Surgical Technician

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 to include but not limited to the following:
Technical Support Duties:
The incumbent of the position will Function as a Primary Scrub Person:

• Responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as: thoracic, major vascular and total joint surgery.
• Sets up a sterile field with all required items for each procedure i.e., air powered, fiber optic,
• Laparoscopic, arthroscopy, and urologic equipment, microscopes, recording devices and other operating room supplies and equipment.
• Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure.
• Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex surgical setups.
• Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipated the
• needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time.
• Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
• Assists team members with care of the patient i.e., positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies.
• ls available to start emergency procedure within one hour of being called back when performing on-call duties.
• Handles all specimens appropriately.
• In conjunction with the circulating Registered Nurse performs sponges, sharps, and instrument counts to verify accuracy.
• Responsible for the accountability of all surgical instruments and equipment used during the
• surgical procedure.
• Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors and cutting sutures.
• Prepares prostheses and surgical devices during procedures.
• Fully participates in the "Time Out" and other patient safety programs.
• Assists in training students and new operating room staff in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, handling of instruments, and OR procedures to include the scrub role in surgical procedures.
• Functions as a second circulator for complex surgical procedures.

Non-Technical Support Duties:
Maintains Environment, Equipment and Specific Supply Items.

• Monitors and maintains OR area including overall cleanliness, temperature, humidity, crash cart and other emergency equipment and supply items.
• Ensures cleanliness and performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunction.
• Assesses equipment needs and maintains adequate stock of supplies and materials.
• Recognizes potentially hazardous situations, i.e., frayed cords. water on floor and takes corrective action.
• Put away supplies and send unused instruments to Sterile Processing Services.
• Clean and return any equipment, positioning supplies, etc. from ORs.
• Clean/dust equipment that remains in the OR (i.e. ESU cart, tourniquet, SCDs, computer keyboard, mouse, etc.).

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday; to be discussed during the interview.
Position Description Title/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD03561A
Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of which are in stages of unconsciousness. There are 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 surgeon. Incumbent must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon.

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
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; including Resume, Transcripts, etc. is required
• 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.

Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed.

Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement.

Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We do not accept PDF portfolio files. Make your page margins 0.5 inches.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• 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.

Upon completion of your probationary period , your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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

Individual Occupational Requirements:

Specialized Experience: Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. Knowledge of highly technical instrumentation, human anatomy, and aseptic technique to prepare and protect the sterile field during surgery; Knowledge of sterile technique must include the ability to determine the effectiveness of sterilization, packaging, storage and shelf life; Knowledge of standard precautions and know how to implement infection control policies and procedures; Knowledge of all appropriate technical names, uses, physical characteristics, function and processing procedures for the full range of surgical instrumentation, supplies and equipment.

GRADE DETERMINATION:
GS-07 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-0 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: handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as: thoracic, major vascular and total joint surgery, sets up a sterile field with all required items for each procedure i.e., air powered, fiber optic, laparoscopic, arthroscopy, and urologic equipment, microscopes, recording devices and other operating room supplies and equipment, plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure, prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex surgical setups. NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.


OR

Successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate education (18 semester hours) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position such as anatomy and physiology, surgical technology, aseptic techniques, etc. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.


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.

Preferred experience:

• Hospital-based Surgical Technologist with recent scrub experience in high-volume operating rooms, actively working within the last two years.
• Preferred experience in Robotics and endovascular cases.

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.

Documents Accepted:

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

Documents Required:

• Resume

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.

Next steps