Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

This position is located within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), VA Mid-Atlantic Health Care Network (VISN 6), Fayetteville NC Coastal Health Care System in Sterile Processing Service (SPS) at the Fayetteville and/or Goldsboro VA Medical Centers. The Medical Supply Technician main responsibility is the prevention of infections by sterilizing, cleaning, processing, assembling, storing, and distributing medical supplies in a health care facility.

***This position supports both the Fayetteville and Goldsboro VA Medical Centers. The incumbent will work 50% of the time at the Ramsey Street location and 50% at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base***

The Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) completes reprocessing of critical and semi-critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) and quality assurance task for Sterile Processing Services (SPS) under Nursing Service. Duties include but are not limited:

• Decontaminates, sterilizes instruments, medical supplies, and equipment.
• Assembles, wraps, and sterilizes trays of instruments.
• Follows proper standard precautions while in decontamination and sterilization trays.
• Monitors biological and chemical wash solutions to ensure quality and consistency for decontamination of instruments and medical equipment.
• Sorts mismatched sets of instruments, trays, and medical equipment making them available to sterile processing customers in a timely manner.
• Restocks, labels, maintains inventory, submits requisitions, collects, and distributes instruments, trays, crash carts, and facility medical equipment.
• Performs environmental maintenance duties and assists in maintaining inventory levels in sterile processing, operating room, and equipment storage areas.
• Verifies that equipment functions properly, requisitions for equipment maintenance repair or replacement, and removes defective equipment.
• Maintains a clean work area.
• Assists in maintaining established departmental policies and procedures, objectives, quality improvement, safety, environmental and infection control standards.
• Communicates appropriately using good interpersonal skills.
• Uses a computerized instrument tracking system in the performance of assigned duties, obtaining count sheets, special handling instructions for instrumentation documenting sterilization loads, and other assigned tasks.
• Maintains a clean and orderly central processing area (e.g., shelves, counters, equipment).
• Operate and maintain equipment; keep records of loads completed, items of the loads and maintenance procedures performed.
• Reports defective equipment to supervisor or staff and places in work orders.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 4:00pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience and/or Education
  • (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding of the work; OR
  • (2) 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
  • (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part

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).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

(a) Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-5) level.

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

• Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
• Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
• Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures.
• Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation.
• Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

Preferred Experience: 3-5 years Sterile Processing experience, VHA SPS Certification, HSPA Certification

Reference: VA Handbook 5005/76, Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing), GS-622. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Services.

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.
• 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 (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.
• 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.