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Surgical Technician

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

This position functions in a developmental capacity leading to the full performance level of a Surgical Technician (ST), which is a member of the surgical team and aids the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The Surgical Technician participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the continuing guidance of the surgical team.

Overview

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Reviewing applications
Open & closing dates
04/14/2025 to 04/23/2025
Salary
$61,447 to - $76,831 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 6 - 7
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Bronx, NY
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
7
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
Yes
Announcement number
CAZX-12722476-25-MC
Control number
835227200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

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Duties

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The Surgical Technician performs the following major duties:
Functions as a Primary Scrub Person

  1. Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as: open heart, thoracic, major vascular, neurosurgery, microsurgery, total joint replacement, renal transplant, and robotic surgery.
  2. Sets up sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operation room supplies and equipment.
  3. Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure.
  4. Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups.
  5. Observes and responds 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.
  6. Utilizes universal precautions and follows all Infection Control Policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
  7. Assists the team members with care of patient, i.e., positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies.
  8. Handles all specimens appropriately.
  9. In conjunction with the circulating Registered Nurse (RN), performs sponge and instruments counts to verify accuracy.
  10. Responsible for the accountability for all surgical instruments and equipment during and after the surgical procedure (i.e. pre-cleaning and spraying of instruments).
  11. In conjunction with the surgical team participate in "Time Out and Fire Risk Assessment".
  12. Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cuffing sutures. Prepares prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures.
  13. Assists in training residents, medical students, nursing students, operating room technology students, and new Operating Room (OR) staff in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, handling of instruments, and OR procedures to include the scrub role in surgical procedures.
  14. Functions as second circulator for complex surgical procedures.
Maintains Equipment and Work Area
  1. Performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions.
  2. Maintains OR area.
  3. Assesses equipment needs and maintains adequate stock of supplies and materials.
  4. Recognizes potentially hazardous situations (e.g. frayed cords, water on floor) and takes corrective action.
Provides Guidance/Supervision
  1. Provides guidance and support to Nursing Assistants and other Surgical Technicians.
  2. Supervises volunteers, aides, non-surgical team members, students, and other personnel.
  3. Provides guidance and support to professional and technical students of an approved surgical technology program.
Other Duties
  1. Assists surgical team members in quality improvement activities.
  2. Updates personal knowledge regarding current trends in surgical technology through continuing education courses.
  3. Performs other duties as assigned, normally of a related nature.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.


Work Schedule: M-F, 7:30am - 4pm with consideration of 10hr flex tours 0730-1800 after successful orientation and evaluation of time and attendance. 24/hr on call required after orientation which are inclusive to holidays, nights and weekends.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD55654A and PD52410A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of which are stages of unconsciousness. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and prolong stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. The surgical technician must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon.

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: A pre-placement physical examination is required.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period
  • 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/23/2025.

Selective Placement Factor: Certified Surgical Technologist certificate preferred.

BCLS (American Heart Association): Active Basic Cardiac Life Support card

Preferred experience: 2-5 years Surgical technologist experience

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

GS-06 Grade Requirements:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Health Technician (Surgical Technician) in a developmental capacity and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as experience performing work as a surgical technician, operating room assistant, or surgical technologist performing scrub duties for all inpatient and outpatient surgical procedure; setting up for the surgical procedure; assembling equipment and supplies as well as monitoring and maintaining aseptic techniques throughout the procedure; coordinating or participating in the positioning and prepping of patients and obtaining supplies; specimen handling; and assisting the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin graphs, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples and cuffing sutures.

~OR~

EDUCATION: 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. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university

~OR~

COMBINATION: Combinations 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.

GS-07 Grade Requirements:
Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of a Health Technician (Surgical Technician) and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Qualifying specialized experience is defined as experience utilizing universal precautions and following all Infection Control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies and equipment; Handling all specimens appropriately; prepares, organizes and maintain highly complex sterile surgical setups; Assisting in training residents, medical students, nursing students, operating room technology students and new Operating Room (OR) staff in the operation of equipment, sterile techniques, handling of instrument, and Operating Room procedures to include the scrub role in surgical procedures, and Function as a second circulator for complex surgical procedures.

~OR~

Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience for the GS-07 level. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed one full year of graduate education to meets the requirements for GS-7. Progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree in a major field of study related to the work of the position which provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of this position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. (NOTE: TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICATION).

~OR~

Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education must be in excess of a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. (TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE APPLICATION).

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

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."


Receiving Service Credit or 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.

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.


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 http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Infection Control
  • Medical Information
  • Patient Care
  • Technical Competence



Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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