Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Summary

Incumbent will perform transporter duties across the healthcare system, to include the Uptown and Downtown division, Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), or other medical facilities that conduct business with our health care system. This includes operation of large vehicles. The incumbent performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization, distribution, and inspection of Reusable Medical Devices (RMD).

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Duties

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Major duties and responsibilities, however, not limited to, are as follows:

• Clean, decontaminate, and reprocess flexible and rigid endoscopes according to the MIFU.
• Clean, visually inspect, and leak test all flexible endoscopes and choose the correct method of reprocessing (HLD, Steam sterilize, or Sterrad). Documents all items highly disinfected utilizing chemical disinfecting agents and checking and documenting efficacy of solution. Monitors expiration dates of endoscopes and pull scopes expiring for reprocessing.
• Determines appropriate method of cleaning, decontamination, and sterilization of critical and semi-critical RMD to prevent cross-contamination while avoiding damage to the equipment.
• Disassemble instruments/equipment, remove gross contamination, manually wash and decontaminate instruments according to the MIFU. The incumbent will inspect instruments in the preparation area, assemble trays and reprocess reusable medical devices according to the MIFU.
• Prepares surgical Case carts and notifies Lead and or supervisor of missing items.
• The incumbent will deliver reprocessed RMD to the appropriate service. This includes operation of large vehicles, and case carts. The incumbent stores issues and maintains locator records on all SPS cycled equipment. The incumbent advises medical personnel on proper use of equipment. Incumbent must be knowledgeable of and adhere to all SPS policies/procedures/SOP 's in performance of duties.

Reusable Medical Device (RMD)

• The incumbent will have knowledge of the processes for Reusable Medical Device (RMD) as required by this position. RMD is any medical device designed by the manufacturer to be used on multiple patients. All personnel who are involved with the reprocessing of RMD must have documented training in the setup, reprocessing, and maintenance of specific equipment.
• Validation of competency will be done, minimally, on an annual basis. All employees have the responsibility of reprocessing reusable medical device can suspend the reuse of any RMD if they suspect that the device was not properly cleaned, disinfected or sterilized according to SOP and manufacturers guidelines. The incumbent will be required to maintain current knowledge of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which document the processes and procedures for cleaning, disinfection, sterilization and preparation of RMD appropriate to this position. The incumbent will be able to demonstrate their ability to utilize an acceptable proficiency in the use of RMD appropriate to this position.

Work Schedule : Monday- Friday, 3:30pm to 12:00am, or 7:30- 4:00pm

Recruitment Incentive (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)

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 # : 54357F

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.
• 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 dentification 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.

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.

Basic Requirements :

Citizenship : Citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3g.)

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.

Certification: None.

Grandfathering Provision: 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).

Creditable Experience

Knowledge of Current MST Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with MST responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MST.

Grade Determinations :

GS-03 (Entry Level)

Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.

Assignment. This is an entry level MST position. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision.

GS-04 (Developmental Level)

Experience. Six months experience as a MST, operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting; or

Education. Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation.

NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities.

In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:

1. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.

2. Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets.

3. Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.

4. Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.

Assignment. This is a developmental level MST position. Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME). Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center. Operates equipment involved in sterilization processes. Prepares operating room case carts. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision.

GS-05 (Developmental Level)

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level; or

Education. Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.

2. Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility.

3. Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.

Assignment: This is a developmental level MST position. Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing. Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembles basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room. Prepares, loads, and operates sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and a high level disinfecting scope reprocess or; prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule. MSTs receive guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex tasks and require direct supervision on new assignments.

GS-06 (Full Performance Level)

Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.

2. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.

3. Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures.

4. Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation.

5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

Assignment. This is the full performance level for the occupation. Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. Disassembles the RME and determines the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions. Inspects, assembles and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors. Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment.

Preferred Experience: Sterile Processing Certification; minimum 1yr Sterile Processing experience.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is 6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-06.

Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds).

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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