Clarification from the agency

Open to current permanent VA agency and facility employees, plus individuals eligible under Title 5 special authorities (VEOA, VRA, 30% DV, VOW Act, Schedule A, Military Spouses, Transfers, and Reinstatements). Note: This position is processed under Title 5 guidelines; it is not a Title 38 Hybrid shortage occupation, and Veterans' Preference strictly applies to all eligible paths.

Videos

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Set up sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as electric/battery powered equipment, ceiling mounted booms, Neptune suction, Phaco, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscope, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other related operating room supplies and equipment.
• Plan and discuss each procedure with assigned surgical team and ensures all supplies and equipment are available prior to the start of the surgical procedure.
• Prepare, organize, and maintain complex sterile surgical set-ups. Ensures all sterile wrap/packaging have no holes/tears/breaks in packaging integrity. Visualizing chemical indicators have turned.
• Observe and respond promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time.
• Utilize standard precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
• Handles specimens appropriately, participates with circulating RN with two-person verification of accurate specimen labeling and confirmation of correct patient identification.
• Actively participates in Briefing, Time out, and De-briefing process.
• Performs sponge, sharps, and instrument (when applicable) counts with circulating registered nurse.
• Demonstrates outstanding aseptic technique and monitors sterile field to protect against breaks in sterile technique. Maintains clean and safe operating room work area.
• Knowledge of anatomy and physiology such as medical terminology, safe patient handling, and medical conditions in respect to standard perioperative care.
• Knowledge of the correct use of invasive instrumentation and equipment specific to procedures performed in operating room.
• Skill/flexibility to adjust to new surgical subspecialties and adapt to associated challenges. This may include learning to work with highly sensitive surgical instruments using prescriptive surgical steps.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm EST with evening, weekend, and holiday call requirements.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD03055A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/08/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify for the GS-07 grade level based on your experience, education, or a combination of both:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-06) in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, not limited too: Setting up sterile fields; determining technical factors, setting controls with required items for procedures such as air powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operating room supplies and equipment; sterilizing operations and testing to determine sterilization methods to be used; receiving and interpreting request for procedure; securing patients' confidence and cooperation; assisting surgical staff with or performing diagnostic tests and procedures; positioning patients for procedures; handling and coordinating clerical/administrative support functions; performing personal patient care; teaching patients proper health care practices; and maintaining medical records and documents test results. Previous experience in working under microscope using aseptic technique to deliver required instrumentation to physician for use in the procedure; experience and understanding of the biological physiology of disease conditions that requires surgical intervention; experience in responding to acute trauma injuries in the operating room.

OR

• Education: You must have successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate-level education (typically 18 semester hours or the school's equivalent) from an accredited college or university. This graduate education must be directly related to the clinical, medical, or technical support work of this position (such as Surgical Technology, Nursing, Allied Health, or closely related biological/medical sciences). (Note: Undergraduate education cannot be used to qualify for positions at the GS-06 level and above in this series).

OR

• Combination of Education and Experience: You may qualify by a combination of qualifying specialized experience and graduate-level education as described above. To calculate your combination, first determine your total qualifying specialized experience as a percentage of the 12-month requirement; then determine your qualifying graduate semester hours as a percentage of the 18 semester-hour requirement. Add the two percentages together. The total percentage must equal at least 100% to qualify.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service
• Decision Making
• Flexibility
• Integrity/Honesty
• Interpersonal Skills
• Reading Comprehension
• Self-Management
• Stress Tolerance
• Teamwork

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.

Note: 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.

Physical Requirements: Duties require long periods of standing, walking, stooping and/or bending. Occasional lifting and carrying of moderately heavy objects, including patient transfer assistance at the beginning and end of case. Incumbent must be able to provide proper surgical visualization by holding retractors for extended periods of time often in strained or awkward positions. Incumbent must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon. Incumbent must also be able to work under the pressure of emergent conditions, tight schedules, and a constant changing schedule due to emergencies.

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/.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

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.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the 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.