Clarification from the agency

This is a PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT and is open to the public and employees of other Federal agencies. Current, permanent VA employees should apply to announcement CBSY-12787311-25-KW

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Major duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• Serves as a Medical Supply Technician (MS) and rotates among the various reprocessing areas, which may entail case cart assembly, instruments, and equipment reprocessing.
• Completes assignments within decontamination area, instrument preparation area, endoscope reprocessing areas and RMD storage areas.
• Uses knowledge of aseptic principles, surgical instruments used in sterile procedures and operating rooms and clinical settings, standard precautions for safety, and prevention of cross-contamination to complete various assignments and projects.
• Uses vast knowledge of medical and surgical terminology, human anatomy, and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions, and therapeutic procedures to complete assignments and provide advice to other staff.
• Assembles highly, complex instrument sets, which may include major orthopedic total joint, craniotomy, open heart, cardiovascular, and complex endoscopic instruments.
• Processes RMD devices in support of complex procedures completed in gastroenterology laboratory, bronchoscopy laboratory, urology, and operating room.
• Reviews manufacturer guidelines to ensure the correct methods and parameters are followed when cleaning, decontaminating, disinfecting, sterilizing, disassembling, and storing of RMD.
• Maintains an orderly work environment, sustains a work free of expired or damaged supplies. Monitors the environment and reports variations from prescribed temperature, humidity, and air flow as appropriate.
• Uses an understanding of the chemical characteristics of a variety of cleaning and sterilization agents and techniques so that the proper agent is selected to process simple and complex RMD.
• Examines instruments visually for material imperfections such as rust, pitting, and cracks. Performs stain remediation using industry approved methods and facility SOP.
• Checks the functionality of the items to ensure they are not damaged or unusable.
• Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other gross contaminants by wiping, soaking, rinsing, scrubbing, and use of ultrasonic equipment. Loads and operates automated washer-disinfectors.
• Assess whether RMD requires extended processing due to excessive blood, bioburden, or delay in processing.
• Ensures standard operating procedures are accessible, and specifically followed for all RMD to ensure adherence to safety and compliance requirements.
• Maintains a clean and orderly assembly environment, sustains a work area free from expired or damaged reprocessing supplies. Keeps supplies in original packaging whenever possible for accurate product identification in the even of a product recall.
• Receives and inspects sterilized trays, sets, instruments, and equipment prior to placing in designated storage area. Inspection includes but is not limited to ensuring external indicators have changed during the sterilization process, the presence of tamper devices such as container locks, and condition of the packaging (intact, dry, and without staining or other irregularities).
• Places RMD on designated shelves using first-in, first-out (FIFO) stock rotation techniques.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, Noon - 8:30pm OR 3:30pm - Midnight
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
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).
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 Authorized
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.
• You may be required to serve a trial 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.
• 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).

Qualifications

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.
• Certification. None.
• 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:
• Employees grandfathered into the GS-622 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.

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

GS-3 (Entry Level):

Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-4 (Developmental Level):

Experience: Six months experience as a MST, operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting

-OR-

Education: Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation. NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:

1. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
2. Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets.
3. Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.

GS-05 (Developmental Level):

Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level

-OR-

Education: Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
2. Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility.
3. Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.

GS-06 (Full Performance Level):

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. Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
2. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
3. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures.
4. Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation.
5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

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-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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.