work around machinery with moving parts, working around moving objects or vehicles, working with hands in water, working near others.
• This position requires adequate vision: near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4. Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; depth perception and the ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted).
• This position requires ability to operate transport equipment, work independently.
• This position requires ability for donning and doffing of PPE.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.