Surgical Technician

Summary

The Surgical Technician participates with the surgical team members in planning and and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgeon and registered nurse. A surgical technician possesses expertise in theory application of sterile and aseptic techniques and combines the knowledge of human anatomy, surgical procedures, and implementation tools and technologies to facilitate a surgeon's performance of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.

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Duties

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Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• These guidelines list the major duties but are not all inclusive of the functions the OR Surgical Technician will be expected to perform. The Surgical Technician provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members in designated areas and OR suite. Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served in his or her assigned services area.
• Transports patients pre-operatively and post-operatively and procedures needed supplies, drugs, blood, reports and equipment.
• Functions as a primary scrub person on all surgical procedures, handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as thoracic, vascular, orthopedic, ENT, etc. Under supervision of the RN, assists in circulating functions, performing instrument and sponge counts and accounting for surgical instruments and equipment during surgical procedures. Gathers and communicates technical data to the RN.
• Participates in the preoperative role by evaluating the needs of the surgical patient and assisting in patient positioning and preparation of specialized support equipment that is necessary for the most complex surgical procedures. Anticipates, recognizes and resolves the unfamiliar situations or deviations from standard protocol, policies, procedures and completed informed consent, availability of specific equipment.
• Actively participates with the RN in developing a plan to meet the needs and expectations of the various surgical teams. Demonstrates self-composure and effective interpersonal skills, when relating/communicating with diverse personalities, difficult situations. Plans and discusses surgical procedures with the surgical team and ensures all needed supplies and equipment are available.
• Practices principles of sterile technique, preparing instrumentations independently and with direct supervision, utilizing aseptic technique, maintaining a sterile field intraoperatively. May be responsible in training aseptic techniques to other service technicians.
• Provides basic nursing care for patients undergoing procedures while maintaining patients privacy.
• Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples and cutting sutures. Prepares prostheses and surgical devices during procedures.
• Anticipates, detects and responds to deviation from normal in the patients, which can result in an emergent situation. Observes and responds promptly to each stage of surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time.
• Assists in training residents, medical students, nursing students, surgical technology students, and new OR staff in operating equipment, sterile technique, handling instruments, and OR procedures (including the scrub role in surgical procedures).Also provides guidance and support to students and other surgical technicians.
• Identifies, initiates and implements new preference cards/new case cart systems, working independently with SPD, following policy, when new procedures are preformed personnel are able to project possible equipment, specialty instruments that might be utilized and are able to assimilate that knowledge and set up case carts, which entails identifying expendable soft goods, instrument sets, technological support.
• Maintain established competencies for area of assignment. Actively participates in and promotes education opportunities for the service. Initiates and implements in-services related to inter-service needs with the OR collaborates with SPD/GU/Ortho techs.
• Identifies and actively participates in departmental programs for cost containment and risk management. Initiates, reviews and updates supply levels, evaluating and adjusting as needed.
• Communicates and interacts appropriately with adult and geriatric patients and visitors and displays courteous, compassionate, caring, and respectful behavior when interacting with all others (staff, students, etc.) Also has access to printed and electronic files containing so sensitive data which has been protected under the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statues and policies, and VHA. The incumbent is responsible for protecting that data from unauthorized release or loss, alteration, or deletion and to follow applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files as set out in computer agreement the employee has signed.
• Utilizes the computer on a daily basis for various functions, reading and sending mailman messages, requesting leave, entering appropriate patients information.

Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm and on call after hours, weekends, holidays.

Telework: This position not authorized for telework.

Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/ PD01185A

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 dentification 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, 08/11/2026.

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-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Working in an operating room, assisting surgeons during medical procedures, setting up a sterile field with all required items for surgical procedures (i.e., air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices and other operating room (OR) supplies and equipment, etc.); Handling highly technical medical instruments during surgery; Using human anatomy, physiology and aseptic technique; Handling specimens correctly; Prepare and protect the sterile field during surgery; Work with complex surgical procedures and possible complications; Report observations and immediate procedural needs; Recognize emergent complications; Operate the sterilization machine and use of proper cleaning/sterile technique for high level disinfecting of instruments; Proper handling and rotation of sterile supplies and handling of contaminated items, quality control and personal hygiene; Implement infection control procedures; Store instruments and supplies properly to maintain sterility .
• OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. Note: must attach a copy of your transcripts.
• OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond.

AND

In Addition To the Specialized Experience Applicant must meet the required IOR.

Individual Occupational Requirements 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. 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.

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.

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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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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.