Clarification from the agency

This job is open to current permanent VA employees of the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System; and current permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

The Chief of SPS plays a leadership role in ongoing systematic evaluation and improvement of quality and effectiveness of a SPS with 20 staff members in a main hospital campus at Biloxi MS. and a separate SPS site located at the Pensacola FL. location, and all its program outcomes. Duties of the Supervisory Medical Supply Technician Chief (Sterile Processing) may include but are not limited to:

• Provides health system-wide leadership for critical and semi-critical RMD, including sterile storage, reprocessing, standard operating procedures (SOP), competency assessment, selection, operation, and maintenance of reprocessing equipment, staff education program for RMDs, and quality management of SPS.
• Responsible for orientation, training, competency assessment, staff development, and enforcement of standard operating procedures.
• Assessing, monitoring, developing, and implementing corrective action plans for instrument processing, decontamination, sterilization, storage, biological monitoring, and high-level disinfection monitoring through an SPS Quality Management System.
• Maintains oversight and availability for consultation of non-critical RMD and reprocessing of reusable medical equipment (RME) to eliminate risk of infection.
• Manages the SPS Equipment Inventory Listing (EIL) for equipment such as sterilizers, washer/disinfector, ultrasonic, and sealers through the nonexpendable property program for the assigned facility/system and requests replacement of all equipment under their purview as needed through the appropriate station committee and electronic equipment management/request platform.
• Evaluates concepts and project development
• Mentors staff, and medical providers in sterile processing principles and in the implementation of projects, data collection techniques, statistical analysis, and developing evidence based clinical guidelines and protocols.
• Prepares and evaluates future scheduling projects
• Anticipates future workload requirements
• Coordinates with facility leadership and Human Resource programs or personnel to ensure staffing for forecasted requirements.
• Demonstrates leadership in developing and maintaining productive working relationships with groups in other medical programs and services across the spectrum of care, including, but not limited to, Operative Care, Gastroenterology, ophthalmic surgical procedures, dental surgical procedures, Supply Chain Management (SCM), Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) surgical procedures, urological surgical procedures, and medical and surgical patient care areas.
• Chairs the Hospital RMD Committee and provides reports to both VISN and the National Program Office for Sterile Processing regularly.
• Executes leadership with accountability over the RMD program which includes the tracking of all equipment and preventive maintenance scheduling/management of a large inventory of SPS technology.
• Contributes ideas and recommendations for the establishment of standards of care, policies, and objectives for the enhancement of SPS personnel.
• Serves as the subject matter expert for all SPS activities and provides consultation when called upon.
• Promotes that it is paramount that all personnel understand the critical importance of RME and its significant impact on the Veteran population, as improper reprocessing poses a risk of infectious disease.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 6:30AM-3:00PM; Subject to change based on the needs of the facility
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
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 #: 520-01262-F
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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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.
• Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle.
• Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process.
  

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

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States
• English Language Proficiency - MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Experience and/or Education -
  • Experience - Six months of experience that demonstrates the 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.

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).

GS-10 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician Chief (Sterile Processing) -

• Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-10 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-09). Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Having oversight of all supervision, administrative management and direction of a Sterile Processing Service; overseeing all decontamination, sterilization and disposition of facility critical and semi-critical RME; developing and maintaining a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate in compliance with regulatory and accrediting organizations; contributing to the effective utilization of resources, budgetary allocation and fiscal management; making selections, assigning personnel and providing direction to subordinate staff; managing the training, documenting and evaluating of staff.

• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Ability to implement and incorporate regulations, policies, and procedures to manage SPS operations.
  • Ability to evaluate new products and equipment, develop options, and make recommendations.
  • Ability to integrate SPS managerial duties, which includes strategic planning of facility organizational goals and integration of SPS vision and values within the organizational mission.
  • 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.
  • Skill to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in order to facilitate daily SPS functions.
  • Ability to analyze and interpret fiscal data in order to forecast resource and equipment needs.

Preferred Experience:

• 3-years experience in a Sterile Processing leadership role with skills in team management, staff training, and performance evaluation, across multiple physical sterilization sites.
• 3-years experience with extensive high-level sterilization processing, the equipment involved in such work, and engagement with engineering staff involved in managing facilities where such work is accomplished.
• 3-years experience demonstrating strong administrative skills and providing information to executive members of a health care setting.
• 3-years experience with accreditation and regulatory standards such as those set by The Joint Commission (TJC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).
• Holds VA Level 1 and 2 Sterile Processing training; prefer Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), Certified Instrument Specialist (CIS) [or former Certification in Instrumental Sterilization (CCIS)] and Certified Healthcare Leader (CHL) certifications.

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 10.

Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.

How you will be evaluated

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

Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System
2. All other VA employees

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.