Clarification from the agency

This job is open to 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.

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The Assistant Chief contributes to the oversight of all supervision, administrative management, and direction of the SPS. Oversees all decontamination, sterilization, and disposition of facility critical and semi-critical RMD. Develops and maintains a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate in compliance with regulatory and accrediting organizations. Develops and maintains a process improvement review for operational workflows within SPS, based on Lean Methodology. Contributes to effective utilization of resources, budgetary allocation, and fiscal management. Makes selections, assigns personnel, and provides direction to subordinate staff. Manages the training, documenting, and evaluating of direct reports. Contributes along with Chief of SPS as a liaison between SPS and other departments.

Major duties and responsibilities include:

• Participates in various committees, including the RMD committee, infection control Committee, CPRC Committee and OR/SPS Multi-disciplinary Committee, VISN 2 SPS Management COP Call and other committees as assigned. If Chief is on leave or unable to chair current committees, the Assistant Chief will facilitate committees on their behalf.
• Develops and implements internal policies as subject matter expert in sterilization procedures. This requires the ability to establish and effectively interface and collaborate with medical professionals and other service leaders in the Medical Center, VISN and SPS CO.
• Responds to inquiries from outside regulatory agencies such as Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), The Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), Association at Operating Room Nurses (AORN), Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Promotes the VA certification program for SPS and encourage staff in their own professional development.
• Works cooperatively with the Surgical Services to establish shared goals that make for a success of OR and Ambulatory Surgery Units surgical scheduling initiatives. This requires development of a critical scheduling system continually anticipating and responding to the surgical schedule of the Hospital.
• Develops and coordinates surgical tray layouts and ensure training and certification of personnel in processing, sterilization, and production of these trays for surgical use. Procedures for providing surgical instrumentation and equipment require extensive training of subordinates in identification and handling of expensive and often delicate surgical equipment. The instruments are used in a variety of surgical and/or clinical interventions including orthopedics, cardiovascular, urology, ear, nose, and throat, etc.
• Promotes process improvement initiatives within SPS section, as well as the Medical Center as a whole.
• Assists the Chief of SPS with planning, developing, directing, implementing, and maintaining a Quality Assurance program ensuring quality assurance through random sampling, biological testing, product assessment, and related means, and providing specific reports as required.
• Ensures all functionality checks are conducted on sterilization equipment and records of the testing are maintained in accordance with The Joint Commission (TJC) and official policy. In the event of any positive test results, the Incumbent is responsible for taking all the necessary steps to inform, advise end user customers, and recall products that do not conform to standard.
• Solicits assistance from, or responds to, inquiries from outside regulatory and advisory agencies to ensure compliance with established policies and procedures from organizations such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI), Joint Commission (JC), International Association for Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM), Association of Perioperative Nurses (AORN), and others.
• Responsible for facilitating training of various aspects of SPS, including reprocessing and inventory management. Conducts departmental orientation, training, skills review and assists with educational programs to maintain high staff quality performance standards. Identifies and promotes staff development.
• Responsible for continuous quality improvement projects that result in improved services to all customers.
• Responsible for root cause analysis and all fact findings and investigations.
• Responsible for the implementation of Instrument Tracking System (ITS) for SPS and its customers.
• In conjunction with Chief of SPS, is responsible for developing policies and procedures that meet the infection prevention standards set by JC, AAMI, AORN, IAHCSMM and others and for monitoring compliance with those policies to meet established local, VISN, VHA and JC requirements for safe patient care.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

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 may be required to complete 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.

DRIVER'S LICENSE REQUIREMENT: This position requires a current, valid, state-issued driver's license. NOTE: We cannot accept photographs, therefore; please do not submit a copy of your driver's license with your application package. If an interview is requested, you may be required to provide a copy of your valid state-issued driver's license.

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.
• Experience and/or Education:
  1. Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; or
  2. 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
  3. Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

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).

VHA SPS Certification Requirement: The VA medical facility SPS Assistant Chief must be willing to obtain VHA SPS Certification within 1 year of appointment and annually maintain VHA SPS Certification by completing CEUs or obtain annual certification through a nationally recognized sterilization organization such as HSPA's Certified Registered Central Service Technician certification program or CBSPD. To be eligible for the VHA SPS Certification exam, 400 hours of hands-on reprocessing experience must be completed with an attestation by the employee's supervisor. The VHA SPS Certification is maintained with 12 CEUs annually. Preparation materials can be found at:https://myhspa.org/education/publications/.

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: GS-09 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - Assistant Chief

• Experience: One (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-8). Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to:
  • Serving as a first-level supervisor responsible for the oversight of a group of MSTs, with administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work;
  • holding corrective interviews with employees, referring disciplinary problems to higher levels of management;
  • resolving informal complaints of employees and dealing with union representatives on personnel matters;
  • providing technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the organizational unit.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Ability to plan and project staffing needs and requirements.
  2. Ability to manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds.
  3. Ability to manage, direct and adapt work to accomplish program goals and objectives, and meet new and changing program requirements.
  4. Ability to develop and recommend new or revised policies that are consistent with organizational goals and objectives.
  5. 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.
  6. Ability to evaluate new products and equipment, develop options, and make recommendations.
  7. Ability to manage, interpret, and present fiscal data (i.e. fund controls, contracts and equipment expenditures), forecast resource and equipment needs and administer an allocated budget.

Preferred Experience: 4 - 6 years SPS experience in a charge capacity

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-09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-09.

Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation), gastrointestinal intestinal endoscope reprocessing hub, and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The work requires proper body mechanics when standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages/instrument trays (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation.

Work Environment: On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to bums from accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment.

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.

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

1. Current, permanent employees of the Bronx VA Medical System (Facility)
2. Current, permanent VHA employees of a facility within VISN 2 (VISN)
3. Current, permanent employees of the Department of Veterans Affairs (Agency)

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.