Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Duties of the Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) include but are not limited to:

• Directs supervision of day-to-day operations in Endoscopy/Sterile Processing Service regardless of tour of duty.
• Oversees and supervises all aspects of decontamination preparation sterilization monitoring and distribution of RMD (Reusable Medical Devices).
• Functions as a first-level supervisor responsible for a group of MSTs and for planning and directing the work according to SPS Standards and VHA Directives.
• Holds corrective interviews with employees refers disciplinary problems to higher levels of management.
• Assigns plans and evaluates work recommends awards identifies training needs and resolves staff issues.
• Develops analyzes and evaluates facts relative to unsatisfactory conditions or trends and informs higher level of management.
• Manages interacts and deals with individuals of varying backgrounds.
• Directs staff and managing tasks to be completed.
• Assigns plans and evaluates work recommends awards approves leave identifies training needs and resolves staff issues.
• Informs higher level management of anticipated vacancies or increases in workload.
• Recommends promotions reassignments recognition of superior performance retention or release of probationary employees or other changes of assigned personnel.

Work Schedule: 24/7 Cross Coverage; Primarily night shift; Potential for OT
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): 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 #: 85006-A
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.
• 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 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.

In order to qualify for this position you must meet the requirements below within 30 calendar days of the closing date listed on the announcement

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 the VA Handbook 5005 Part II chapter 3 section A paragraph 3j.
• Experience and Education:
• (1) Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicants 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.

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).

Grandfathering Provision. All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title series and grade held that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

Grade Determinations: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade of a GS-7 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) GS-8
One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-7. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to:

• Distributing and prioritizing workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations;
• Assuring an even workflow and distribution of the workload;
• Revising work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload;
• Assigning work to staff based on experience and training needs;
• Monitoring and reporting on the status of work;
• Reviewing work in progress or spot checking work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors instructions on such things as work sequence procedures methods and deadlines;
• Assessing the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning reprocessing and distribution of technical medical equipment material and instrumentation.

AND

Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities

1. Ability to manage interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds.
2. Ability to direct staff and manage tasks to be completed.
3. Ability to oversee and supervise all aspects of decontamination preparation sterilization monitoring and distribution of RME.
4. Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties including assigning planning and evaluating work recommending awards approving leave identifying training needs and resolving staff issues.

Preferred Experience:

• Graduate of Certified Sterile Processing Program.
• 1-2 years experience as a Sterile Processing Services Lead or Sterile Processing Service Supervisory experience.
• 1-2 years experience as a Surgical Technician.

Preferred Certification:

• Level 2 Veteran Affairs Surgical Technician Certification
• HSPA and/or CBSPD Certification

All Certifications are to be ACTIVE

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8.

Physical Requirements: This work is performed in various settings: decontamination preparation clean sterile supply (preparation) gastrointestinal intestinal endoscope reprocessing hub 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 work requires proper body mechanics when standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages/instrument trays (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 gasses 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.