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Summary The Surgical Technician (Perioperative) is a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The ST also assists the surgeons in outpatient clinics, prepares information regarding inpatient/outpatient procedures and ambulatory surgeries in addition to operating room surgical procedures. Responsibilities The Surgical Technician - Operating Room is located at Durham VA Medical Center and is part of the Perioperative Surgery Team. Provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. Participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team. Duties: Prepare operating rooms for surgery by setting up surgical instruments and equipment Ensure all surgical instruments are sterilized properly before use Assist surgeons and nurses during surgical procedures by passing instruments and supplies Maintain a sterile environment in the operating room Monitor and track surgical supplies and inventory Handle specimens taken for laboratory analysis Assist with patient preparation before surgery Operate and troubleshoot surgical equipment Maintain accurate records of procedures and inventory Support the surgical team with post-operative care and room clean-up Stay updated on medical technologies and surgical techniques Adhere to hospital and regulatory infection control policies Qualifications GS-7 Grade Level Requirements: Specialized Experience: Must have at least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-6) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. Experience working in multiple surgical specialties, including but not limited to, Orthopedics, General Surgery, ENT, Vascular, or Neurosurgery. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following technical KSAs. 1. Knowledge of basic and complex surgical procedures, 2. Ability to assist physicians with specialized and complex procedures. 3. Previous experience in an operating room setting 4. Advanced knowledge of surgical instruments and procedures 5. Excellent manual dexterity and physical stamina 6. Ability to remain calm and focused under pressure 7. Knowledge of universal precautions and disinfection techniques and ability to follow SOPs to clean reuseable medical equipment (RME). 8. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service skills and interpersonal skills with all healthcare professionals to ensure quality and continuity of care. Preferred Experience 1.Completion of a surgical technology program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) 2. Recent hospital experience in the last two years as a surgical technician. 3. Proficient computer skills 4. Meet physical requirements 5. Sterile processing background 6. Knowledge of aseptic techniques and infection control protocols 7. Excellent communication and teamwork skills 8. Knowledge of instruments, supplies, and equipment regarding GI procedures 9. BLS Preferred Level of Education GS 7 with GS6 completed qualifications Preferred Certification(s) BLS Work Schedule: M-F 10 hour tours between 9:30am -8:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician (Perioperative)/PD06256A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: NO Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 dentification 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary 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 probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/03/2025. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as: open hear, thoracic, major vascular, neurosurgery, microsurgery, and total joint replacement surgery; assisting surgeons by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractor, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures; utilizing universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment; setting up sterile fi eld with all required items for each procedure such as air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment ,laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operating room supplies and equipment; other related duties performed by a Surgical Technician. OR Education: (Transcript Required)Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based one education for this grade level you must have One (1) full year of graduate education that meets the requirements for GS-7 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. GS-7 Grade Level Requirements: Specialized Experience: Must have at least 1 year of experience comparable to the next lower grade level (GS-6) which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the duties of the position to be filled. Experience includes assisting the staff with basic and complex specialized endoscopic procedures such as ERCP and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS), proficient with GI endoscopic equipment and ensure proper performance of equipment, selecting alternate equipment or adjusting settings to accommodate patient needs. Collecting, processing, and labeling all specimens; training other technicians in basic endoscopic procedures; working in and outside the GI unit offering technician support during emergent and on-call endoscopic cases; and assisting the nurse in patient care duties such as obtaining vital signs, dressing and documenting all pertinent information in the patient's records. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/. Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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/. Additional Information Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.