Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Summary

The Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) works in the Sterile Processing Service at the James J. Peters VA Medical Center under the direct supervision of the Assistant Chief. The incumbent delegates assignments, monitors timeliness and quality of work, evaluates performance, serves as a subject matter expert for sterile processing and works in support of the SPS management team.

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Duties

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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Duties are included but not limited to:

• Works in support of the Sterile Processing Service management team.
• Oversight into all QA and process improvement in Sterile Processing Service.
• Monitoring and documentation (e.g., biologic, temperature / humidity, following SOPs) and reporting to SPS leadership, and oversight committees.
• Will serve as the subject matter expert to guide staff through the proper procedures.
• Responsible for checking the quality of the work, monitoring and reporting on the status of the work being performed, ensuring that all work adheres to established policies and procedures, reviewing work in progress and spot checking work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets the demands of the facility and quality standards, assessing the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution of reusable medical devices (RMD) processed, supplies, and providing information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion.
• Must be familiar with all of the duties performed in Sterile Processing Service as well as standard operating procedures and manufacturers guidelines and should be able to support the staff to finish the work.
• Covers the QA Coordinator during absences.
• Responsible to create high-risk policies, protocols based on manufacturer instructions and to complete employees' competencies.
• Complete work assignments with relative independence and minimal guidance, personally setting the deadlines for work completion.
• Assumes responsibility in work assignments in accordance with regulations and independently resolves most conflicts by using considerable judgment and interpretation.
• Possesses knowledge of the area SOPs and high-risk protocols related to Sterile Processing Service instruments.
• Administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work.
• Oversees attendance and leave, including approval of sick and annual leave and vacation schedules.
• Resolves informal complaints of employees and deals with union representatives on personnel matters.
• Provides technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the organizational unit.

Work Schedule : Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm.

Compressed/Flexible : Not Available.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.

Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)

Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66 .

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Telework : Not Authorized.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement # : 21Q16A

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized.

Requirements

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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 ( 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 evaluation/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.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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.

Required to finish 400 hours of hands-on reprocessing experience for the VHA Sterile Processing Services (SPS) certification exam by VA medical facility SPS leadership or have a nationally recognized certification, completed within 1 year of appointment.

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. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.

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).

Grade Determinations : GS-08 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing).

Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-08 you must possess one year of specialized 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.

In addition to the experience above , the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

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: Leadership experience, minimum 3 years of Sterile Processing Service experience in charge capacity, must have Certified Registered Medical Supply Technician (CRMST), Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM).

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-08 .

Physical Requirements: In Accordance With VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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: 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:

Additional information

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

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

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

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.

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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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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.

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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.