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Surgical Technician

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS)
This job announcement has closed

Summary

The Surgical Technician is a member of the surgical team that provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures, and participates in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
09/10/2025 to 09/17/2025
Salary
$55,111 to - $71,649 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
San Antonio, TX
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CAZM-12797325-25-YM
Control number
845459100

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

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Duties

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Major Duties:

  • Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as open heart, thoracic, major vascular, neurosurgery, microsurgery. and/or total joint replacement surgery.
  • Sets up sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operating room supplies and equipment.
  • Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure.
  • Prepares, organizes and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups for Orthopedic (total joint replacement), Neuro (craniotomies tumors/ aneurysms, laminectomies, fusions), Cardiothoracic (open heart surgery), Robotic procedures (Genitourinary, Gynecological, and General); Bariatric, General Surgery (colorectal); LASER technology for various surgical services and/or ENT/ Ophthalmic procedures; all of which require knowledge of complex specialty instruments, equipment and supplies unique to each of the surgical services.
  • Functions as the second circulator for complex surgical procedures.
  • Performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions.
  • Maintains OR area.
  • Assesses equipment needs and maintains adequate stock of supplies and materials.
  • Recognizes potentially hazardous situations (e.g., frayed cords, water on floor) and takes corrective action.
  • Provides guidance and support to Nursing Assistants and other Surgical Technicians Supervises volunteers, aides, non-surgical team members, students, and other personnel.
  • Provides guidance and support to professional and technical students of an approved surgical technology program.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 6:30a.m. to 3:00p.m., 9:30a.m. to 6:00p.m., Call Shift 11:30a.m. to 8:00p.m.; Rotating calls on weekends from 7:00a.m. to 7:00a.m.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD671-3450-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
  • To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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
  • Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; Straight pulling (1 hours); Pushing (1-3 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (4 hours); Standing (2-7 hours); Kneeling (2 hours); Repeated bending (2 hours); Climbing, use of legs and arms; Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Specific visual requirement 20/40 DVA; corrected; Both eyes required; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted); Sitting (8 hours); Simple grasping (2-4 hours); Fine manipulation (including keyboarding 4-6 hours); Twisting (2 hours); Mental and emotional stability.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary/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.
  • Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/17/2025.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education s described below:

  • Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the federal service experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: Knowledge of highly technical medical/surgical instruments, human anatomy, physiology, and aseptic technique to prepare and protect the sterile field during surgery; Knowledge of sterile technique must include sterilizer operations and tests to determine the effectiveness of sterilization, packaging storage, and shelf life, also includes the proper cleaning techniques and the types of detergents to use on various items, as well as the proper handling and rotation of sterile supplies, handling of contaminated items, quality control, and personal hygiene; In-Depth knowledge of standard precautions and know how to implement infection control policies and procedures; Knowledge of operation and function of all surgical instruments and equipment, testing procedures to assure all equipment works, and proper postoperative decontamination procedures; Knowledgeable about and thoroughly understand the concepts and applicability of the Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety Health and Administration (OSHA). . OR,
  • Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate education (18 semester hours) that is directly related to the work of the position to be filled. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED TO CALCULATE SEMESTER HOURS FOR CREDIT). OR,
  • Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate level education. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED TO CALCULATE SEMESTER HOURS FOR CREDIT)
To calculate, first identify the percentage of graduate-level education you have earned. Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-07. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position. To receive credit, a transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/.

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Additional information

"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."

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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.

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.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Technical Competence
  • Customer Service
  • Infection Control
  • Communication
Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

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.

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.

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