Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Summary The Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) is responsible for the decontamination & processing of all Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) at the John L. McClellan Memorial VA Hospital in Little Rock - Arkansas. The lead works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team – distributing & prioritizing workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations. Qualifications Citizenship: Must be a citizen of the United States. English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and VA Handbook 5005 – Part II – Chapter 3 – Section A – paragraph 3j. Experience: Six months of experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work. 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. Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. Grandfathering Provision: A Medical Supply Technician (MST) employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (May 28 – 2014) is considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. Employees not meeting all basic requirements may be reassigned or promoted up to the full performance level, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. Employees appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements. Title 38 Hybrid status: Employees who are converted under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re‑entry. Grade Determination: To qualify for the GS‑07 level your resume must demonstrate the required experience necessary to possess the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) required for the grade. Job Duties: Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) – GS‑07 Experience Requirement: In addition to basic requirements, one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level is required. Examples of specialized experience include receiving contaminated critical and semi‑critical RME, disassembling RME and determining cleaning methods (ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers, chemical cleaning/decontamination agents), inspecting, assembling and determining correct packaging for sterilization (steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, high‑level disinfecting scope reprocessors), performing and documenting daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment. Demonstrated KSAs: Ability to instruct staff on correct procedures and protocols; skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with directives; skill in interpersonal relationships with employees, team leaders and managers; knowledge of sterility principles; ability to lead individuals, manage priorities and schedule work assignments. Preferred Experience: 3 years of sterile processing experience preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS‑07. Physical Requirements: Must be able to walk, stand, bend, push, pull for 8 hours per day; lift items up to 50 pounds; work under noisy conditions; alternate between contaminated and clean environments; wear special clothing, hair covers, PPE and shoe covers; use insulated gloves; be subject to burns from hot items; handle minute quantities of sterilizing gases; work around body fluids, mucous, excretions and tissue; encounter unpleasant odors; operate in a noisy environment. Duties Demonstrate working knowledge of cleaning, disinfecting, sterilizing, and preparing RME and remain current on SOPs. Provide sterilization, preparation, supply items and reusable medical equipment decontamination and distribution support for the medical center. Distribute and prioritize workload among employees. Revise work assignments to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes. Assign work to staff based on experience and training needs. Monitor and report on status of work. Ensure SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during workflow performance. Review work in progress or spot‑check work to ensure completed work meets supervisors’ instructions on sequence, procedures, methods and deadlines. Assess quality and quantity of work by reviewing cleaning, reprocessing and distribution of technical medical equipment. Provide information to management officials concerning performance issues, assignment changes and task completion. Instruct employees on work‑related activities, policies, procedures and goals. Ensure work is done following approved SOPs, manufacturer and VA guidelines. Work schedule is determined by the service to support 24‑hour operations; weekend and holiday on‑call is required for all sterile processing staff. Recruitment incentive (sign‑on bonus): Not authorized. Permanent change of station (relocation assistance): Not authorized. Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. 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). Qualified applicants may receive credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience. Parental leave: Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment. Child care subsidy: Eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible costs for eligible children under a monthly maximum of $416.66 after 60 days of employment. Retirement: Traditional federal pension, federal 401K with up to 5% contributions, federal health/vision/dental/term life/long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement). Telework: Not available; this is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 564‑01486‑F. Permanent change of station (PCS): Not authorized. #J-18808-Ljbffr