Summary
The incumbent serves as Lead Medical Supply Technician (MST), Sterile Processing Service (SPS) under the Associate Director for Patient Care Services. The incumbent functions as a sterile processing technician performing a wide variety of duties, including the various cleaning, decontamination and sterilization processes associated Reusable Medical Equipment (RME), which includes medical and surgical instruments reprocessing.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Open to all U.S. Citizens
Duties
The Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) duties include, but are not limited to:
- Receive contaminated critical and semi-critical reusable medical equipment (RME) in the decontamination area.
- Disassembles the RME and determines the correct cleaning method such as, but not limited to, ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical. washers/disinfectors, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents.
- Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization, such as, but not limited to steam, Steris, V-Pro and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors (Medivator & Trophon).
- Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all process and equipment.
- Work assignments may be in decontamination, prep and pack, Transporting or floating between areas
- Head to toe personal protective equipment (PPE) will be required in many areas
- Detailed, multi-step instructions for cleaning and decontamination of equipment as per manufacturer manuals and VA regulation must be followed at all times
- Delivery of sterilized equipment and pick up of decontaminated equipment throughout the medical center
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday from 0600am-2:30pm. Rotating on call for weeknights, weekends, and holidays.
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description#: 92207-0
Recruitment Incentives:Authorized for highly qualified candidates.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required
Travel: Not Required
Requirements
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.
- 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).
- Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/03/2024.
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. LeadMSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j,
Preferred 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.
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:
- 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.
Preferred Experience: SPS background required, National Certification Preferred.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-07.
References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G47.
Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, sterile supply, and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The MST may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty, and poorly lighted. The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing for prolonged periods of time, frequent bending and stretching/reaching, walking, and pushing fully-loaded carts which must be negotiated up inclines and over rises, or positioning them. There are frequent trips throughout the facility picking up soiled items or delivering clean/sterile equipment. The employee usually stands and moves from one part of the room to another while performing duties. There is frequent requirement for lifting individual instruments, instrument trays, and items weighing up to 50 pounds from just above the floor to above the head. The technician transports trays and equipment on a variety of carts that may weigh several hundred pounds when full. Employee must be acutely aware of safety requirements when moving these carts as they have areas that extend outside the visible area that can cause harm to other staff or equipment. The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly, and assembly of instrumentation. Computer work and instrument sorting requires periods of intense visual concentration 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, shoe covers, and other appropriate personal protective equipment 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 employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gasses are unknown. The employee often works around biohazard materials such as; body fluids, mucous, excretions, and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors may be encountered while decontaminating and disinfecting instrumentation or reusable medical equipment. The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments, rumbling of carts, and operation of cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilization equipment.
Education
IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
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.
NOTE: You must include qualifying specialized experience in mm/yyyy to mm/yyyy format on your resume and indicate Full-Time or Part-Time (if Part-time, must include # of hours worked per week). AND, if you have held a Government position, that position's grade level MUST be listed on your resume
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.
Required Documents
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please use this checklist to ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
Although Hybrid Title 38 occupations follow Title 5 Veterans' preference rules, as required by the Merit Systems Protection Board (Graves v. A, 117 M.S.P.R. 697 (2012)), 38 U.S.C. § 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans' preference to external applicants for appointments made during the fiscal year to hybrid title 38 occupations reported among the occupations with the largest staffing shortages. This announcement occupation(s) is reported to be among the largest staffing shortages. Veterans preference does not apply to this job announcement per the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act of 2014 (PL 113-146, dated August 7, 2014) Therefore, Veteran's Preference will not be applied to this posting's applicant scores and selection process.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 07/03/2024 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12440473.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. 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
To verify your application is complete, log into your USA JOBS account, https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login, select the Application Status link and then select the more information link for this position. The Details page will display the status of your application, the documentation received and processed, and any correspondence the agency has sent related to this application. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. To return to an incomplete application, log into your USA JOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USA JOBS account or your application will be incomplete.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.
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