Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Functions/Scope of Assigned Duties:

Provides guidance and technician direction for accomplishing the work of the unit or team.

Ensures work assignments of employees in the unit or team are carried out.

Works with the Chief and Assistant Chief of SPS in the assignment of functions to team members in order to meet routine and unusual deadlines and priorities.

Distributes and balances workload and tasks among employees in accordance with established workflow job specialization and capabilities of individual.

Is a working Lead Technician responsible for filling in and for distributing the workload In case of personnel shortages or short notice priorities to ensure a smooth workflow.

Ensures time accomplishment of assigned tasks and ensures that each employee has enough work to keep busy.

When necessary revise work schedule to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload.

Conducts and records competencies on individuals for the proper reprocessing of RMD following established checklists devised by supervisory staff.

Performs quality assurance inspections of instruments and equipment in the Sterile Preparation area of SPS prior to items being wrapped and sterilized.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
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)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience.
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 $144000 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 #: 06369F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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.
• 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.

• 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.

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.

Experience: Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicants ability to perform the work or provide an understanding of the 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. (Transcripts Required)

OR

Experience/Education Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable. (Transcript Required)

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-07 Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing):

Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-06). To be creditable the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with Medical Supply Technician responsibilities. Experience at this level includes: Ensures work assignments of employees; Revises work schedule to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload; Receiving contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area; disassembling the RME and determining the correct cleaning method such as ultrasonic cleaners mechanical washers cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents as determined by the manufacturer instructions; inspecting assembling and determining the correct method and packaging for sterilization.

AND

In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

1. Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments.

2. Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives rules and regulations.

3. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees team leaders and managers.

4. Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures.

5. Ability to lead individuals manage priorities and schedule work assignments.

Assignment: The Lead MST works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team. Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations. Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload. Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload. Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs. Monitors and reports on the status of work. Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow. Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors instructions on such things as work sequence procedures methods and deadlines. Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning reprocessing and distribution of technical medical equipment material and instrumentation. Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues assignment changes and task completion. Instructs employees on work-related activities policies procedures and goals.


Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-07.

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 lit. 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 50 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 clatter of metal instruments rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment.