Surgical Technician

Summary

This position will serve as part of the El Paso VAHCS and William Beamont Army Medical Center (WBAMC) Surgical Expansion pilot to expand WBAMC surgical services to VA beneficiaries to include increased capabilities in Orthopedic, General Surgery, and Neurosurgery clinics and operative procedures. The Surgical Technologist participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team and the registered nurse.

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Duties

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Primary Surgical Technician

• 1. Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments and equipment during a variety of surgical procedures such as general surgery (including laparoscopy), orthopedics (including arthroscopy) and neurosurgery.
• 2. Independently sets-up the sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as air-powered equipment, fiberoptic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, fluoroscopic equipment, and other major and minor operating room supplies and equipment.
• 3. Performs daily quality measurement checks.
• 4. Plans and discusses each procedure with assigned surgical team and ensures all supplies and equipment are available prior to the start of the surgical procedure.
• 5. Prepares, organizes, and maintains complex sterile surgical set-ups. Ensures all sterile wrap/packaging have no holes/tears/breaks in packaging integrity. Visualizing chemical indicators have turned.
• 6. 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.
• 7. Utilizes standard precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
• 8. Assists with team members with care of patient, i.e. positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies.
• 9. Handles specimens appropriately, participates with circulating RN with two-person verification of accurate specimen labeling and confirmation of correct patient identification.
• 10. Actively participates in Briefing, Time out, and De-briefing process.

• Maintains Equipment and Work Areas
• 1. Performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions.
• 2. Recognizes potentially hazardous situations (frayed cords, water on floor) and takes corrective action, reporting unsafe working conditions/unsafe equipment to appropriate individuals.
• 3. Maintains clean and safe operating room work area

• Provides Guidance/Collaboration
• 1. Provides guidance and support to CMS/SPS staff, new OR providers, nursing, and nursing assistants.
• 2. Demonstrates outstanding aseptic technique and monitors sterile field to protect against breaks in sterile technique

• Allied Nursing Functions
• 1. Delivers care to patients in respectful, non-judgmental manner.
• 2. Respects patient privacy and confidentiality. 3. Provides individualized patient-centered care.

• VA/DOD Surgical Expansion Duties
• Performance of scrub or circulating Operating Room (OR) duties, with primary emphasis on variety of surgical specialties.
• Assist on surgical procedures ranging from routine (e.g., appendectomy, herniorrhaphy, etc.) to complex, to high risk (e.g., thoracic, orthopedics, general surgery laparoscopic assisted procedures, etc.) or trauma cases (multi-system involvement due to vehicular accidents, gunshots, knife wounds, ligament and nerve reconstruction, bowel resections, joint replacements and multiple bone fractures). Perform pre-operative shave of surgical site. Position or assists in positioning and draping the patient for specific procedures.
• As a scrub technician, selects, assembles and organizes required supplies, equipment (set up, connect, test, operate drills, saws, etc.) and instruments for specific surgical procedures in accordance with operative worksheet, surgeon's preference card and/or conferring with surgeon or charge nurse. Passes instruments and equipment to the surgeon during surgical procedure by anticipating the surgeon's needs.
• Assists with application of dressings. Surgical assistant actively engages in the manipulation of tissue with the proper instruments both intuitively by previous experience and by direction of the surgeon to facilitate and make possible the successful completion of the given procedures

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 6:45am-3:15pm & Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 6:45am- 5:15pm

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/ PD01176A

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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
• Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-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 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, 06/04/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Knowledge of asepsis to prepare/protect the sterile field during surgery, knowledge of sterile technique must include sterilizer operations and tests to determine the effectiveness of sterilization, packaging, storage, and shelf life. This includes proper cleaning techniques and the types of cleaning solutions to use on various items, as well as the proper handling and rotation of sterile supplies, handling of contaminated items, and quality control, knowledge of pharmacology including the classification and administration of drugs, patient responses, and common dosages. Must be familiar with dosages and proper use of all medications administered from the sterile field. Must have technical knowledge of the use and effect of anesthesia to recognize the hazards of anesthetic agents and to recognize and respond to adverse conditions during the procedure, skill/flexibility to adjust to new surgical subspecialties and adapt to associated challenges. This may include learning to work with highly sensitive surgical instruments using prescriptive surgical steps, and knowledge of pathology care and handling of specimens correctly are essential for the prevention of, damage to, or loss of specimens. During procedures in which implantable devices are used, must display knowledge and skill necessary for proper handling of prosthesis such as IOL, hernia mesh, fixation devices such as screws and plates, and bone product. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed one-half year of graduate education (9 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. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of a combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position. 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.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Education

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: 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:

Note: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

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. 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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

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.

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 qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at

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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