Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

The Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) applies knowledge of the processes for Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) as required by the position. The incumbent will be required to maintain current knowledge of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which document the processes and procedures for cleaning, disinfection, and preparation of RME appropriate to this position.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Decontamination - Receives, inspects, and sorts reusable medical equipment (RME) and instruments. Performs basic cleaning of instruments using manual and automated equipment (washer/disinfectors, ultrasonic cleaners) under supervision. Assists in the safe transport of contaminated and clean items between areas.
• Assembly and Preparation (Basic) - Assists with assembling simple instrument sets and single packaged items (not major OR trays). Identifies and replaces missing or damaged instruments under guidance. Prepares peel packs, wraps, and labels instruments and supplies correctly.
• Inventory and Storage - Stocks and maintain supplies, peel packs, and basic instrument trays in clean storage areas. Ensures items are rotated (first-in, first-out) and stored according to policy.
• Equipment Handling - Operates and monitors cleaning and disinfection equipment after receiving training. Perform routine checks and report any malfunctions immediately.
• Quality and Safety- Follows infection prevention and control practices. Participates in quality checks by reporting instrument defects, errors, or safety concerns. Maintains work areas in a clean and organized manner.
• Learning and Development- Attends in-service training, competency assessments, and continuing education as assigned. Learn progressively more complex tasks in preparation for advancement to full performance level. Must work under supervision for all technical functions.

Work Schedule: Rotating shifts including day shift, mid shift, evening shift, and night shift. Rotating shifts also includes weekends and holidays.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (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 per year)
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 80480F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

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

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:

• GS-03 (Entry Level) (a) Experience or Education. None beyond the basic requirements.
• GS-04 (Developmental Level)
  • Experience. Six months experience as a MST, operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting; OR
  • Education. Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation. NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces, the U.S. Maritime Service, or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision, may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below:
    • Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
    • Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets.
    • Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
    • Ability to communicate both orally and in writing.
• GS-05 (Developmental Level)
  • Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level; OR
  • Education. Four academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree.
  • Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
    • Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings.
    • Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility.
    • Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment.
• GS-06 (Full Performance Level)
  • Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
  • 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.

Preferred Experience: Three years of experience, experience assembling major trays, experience reprocessing GI scopes and using Censitrac.

Reference: 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6.

Physical Requirements:

This work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 25 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation.

On a regular and recurring basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment. The employee wears special clothing, hair covers, personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm. The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers. The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items. The hazards of working around minute quantities of sterilizing gases are unknown. The employee often works around body fluids, mucous, excretions and bits of tissue, some of which may be foul smelling. Strong, unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment. The work area is noisy due to the clattery of metal instruments, rumbling of carts and operation of pre sterilizing equipment.

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.
• 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 evaluation/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.