Clarification from the agency

This announcement is only open to current employees of the Marion VA Health Care System. Current VA employees MUST submit their most recent (within 12 months of the closing date of this announcement) NON-AWARD SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action to be considered for this vacancy. 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 Lead Medical Supply Technician (MST) serves as a key operational leader within SPS. In collaboration with the Chief and Assistant Chief, Lead MST ensures safe, compliant, and efficient processing of reusable medical devices (RMD), and fosters a positive, highly functioning team environment that supports exceptional care across the Marion VA Healthcare System.

Duties of the position include:

• Oversee and coordinate the end-to-end SPS workflow, including decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and distribution of surgical instruments and equipment.
• Ensure accurate, timely documentation for all processing steps and instrument movements.
• Assist with daily scheduling, case prioritization, and assignment of work to meet clinical demand.
• Monitor and enforce adherence to infection prevention standards, manufacturer Instructions for Use (IFUs), regulatory requirements, and VHA directives.
• Identify and address barriers to compliance, escalating issues promptly as needed.
• Serve as a subject matter resource for complex instrument sets, specialty trays, and advanced equipment.
• Provide hands-on guidance to staff on IFU interpretation and application, troubleshooting, and best practices.
• Lead quality assurance activities, including audits, defect tracking, and trend analysis to proactively identify risks.
• Implement corrective actions and verify resolution before instruments reach the end user.
• Partners with Nursing Services, Logistics, Biomedical Engineering, Facilities Management, and Environmental Management to coordinate care and rapidly resolve SPS-related issues.
• Maintain effective communication channels and service-level expectations with stakeholders.
• Manage inventory levels and tracking of sterile supplies to support uninterrupted clinical operations.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for the instrument tracking system, ensuring data integrity, user compliance, and effective utilization.
• Model professionalism, respect, and teamwork; contribute to a collaborative, psychologically safe work environment.
• Lead and participate in performance improvement initiatives to advance SPS growth, reliability, and service excellence.
• Perform other duties within the scope of training and practice supporting organizational goals and mission.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.
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 #: 000000
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.
• 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 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 an understanding of the work.
• 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.
• Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• Certification. None

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: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

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

Preferred Experience:

• Five years sterile processing experience
• Preferred leadership experience
• Healthcare Sterile Processing Association or alternative Sterile Processing Service certification

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-7. The actual grade at which an applicant will be selected for this vacancy is GS-7.

Physical Requirements: This position requires long periods of standing, walking, bending, and lifting. The incumbent usually stands and moves from one part of the department to another. There is a frequent requirement for lifting containers of stainless-steel instruments weighing more than 25 pounds from floor level to chest level. Dexterity and strength are required for lifting and positioning RMD. The incumbent regularly pushes loaded carts weighing several hundred pounds and loads them into elevators and through entryways. The incumbent must be capable of working effectively in stressful situations and be able to shift priorities based on needs.

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.