Surgical Technician (Direct-Hire Authority)

Summary

The surgical technician position is located in the VA Ann Arbor Health System Operating Room Suite within the Surgery Service. The incumbent functions at an advanced level with specific and specialized training and skills required in the Surgery work setting. The Surgical Technician functions independently to provide a wide range of support to the professional nurse and physician in the Operating Room. Participates with the surgical team in planning and implementing complex procedures.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 06/09/2026. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT (IOR): An IOR is a basic requirement that must be met in order to qualify for entry into this job series - and it is something that can't be waived. To qualify for the GS-0640 occupational series - applicants MUST possess the following: Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Technician experience is experience that requires application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled. To qualify for this position at the GS-7 level - you must meet one of the following: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-06 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled - in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes utilizing knowledge of medical instruments - human anatomy - physiology - and aseptic technique to prepare and protect sterile field during surgery; exercising sterile technique to include sterilizer operations and tests to determine the effectiveness of sterilization - packaging - storage - and shelf life; handling medical instruments - supplies and equipment during all surgical procedures; performing proper cleaning techniques - as well as the proper handling and rotation of sterile supplies; handling contaminated items - quality control - and personal hygiene - using knowledge of universal precautions and implementing infection control policies and procedures. NOTE: 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. OR Education. Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07 level. One full year of graduate education (18 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. OR Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-07 level. 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. 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.To calculate - first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting - you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-07. For example - an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Preferred Experience: Applicant must be a graduate of an accredited school of Surgical Technology and have worked as a surgical technician at least one year. AST Certification is preferred. EXPERIENCE: A specific length of training and experience is not required - but you must show evidence of training or experience of sufficient scope and quality of your ability to do the work of this position. Evidence which demonstrates you possess the knowledge - skills - and ability to perform the duties of this position must be supported by detailed descriptions of such on your resume. Applicants will be rated in accordance with the OPM Federal Wage System Qualification Standards.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. 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.

Duties

• Major Duties: The Surgical Technician performs the following major duties but not limited to: Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments - supplies - and equipment during all surgical procedures performed in: Cardiac - Peripheral Vascular - Neurosurgery - Ophthalmology - Otolaryngology - Orthopedic - Urology - Plastic - Podiatry - Oral surgery - Thoracic - Gynecology - and General Surgery procedures
• Set's up Equipment and Surgical Instrumentation: Determines Technical Factors Sets up and test functionality of equipment such as air-powered equipment - fiber optic equipment - laparoscopic equipment - surgical microscopes - brain navigation systems - lasers - technology advanced robotic surgery - arthroscopy equipment - urologic equipment - and recording devices
• Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are both available and in working order prior to the surgical procedure
• Adjusts equipment controls to clarify readings and prepare for operation
• Performs nontechnical equipment maintenance and cleaning - and pre-treatment for all reusable medical equipment and instrumentation
• Coordinates repair of potentially hazardous equipment
• (frayed cords - malfunctioning controls - etc.) with appropriate staff
• Operates equipment and assists surgical team in performance of procedures - able to trouble shoot and adjust - prior to notification of bio-medical engineering
• Positions Patients for Procedures Provides direct patient care by performing the following: Assists nursing staff in room preparation and patient transfer to OR Table as needed Applies positioning aids to table and places patient extremities into the apparatus - if needed Ensures proper positioning and patient safety measures are maintained and in ­place Transports procedure items to operating room and prepositions them
• Opens sterile items and arranges surgical area and equipment for procedure performance
• Prepares - organizes - and maintains highly complex sterile surgical set-ups
• In conjunction with the circulating nurse - performs sponge and instrument counts to verify accuracy
• He/she is responsible for the accountability of all surgical instruments and equipment during the surgical procedure
• Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts - suctioning - holding retractors - applying skin staples - cutting sutures and preparing prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures
• Maintains Equipment and Work Areas: Maintains OR area - performs monthly cleaning to storage locations as per hospital policy
• Assesses equipment needs and maintains adequate stock of supplies and materials
• Assists in all aspects of supply management - including but not limited to ordering of supplies from logistics and putting them away
• Recognizes potentially hazardous situations (e.g. - frayed cords - water on floor) and takes corrective action
• Processes instruments and supplies after surgery Cooperates fully with equipment inventory - including meeting established timelines Cooperates fully in equipment trials and procurement processes
• Provides Guidance Provides guidance and support to health technicians and technical students of an approved surgical technology program - able to demonstrate for the resident team the functionality of the more complex instrumentation - and/or any other novice scrub support staff
• Provides guidance and support to professional and technical students of an approved surgical technology program
• Other duties Participates with surgical team members in quality improvement activities
• Updates personal knowledge regarding current trends in surgical technology through continuing education courses
• Participates in developing and maintaining appropriate and cost-effective inventory practices Utilizes universal precautions in all work functions Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 9:00AM-5:30PM or 7:00AM-5:30PM (with rotating days off) Telework: This is not a virtual position
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician (Direct-Hire Authority)/PD10426-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

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The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.

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