Surgical Technician Job in Shreveport, LA

Vacancy No. CBST-12765016-25-AD Department Veterans Health Administration
Salary $44,959.00 to $64,592.00 Grade 6 to 6
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 7/14/2025 Close Date 7/22/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Shreveport, LA


Summary

The Surgical Technician (ST) is a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The ST participates with the surgical team in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Duties

Duties may include:

  • Sets up sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, robotic equipment, and other operating room supplies and equipment.
  • Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time.
  • Accounts for the availability of correct prosthetics in the room, follows established procedure regarding implant inventory and prosthetic tracking; Follows correct site surgery policies.
  • Assists in the implementation and utilization of the Generic Inventory Package to maintain adequate surgical supplies. This includes but not limited to re-stocking the OR cabinets, specialty carts, and other secondary storage containers.
  • Assist PRN with the responsibilities of the OR Program Support Assistant, preparing daily surgery schedules, case scheduling duties, telephone calls, entering work orders, and monitoring the OR Front Desk.
  • Assists the team members with care of the patient, i.e., positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies.
  • Handles all specimens appropriately.
  • Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures; Prepares prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures.
  • Assists in training residents, medical students, nursing students, operating room technology students, and new Operating Room (OR) staff in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, handling of instruments, and OR procedures to include the scrub role in surgical procedures.
  • Functions as second circulator for complex surgical procedures.
  • Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure.
  • Provides transportation of patients to and from the Operating Room, as assigned.
  • Assists surgical team members in quality improvement activities and in developing and maintaining appropriate and cost-effective inventory practices.
  • Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups.
  • Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
  • Utilizes universal precautions in all work functions and Updates personal knowledge regarding current trends in surgical technology through continuing education courses.
  • In conjunction with the circulating Registered Nurse (RN), performs sponge and instrument counts to verify accuracy. Responsible for the accountability for all surgical instruments and equipment during the surgical procedure.
  • Maintains equipment and work areas.
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; 6:45am-3:15pm; Subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Position Description Title/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD07211a
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized
Physical Requirements: The employee is required to perform regular and recurring physical exertion such as lifting and positioning of patients. The position experiences extensive periods of standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and prolonged stretching.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
  • Subject to a background/suitability investigation
  • Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
  • May serve a probationary period
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
  • 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Individual Occupational Requirement: Applicants who meet the Individual Occupational Requirements described below are fully qualified for the specified entry grade and must also meet the specialized experience requirements.

In addition to meeting the above Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), applicants must also meet the experience relevant to this position.

GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes:
  • Adherence to aseptic technique
  • Operates of a variety of instrumentation and service lines including orthopedic, general urology, ophthalmology, vascular, thoracic and plastic, surgical ethics and consciousness
  • Adaptable to a variety of caseloads, self-starter and time management skills,
  • Establishes and maintains sterile field during surgical procedures
  • Assist circulating nurses and surgical team in maintaining sterile environment
  • Assist circulating nurses in gathering surgical supplies and equipment
  • Track physician preference cards accurately and updated as required
  • Confirm all specimens to be sent to pathology with surgeon and verify accuracy with team, gown, and gloves members of surgical team
  • Transport all surgical equipment to appropriate cleaning areas
  • Assist in daily instruments and supply organization
  • Attend conferences, huddles, meetings as required
  • Communicate effectively and courteously with visitors, physicians, office staff, employees, and patients.
  • Maintain designated certificates as required
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.

Education

There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level.

Additional information

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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

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

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.

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 WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Required Documents

Documents Accepted:

  • Cover Letter
  • DD-214/ Statement of Service
  • Disability Letter (Schedule A)
  • Disability Letter (VA)
  • License
  • Other (1)
  • Performance Appraisal
  • Professional Certification
  • Resume
  • Separation Notice (RIF)
  • SF-15
  • SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
  • Transcript

Documents Required:
  • Resume


RESUME REQUIREMENTS - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job Title (for each position)
  • Description of duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2018 to April 2020) of employment
  • Full-time or part-time status (include average hours worked per week)

Please review the above list(s) to ensure you have included all necessary documents required for your application. Not every applicant will require the same documents, therefore it is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application package includes all necessary documents to determine qualifications and eligibility for appointment, such as a copy of your SF-50, transcript, ICTAP/CTAP documentation (for displaced Federal employees).You will not be contacted for additional information. Applicants will be deemed ineligible if supporting documentation is not submitted.

Veterans' Preference: Since the Direct-Hire Recruitment Authority is being used, traditional Veterans' Preference rules do not apply. Qualified veterans will, however, be given full consideration for this position.

Applications are accepted online. Applying online will allow you to review and track the status of your application.

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 occupational questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on 07/22/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12765016.

1. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USAJOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.

2. 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. 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.

To return to an incomplete application, log into your USAJOBS account and click Update Application in the vacancy announcement. You must re-select your resume and/or other documents from your USAJOBS account or your application will be incomplete.

Agency contact information

Anastasia Dixon
Address
Overton Brooks VA Medical Center
510 East Stoner Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71101
US

Next steps

After the vacancy announcement closes, applicants are evaluated 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.

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The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect and Excellence ("I CARE").
As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips.

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


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