Clarification from the agency

This position is open to ALL US CITIZENS. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

• Functions as the primary assistant responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all endoscopic and other procedures.
• Assists patients preparing to have a procedure performed
• Knowledge of a wide variety of complex endoscopy procedures and possible complications.
• In-depth technical knowledge concerning instrumentation, human anatomy, human physiology, infection control and has technical knowledge on use and effects of anesthesia/sedation.
• Able to position patients prior, during and after the procedure.
• Sets up the endoscopy field with all required items for all procedures, such as fiber optic equipment, endoscopic equipment, and other supplies and equipment.
• Maintains adequate supply of inventory and supplies.
• Place orders and follows through with obtaining deficient supply or equipment.
• Able to manually pre-clean, manual clean, and perform high level disinfection on a variety of scope and diagnostic equipment/accessories.
• Maintains the system process for identification of expired scopes and other sterile equipment/supplies.
• Identifies if a scope is damaged and takes action to prevent further damage before the scope is sent for repair. Maintains scope inventory and repair log.
• Communicates effectively and respectfully with all endoscopy team members.
• Plans and discusses each procedure with endoscopy professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the procedure.
• Prepares, organizes, and maintains procedural setups.
• Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the procedure and anticipates the needs of the endoscopist by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time.
• Assists with the collection, labeling, and recording of specimens.
• Provides safe transportation of patients.
• Provides assistance in the administrative functions of the unit, which includes clerical support, such as receiving telephone calls and visitors and maintaining office files; gathering and compiling statistics and quality assurance data; and organizing and maintaining internal records of the GI Lab.
• Serves as primary point of contact for Biomed and SPS

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.
• 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

• 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.

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:

Citizenship.
Citizenship of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)

Education.
There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation. Education may be substituted for experience only at the GS-4 and GS-5 levels. See the grade requirements part of this standard for information regarding educational substitutions.

Licensure or Certification.
Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however, it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments, specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under "Titles and Certification/Registrations".

Physical Requirements.
Duties require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients.
Extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the endoscopist.
Demonstrate dexterity in passing instruments to endoscopist without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the endoscopist.

English Language Proficiency.
Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a. GRADE DETERMINATIONS

Gastroenterology (GI) Technician

(1) GS-6

(a) Experience. At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled.

In addition, you must demonstrate the following KSAs:

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

1. Ability to set up endoscopy equipment, ensuring endoscopes and ancillary equipment functions properly.

2. Ability to aid the physician with standard and routine procedures such as colonoscopy and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD).

3. Knowledge of medical terminology and human anatomy in order to assist practitioner with routine standardized gastroenterology procedures.

4. Ability to interact with patients explaining procedures and positioning the patient for the procedure, recognizing disabilities or impaired mobility and assisting the patient as necessary.

5. Ability to reprocess and maintain specialty critical reusable medical equipment (RME), following approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and universal precautions.

6. Ability to use basic computer systems and programs to record patient and endoscopic data, adhering to patient privacy and information security policies.

7. Ability to manually clean and disinfect non-critical reusable equipment and surfaces, dispose of one- time-use equipment and trash per facility policy, and restock supplies such as linens, suction equipment, and cleaning products.

(c) Certification. No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

(d) Assignment.

Technicians at this level aid the staff with procedures which are routine and standardized in nature. They explain the procedure to the patient to secure the patient's confidence and cooperation; position patients for procedures; and restock linen and consumable supplies. They set-up, clean, and ensure proper performance of the endoscopic equipment; and prepare the procedure rooms for turn-over, adhering to universal precautions and SOPs. The technician logs procedure and reprocessing data, adhering to patient privacy and information security policy. Assignments at this level require knowledge of basic medical terminology as well as common gastrointestinal anatomy.

NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation.

NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration.

GS-7 GI Technician (Full Performance Level)

(a) Experience.

At least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. This would be experience which provided knowledge of proper performance of endoscopic equipment and procedures.

In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

1. Knowledge of endoscopic equipment and use in basic and complex endoscopic procedures.

2. Knowledge of anatomy and physiology related to the GI system, with ability to recognize and report obvious abnormalities during procedures.

3. Ability to assist physician with specialized, complex procedures such as Dilation, Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ECRP), Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS), and Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (ESR)..

4. Knowledge of universal precautions and disinfection techniques and ability to follow SOP's to clean reusable medical equipment (RME).

5. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service skills and interpersonal skills with all healthcare professionals to ensure quality and continuity of care.

6. Ability to use basic computer systems and programs to record patient and endoscopic data, adhering to patient privacy and information security policies.

7. Ability to deliver patient care, including vital sign measurements and medication administration.

8. Ability to perform basic supply management including restocking of endoscopy room supplies and to communicate with the logistics team.

(c) Certification. No certification is required; however, it is desirable that employees at this level have BLS certification.

(d) Assignment.

This represents the full performance level. Technicians at this level function with minimal instruction, assisting the staff with complex specialized procedures such as ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). They are proficient with GI endoscopic equipment and ensure proper performance of endoscopic equipment; select alternate equipment or adjust equipment settings to accommodate patient needs and produce high quality technique. They collect, process, and label all specimens; train other technicians in basic endoscopic procedures; work in and outside the GI unit offering technician support during emergent and on-call endoscopic cases; and assist the nurse in patient care duties such as obtaining vital signs, dressing and documenting all pertinent information in the patient's records. They inventory and maintain par levels of specialty equipment for the endoscopy unit.

NOTE: Applicants must demonstrate above requirements in resume and supporting documentation.

NOTE: You must submit the required supporting documentation to receive consideration. Failure to provide the required documents will result in an ineligible rating and your application will be excluded from consideration.

Preferred Experience: Two years of experience preferably as a GI Medical Instrument Technician.

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-07. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-06 to GS-07.

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; 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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• Resume

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Next steps