Surgical Technician

The Surgical Technician (ST) is a member of the Surgical Specialty Operating Room surgical team. The ST aids the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The ST participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and complex equipment during all surgical procedures.
• Sets up sterile field and maintains working knowledge of all required items used for each procedure such as disposable and non-disposable surgical instrumentation.
• Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure.
• Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups.
• 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.
• Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
• Assists the team members with care of the patient, i.e., positioning, prepping, sterile draping, and ensuring patient safety via participation in surgical time out processes.
• The ST is responsible for ensuring sterility is maintained during the procedure by monitoring for breaches in technique of the surgical team members and/or the sterile field.
• Responsible for the accountability of all surgical instruments and equipment during the surgical procedure.
• Performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions.
• Maintains rules and regulations of restricted and semi-restricted areas of the OR suite.
• Provides guidance and support to OR Nursing Assistants and other STs.
• May oversee volunteers, aides, non-surgical team members, students, and other personnel.
• May assist 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.
• Assists surgical team members in quality improvement activities.
• Updates personal knowledge regarding current trends in surgical technology through continuing education courses.
• Assists in developing and maintaining appropriate and cost-effective inventory practices.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 11:00am to 7:30pm
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD512-26004-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/22/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

Health Aid and Technician-0640
Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) Specialized Experience-GS 4 and above:

• 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.

In addition to the OPM Individual Occupational Requirements you must meet the specialized experience for the GS-7 below:

You may qualify based on your specialized 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-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Possess a knowledge of a wide variety of complex surgical procedures and possible complications to prepare for the procedure, to anticipate the needs of the surgical team, to respond with speed and accuracy, and to report observations and immediate procedural needs. Must have a thorough knowledge of all appropriate names, uses, physical characteristics, function, and processing procedures for the full range of surgical supplies and equipment. Familiar with dosages and proper use of all medications administered from the sterile field. 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 full year of graduate education (18 semester hours or equivalent), or an internship in course matter with a major that included courses directly related to the work of the Health Technician position. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and specialized experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education.

Preferred Experience: 3-5 years of recent scrubbing experience, certification preferred

Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of who are at stages of unconsciousness. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. Incumbent must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles or aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon.

Work Environment: Duties are performed in the operating rooms which require special OR attire with regular and recurring exposure to toxic and noxious gases such as: methylmethracrylate, glutaraldehyde, exposure to x-rays and pure oxygen exposure to blood and body fluids which are often infectious and laser beams requiring special safety precautions. Appropriate scrub attire is required, including sterile gown and gloves, surgical caps to cover incumbents hair, surgical mask or special attire such as a space helmet or hood used during total join replacements in order to maintain an aseptic environment. Incumbent must wear protective eyewear such as goggles or face shield to prevent inadvertent splash injuries to his or her eyes. Appropriate laser glasses must be worn when working with lasers. Incumbent must frequently wear a 20-30 pound lead apron as protection from radiation during various procedures. Required personal protective equipment is provided by the facility.

The operating room work environment is complex intense and fast paced. Good mental and emotional health is required in order to function at optimum level.

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/.

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/.

• 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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 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 probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.