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Supervisory Medical Supply Technician- Sterile Processing- Assistant Chief

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position in Sterile Processing Service is the central point within the Medical Center providing the technical supply functions of collection, decontamination, processing, packing, sterilization and distribution of all patient care re-usable medical equipment and instruments. The Assistant Chief of SPS under the guidance approval of the Chief of SPS must help issue, adapt, implement, and maintain local SPS policies and SOPs.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
06/11/2025 to 06/23/2025
Salary
$81,435 to - $105,863 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 9
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Grand Junction, CO
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSU-12747847-25-MR
Control number
838601600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This position is ONLY open to current, permanent VA Western Colorado Health Care System Employees.

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Duties

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Decontamination Unit

  • Responsible for the collection, receipt, and decontamination of all used soiled medical supplies, surgical instruments, and medical equipment.
  • Knowledgeable in determining what specific means are utilized to accomplish cleaning, disinfecting and/or pre-sterilization of complex diagnostic medical/surgical equipment, implantable devices, and medical apparatus.
  • Sterile Preparation/Processing and Assembly
  • Inspects the assembly, packaging and terminal sterilization of all medical surgical instrumentation sets, implantable devices and oversees the packaging for use throughout the Medical Center, Operating Room and specialty clinics.
  • Knowledgeable in sterilization methods, operation of sterilizers and interpretation of biological testing.
Endoscopic Reprocessing
  • Inspects assembly, packaging and high-level disinfection of all Endoscopic instrumentation and oversees the packaging for use throughout the Medical Center, Operating Room and specialty clinics.
  • Knowledgeable in high-level disinfection methods, operation of the Automated Endoscopic Reprocesses and interpretation of residual bio-burden testing.
Supervisory Controls
  • Works under the general supervision of the Chief of SPS, who reports to the Chief Nurse Executive.
  • Exercises independent judgment and action on a routine basis.
  • Supervisory liaison between SPS and the Clinical Staff and is expected to take the initiative in resolving problems.
  • Responsible for exercising independent judgment in aligning administrative controls, planning, training, and directing of all functional activities with service plans, goals, and policies.
  • Exercises independent judgment and control in all technical matters within the scope of the functional activity.
  • Responsible for planning, designing and administering the activities of SPS and providing leadership and direction to subordinates.
  • Provides supervision to SPS staff.
Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8 AM to 4:30 PM
Telework: Yes. This position is authorized for telework - situational (ad hoc) and has NOT been authorized as virtual or remote. Location negotiable may be discussed during the interview process to meet the Return To Office requirement.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 59695-O
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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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.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • 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 dentification 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).

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

United States Citizenship- Citizen of the United States.

English Language Proficiency- Medical Supply Technicians (MSTs) must be proficient in spoken and written English.

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.

OR

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:GS-9 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) - Assistant Chief

Experience- One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-08).

  • GS-08 Assignment- 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.
AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • Ability to plan and project staffing needs and requirements.
  • Ability to manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds.
  • Ability to manage, direct and adapt work to accomplish program goals and objectives, and meet new and changing program requirements.
  • Ability to develop and recommend new or revised policies that are consistent with organizational goals and objectives.
  • 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.
  • Ability to evaluate new products and equipment, develop options, and make recommendations.
  • 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: 3 years Sterile Processing Service experience

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-47

Physical Requirements: The work requires some walking and standing during a normal workday. Some heavy lifting may be required. Travel is required to seminars/conferences and other VA facilities as needed. The employee will routinely alternate between a contaminated and a carefully controlled clean environment. In both, the employee is required to wear special protective clothing, which is often uncomfortably warm and restrictive. If processing contaminated supplies, the employee must wear a hair cover, gloves, impervious gown and impervious shoe covers. The work area may be confining, hot and humid and the employee subject to falls from slipping on wet floors, burns from handling hot surgical trays, cuts associated with the handling of surgical instruments, and dermatitis from various cleaning agents used during disinfection procedures. Unpleasant orders are encountered frequently during the processing of items. The work area can be quite noisy due to the clatter of metal upon metal when working with instruments and trays, the rumble of carts, and the operations of sterilizing equipment, ultrasonic cleaners, and automatic transport systems. Work is performed in a Medical Center setting and involves regular and recurring exposure to contagious disease, to various hazards from processing equipment and exposure to exposure to extreme temperature changes.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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.

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