Clarification from the agency

United States Citizens

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Duties of the Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) include, but are not limited to:

• Directs supervision of day-to-day operations in Sterile Processing Service, regardless of tour of duty.
• Oversees and supervises all aspects of decontamination, preparation, sterilization, monitoring, and distribution of RMD.
• Performs a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluating work, recommending awards, approving leave, identifying training needs, and resolving staff issues.
• Functions as a first-level supervisor responsible for the oversight of a group of MSTs, with administrative responsibility for planning and directing of the work.
• Holds corrective interviews with employees, refers disciplinary problems to higher levels of management.
• Oversees the work of employees under his/her supervision, orients new employees to their duties, validates competencies of employees, identifies equipment requirements, and recommends methods to improve the quality and productivity of the service.
• Manages, interacts and deals with individuals of varying backgrounds.
• Directs staff and managing tasks to be completed.
• Assigns, plans and evaluates work, recommends awards, approves leave, identifies training needs, and resolves staff issues.
• 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.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 3:00p.m. to 11:30p.m
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 85006A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

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

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.
• English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with the VA Handbook 5005, Part II, chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j.
• Experience and Education:
• (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; OR,
• (2) 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,
• (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

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.

Grade Determinations: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade of a GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing), GS-8
One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-7. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to:

• Distributing and prioritizing workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations;
• Assuring an even workflow and distribution of the workload;
• Revising work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload;
• Assigning work to staff based on experience and training needs;
• Monitoring and reporting on the status of work;
• Reviewing work in progress or spot checking work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence, procedures, methods, and deadlines;
• Assessing the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of technical medical equipment, material and instrumentation.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1. Ability to manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds.
2. Ability to direct staff and manage tasks to be completed.
3. Ability to oversee and supervise all aspects of decontamination, preparation, sterilization, monitoring, and distribution of RME.
4. 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.

Preferred Experience:

• 1-2 years experience as a Lead Technician and/or Supervisor within Sterile Processing.
• Knowledgeable skills with computer software such as, Excel, Word Documents and Power Point.

Preferred Certification:

• 1-2 years current active National SPS Certification

All Certifications are to be ACTIVE

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-8.

Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation), gastrointestinal intestinal endoscope reprocessing hub, and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. The work requires proper body mechanics when standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages/instrument trays (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation.

On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment.

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, résumé, 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; 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.