Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees, current permanent Federal employees of other agencies, current/past/upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee (HPT) Graduates. Veterans' Preference is not applicable to this occupational series. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

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

Tulsa (James Mountain Inhofe VAMC) - https://youtu.be/3fMEu0iS7_Q?si=Y5RtGcnKKbJGxxk6
Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

• Serves as the trainer/educator for all RME.
• Receives, disassembles, and inspects reusable medical, dental, and surgical instruments and equipment for damage.
• Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other gross contaminants by wiping, soaking, rinsing, scrubbing, and using ultrasound equipment.
• Loads and operates washer disinfector, cart washer, and sterilizers.
• Removes items from washer/disinfector and determines the type of tray or set to assemble based on recognition of key items and the operating room and clinic schedules.
• Examines items to ensure that gross contamination has been removed.
• Assembles sets and trays by selecting the appropriate tray, lining it with a towel, and arranging instruments in the tray correctly.
• Must assemble a full range of sets and trays used throughout the medical center, including those used in the operating room.
• Assembles delicate microsurgical sets such as micro-surgical ear set, ear-nose-throat (ENT), plastic surgery, micro-surgical eye instruments, etc.
• Assembles and selects the correct sterilizing method for a variety of costly and delicate equipment such as flexible colonoscopies, flexible gastroscopes, bronchoscopes, Choledochoscopes, Resectoscope, and other flexible and rigid endoscopes.
• Selects the correct sterilizing medium and cycles and operates the sterilizer.
• Monitors the operation of the sterilizer with prescribed tests.
• Disassembles, leak tests, manually cleans, brushes, aspirates, and flushes numerous flexible endoscopes; High Level Disinfects and/or sterilizes according to user needs and strictly adhering to the manufacturer's guidelines.
• Properly loads and operates sterilizers such as steam, hydrogen peroxide gas plasma, and a high-level disinfecting scope re-processor.
• Monitors the performance of sterilizers for quality control by conducting bacteriological tests (bacillus stearothermophilus spores for evaluation of steam and bacillus subtilis for evaluation of hydrogen peroxide gas plasma sterilizers).
• Handles sterilized trays, sets, and packs from sterilizers.
• Includes a chemical sterilization indicator in each item or package before sterilization and places sterilizer tape on the outside of each item/package.
• Places a written date and control number on each sterilized item indicating the sterilization date.
• Stocks sterile items on shelves or delivery carts on a first-in, first-out basis for rotation.
• Receives periodic training on new surgical supplies, instruments, and equipment through scheduled training sessions, webinars, lectures, demonstrations, and keeping abreast of new developments and techniques by reading sterilization periodicals and literature.
• Provides training and orientation to medical personnel on sterile supply techniques and procedures.
• Works independently throughout the Medical/Surgical clinics and operating rooms.
• Accommodates special and emergent requirements through consultation and coordination with medical/surgical professional staff.
• Responsible for protecting data from unauthorized release or loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletions.
• Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release or access codes, etc., as per a signed computer access agreement.
• Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) courteously, tactfully, and respectfully.
• Provides the customer with consistent information per established policies and procedures.
• Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 3:00pm; on-call required on a weekly rotating basis, including weekends and holidays.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
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 #: 623-53238-A

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 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).
• 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

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

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 VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3g.)
• Experience and/or Education
  • 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 care related courses such as sterile processing, nursing assistant, hospital corpsman, and operating room 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.
• Certification. None.
• 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).
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U. S. programs.
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.

Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

GS-07 Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

• Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6).
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments.
  2. Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives, rules and regulations.
  3. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
  4. Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures.
  5. Ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

This vacancy is above the full performance level.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.