Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. This announcement is open to employees of the Sterile Processing Services within Central Alabama VA Medical Center-Montgomery.

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• 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.
• Resolves informal employee complaints.
• Responsible for the day-to-day operations in SPS, regardless of tour of duty, including reusable medical devices (RMD) reprocessing for all clinical services.
• Operationalizes the quality assurance program in daily practice to ensure that the right instrument, in the right condition, is in the right place, at the right time.
• Responsible for operational deployment of a comprehensive training program for all SPS staff.
• Communicate daily with customers to ensure open communication.
• Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short-term priorities, and prepares weekly schedules for completion of work.
• Participates in Interview Panels and makes recommendations regarding hiring decisions.
• Hears and resolves complaints from employees, referring group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to a higher-level supervisor or manager.
• Identifies developmental and training needs of employees.
• Established guidelines and performance expectations.
• Directly oversees the work of employees under their supervision, orients new employees to their duties, validates competencies of employees, identifies equipment requirements, and recommends methods to improve the quality and productivity of the service.
• Advises the Assistant Chief, Program Manager, or Chief, SPS of problems in the organization's activities, and provides input to the Assistant Chief that may lead to disciplinary actions, such as counseling and formal disciplinary action, within the framework of progressive discipline.

Work Schedule: 7:00am-3:30pm or 8am-4:30pm.
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 62073F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
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.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid Alabama or Federal Driver's License to operate a government vehicle.

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.
• Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides and 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
• 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 U.S. programs.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A. paragraph 3j. this part.
• 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 Determinations :For GS-08 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)
Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Ability to manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds'
• Ability to direct staff and manage tasks to be completed.
• Ability to oversee and supervise all aspects of decontamination, preparation, sterilzation, monitoring, and distribution of RME.
• Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluation work, recommending awards, approving leave, identify training needs, and resolving staff issues.

Assignement. 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: Extensive experience in sterile processing; familiar with surgical instrumentation, decontamination, preoparation, and endoscope reprocessing. The area is very complex and requires extensive knowledge to ensure that operations are not interrupted.

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-8.

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.