Clarification from the agency

This job announcement is open ONLY to current, permanent LTC Charles S Kettles VA Medical Center and CBOC employees. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Duties include but not limited to:

• Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations.
• Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload.
• Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload.
• Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs.
• Monitors and reports on the status of work.
• Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow.
• Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines.
• Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of technical medical equipment, material, and instrumentation.
• Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes, and task completion.
• Instructs employees on work-related activities, policies, procedures, and goals.
• Leads a unit or team of employees performing work at the GS-6 level or below.
• Provides guidance and technician direction for accomplishing the work of the unit or team.
• Ensures all work assignments of employees in the unit or team are carried out.
• Works with the Chief and Assistant Chief/Supervisor, SPS, in the assignment of functions to team members in order to meet routine and unusual deadlines and priorities.
• Distributes and balance workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established workflow, job specialization and/or capabilities of individual.
• The position is a working Lead Technician, responsible for filling in and for distributing the workload in case of personnel shortages or short notice priorities, to ensure a smooth workflow.
• Ensures timely accomplishment of assigned tasks and ensures that each employee has enough work to keep busy.
• When necessary, revises work schedule to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload.
• Assigns work to employees or assign employees to a position.
• Breaks out tasks as necessary to provide new employees with the experience and training required to perform the task.
• Assigns work, including overtime, disagreeable or choice tasks, etc., equitably among employees.
• Explains work requirements, methods, and procedures, as needed, giving special instructions on difficult or different operations, and answering technical questions about the task.
• Monitors status and progress of work and makes day-to-day adjustments in accordance with established priorities.
• Maintains a current knowledge of procedures, policies, and directives and be available to answer any questions of the SPS employees.
• Trains or arranges for the training of team members in the accomplishment of tasks or projects.
• Gives on-the-job training to new employees in accordance with established procedures and practices.
• Obtains assistance and/or needed information from the supervisory staff on problems that may arise or backlogs that cannot be disposed of promptly.
• Amends or rejects work not meeting established standards.
• Refers questions or matters not covered by standards and problems in meeting performance standards to the supervisory staff.
• Checks the cleaning, reprocessing and distribution of technical medical equipment, materiel and instrumentation as deemed appropriate to assess the quality and quantity of work produced by each employee.

Work Schedule: 11:30 PM - 8:00 AM. Midnight Tour. Rotating Weekends and holidays required
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 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 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.
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j of the qualification standard.

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).

Grandfathering Provision. All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-0622 occupational series as MSTs may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation. (2) MSTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. (3) MSTs who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

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.

Grade Determinations:

• Creditable Experience. 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.
• 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.
• 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.

GS-07 Lead 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 instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments.
    • Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives, rules and regulations.
    • Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers.
    • Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures.
    • Ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments.

Assignment of the GS-7.

The Lead MST works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team. Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations. Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload. Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload. Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs. Monitors and reports on the status of work. Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow. Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines. Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of technical medical equipment, material and instrumentation. Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion. Instructs employees on work-related activities, policies, procedures and goals.

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-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS-07 level.

Physical Requirements: Recurring lifting up to 50 pounds, in the process of soiled instrumentation pickup, receiving, and issuing items. The employee regularly pushes loaded carts and carriers aligning the tracts leading to the sterilizer and washers. Employee can be required to push carts up to 600 pounds on/off elevators and to/from stock storage areas. Requires considerable stooping and bending. Uses a computer for data entry and instrument tracking. Conducting inventories of the supply storage areas will result in a high level of physical demands (bending, walking, stooping, prolonged standing, reaching, climbing, pushing, pulling, noise, lifting and exposure to varying temperature variations.

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.