Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Description:

This position is located in the Sterile Processing Service, James J. Peters VA Medical Center. This position is responsible for instructing staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until March 2, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be February 5, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred on a bi-weekly basis.

Requirements:

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.
• Experience and/or Education
  • Experience. Six months of experience that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work or provides an understanding 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; OR
  • Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• Certification. None.

• Foreign Education . To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U. S. programs.
• English Language Proficiency. MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j, this part.

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.

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.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
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.

Preferred Experience: Minimum 2 years of hands on experience with reusable instrument reprocessing.
Certification as a Certified Medical Supply technician.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/ .

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 7.

Physical Requirements: On a regular basis, the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a controlled clean environment. The employee must wear hospital scrub tops and bottoms, protective equipment such as bouffant hair covers, cover jackets, shoe covers. If assigned to the Decontamination room, the employee must wear protective equipment such as impervious gowns, knee high shoe covers, nitrile gloves, face mask/face shield and bouffant hair cover. This attire can be uncomfortable at times. The employee must also wear padded gloves when unloading washer disinfector racks and sterilization loading carts. The employee may also be subjected to chemicals and noise hazards from toxic agents and loud decontamination and sterilization equipment. Depending on the employee's assignment, standing for long periods of time will be required for manually cleaning reusable medical equipment. The employee at times will be required to push carts weighing 75-500 pounds and lifting trays and packages weighing approximately 50 pounds. Dexterity and normal visual acuity with or without corrective lenses is required for inspecting and assembling reusable medical equipment.