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Summary
The Surgical Technician (ST) is a member of the surgical team and provides direct assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The ST participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team. This position is assigned to the Nursing Service in the VA Western NY Healthcare System and reports directly to the Operating Room Nurse Manager.
Qualifications To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/31/2025. 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: 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 required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed one (1) 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: 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.. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Infection Control Medical Information Patient Care Technical Competence 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. Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients - most of who are at stages of unconsciousness. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing - walking - bending - lifting - pushing - reaching - and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. Incumbent must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon. 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/.
Duties
Duties include but are not limited to: Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments - supplies - and equipment during all surgical procedures such as: endovascular - open heart - thoracic - major vascular - neurosurgery - microsurgery - transplantation - gynecology - urology - ophthalmology - otolaryngology - plastic surgery - a full range of general surgery cases - minimally invasive procedures - and orthopedic surgery
Sets up sterile field 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
Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure
Prepares - organizes - and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups
Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time
Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens - supplies - and equipment
Assists the team members with care of the patient - i.e. - positioning - prepping - and obtaining supplies
Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts - suctioning - holding retractors - applying skin staples - and cutting sutures
Prepares prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures
Other duties as assigned
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:00AM-3:30PM with possible rotation to 9:00AM - 5:30PM based on the needs of the service
On-call time required Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD09305A Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
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Qualifications To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 10/31/2025. 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-7 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. 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: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include - but are not limited to: 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 required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed one (1) 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: 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.. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Attention to Detail Infection Control Medical Information Patient Care Technical Competence 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. Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients - most of who are at stages of unconsciousness. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing - walking - bending - lifting - pushing - reaching - and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. Incumbent must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon. 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/.
Duties
Duties include but are not limited to: Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments - supplies - and equipment during all surgical procedures such as: endovascular - open heart - thoracic - major vascular - neurosurgery - microsurgery - transplantation - gynecology - urology - ophthalmology - otolaryngology - plastic surgery - a full range of general surgery cases - minimally invasive procedures - and orthopedic surgery
Sets up sterile field 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
Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure
Prepares - organizes - and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups
Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time
Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens - supplies - and equipment
Assists the team members with care of the patient - i.e. - positioning - prepping - and obtaining supplies
Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts - suctioning - holding retractors - applying skin staples - and cutting sutures
Prepares prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures
Other duties as assigned
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:00AM-3:30PM with possible rotation to 9:00AM - 5:30PM based on the needs of the service
On-call time required Virtual: This is not a virtual position
Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD09305A Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates.
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