SUMMARY

The Surgical Technician (Operating Room) provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures within Patient Care Services at the Salisbury VA Medical Center, Veterans Health Administration, Mid Atlantic Healthcare Network (VISN 6), Salisbury, NC.
DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/05/2025.
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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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-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 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; other related duties performed by a Surgical Technician. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have One (1) full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. NOTE: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required where it is directly related to the work of the position. (Transcripts Required)

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/.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Applies Technology to Tasks
• Attention to Detail
• Listening
• Stress Tolerance
• Technical Competence

Preferred Experience/Certifications: If you have the experience/certifications, please ensure information is listed on your resume.

• 2 years current or recent Operating Room (OR) experience with ambulatory basic procedures.
• Previous experience in working under microscope using aseptic technique to deliver required instrumentation to physician for use in the procedure.
• Experience in responding to acute trauma injuries in the operating room.
• Experience and understanding of the biological physiology of disease conditions that requires surgical intervention
• Certifications: Certified Surgical Technician (CST)/ Basic Life Support (BLS) Certified -proof of certifications

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: The work will require recurrent bending, lifting, stooping, standing, squatting, stretching, sitting, and walking. Generally, the work requires recurring physical exertion with assisting patients. Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of which are at various 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 with 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/.

EDUCATION

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.
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/.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
For more information on the “Who may apply” eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.
Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

The Surgical Technician (Operating Room) participates with surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the Surgeon and Registered Nurse (RN). The Surgical Technician performs the following major duties:

• Functions as a scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as: open hear, thoracic, major vascular, neurosurgery, microsurgery, and total joint replacement surgery.
• Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractor, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures. Prepares prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures.
• Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
• 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.
• Assists the team members with care of patient, i.e., positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies.
• 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 complex sterile surgical set-ups.
• Handles all specimens appropriately.
• Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedures and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time.
• Performs sponge and instrument counts to verify accuracy. Responsible for the accountability for all surgical instruments and equipment during the surgical procedure.
• Recognizes potentially hazardous situations (e.g., frayed cords, water on floor) and take corrective action.

Performs other related duties as assigned in the position description.
Work Schedule: Full time, Days, 8 to10 hour tours of duty based on needs of agency
Telework: No
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician (Operating Room)/PD01309A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized