Summary
The incumbent is assigned to Nursing Service and serves as the Surgical Technician for the Operating Room (OR) and surgical clinics at the Central Texas VA Health Care System in Temple, Texas. The incumbent is supervised by the Nurse Manager, Perioperative Care and/or designee.
Responsibilities
Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. At the full performance level, the incumbent will perform a variety of duties, including, but not limited to the following: Participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team. Functions as the primary scrub person, responsible for handing instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures such as, but not limited to thoracic, neurosurgery, EENT, vascular and total joint surgery. Independently sets up the sterile field with all required instruments, supplies and equipment for each procedure to include, but not limited to: air powered instrumentation, endoscopy, laparoscopy, arthroscopy, urologic equipment, lasers, microscopes, and recording devices. Plans and discusses each procedure with the RN, and surgical team. Assures all instruments, supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure. Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex surgical setups. Practices sterile technique, preparing instrumentation independently and without direct supervision, utilizing aseptic technique, maintaining a sterile field intra-operatively. Transports patients pre-operatively and post-operatively acquiring needed supplies, medications, blood, reports, and equipment throughout the perioperative process. Uses computers on a daily basis for various functions such as, reading and sending email communications, entering patient information, requesting leave, etc. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 5:30pm; with rotational on-call requirements 7:30am - 6pm or longer if there are cases. Call Cases may be after hours, including weekends and holidays. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician GS-3: 7881-A, GS-4: 7880-A, GS-5: 7879-A, GS-6 01392A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/19/2026. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. OR Education and Training For GS-3: Successful completion of l year of study that included study in medical, health, or related fields. For GS-4: Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in subjects related to the position. For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. You may qualify based on your experience and/or educationas described below: GS-03: Generalized Experience: You must possess six months of generalized experience that demonstrates the ability to do the work of a Surgical Technician, OR experience that provides familiarity with the operating room processes, instruments, and sterilization. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one year of education above high school that included study in medical, health, or related fields. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond high school. The percentage of experience and education must meet 100% to qualify. GS:04: Generalized and Specialized Experience: You must possess Six months of generalized experience and six months of specialized experience as a medical or health professional that demonstrates the ability to perform the work of a surgical technician applying knowledge, methods, and techniques of 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 successful completion of 2 years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in subjects related to the position. (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond high school. The percentage of experience and education must meet 100% to qualify. GS-05: Specialized Experience: You must possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the Federal service, that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in or related to the position being filled. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to the following: Performing scrubbing functions on all types of surgical procedures minor and major; Participating in perioperative role with the principles of aseptic technique by assessing the needs of the surgical patient, preparing instrumentation, supplies, and equipment for the procedure; Scrubbing during the operative intervention, maintaining and cleaning the instrumentation and equipment post-operatively; Utilizing preference cards as a reference to prepare instrumentation, supplies, and equipment for a procedure. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must possess a combination of education and experience. * NOTE* Only education more than the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) GS-06: Specialized Experience: You must possess one year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service, that equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in or related to the position being filled. Specialized experience includes but is not limited to the following: Assisting the Registered Nurse with circulating duties during major and minor procedures by positioning patients on the operating table, holding extremity during surgical prep, controlling safety hazards, checking the working condition of equipment and anticipating the need for and providing additional supplies and equipment for either the scrub or circulating nurse; Operating and helping maintain surgical equipment reporting any malfunctions in equipment; Recognizes emergency situations, taking appropriate and immediate action, and immediately notifying the charge nurse; Locating and operating emergency equipment and supplies readily and effectively; Utilizing personal protective equipment (PPE) when implementing standard precautions to provide direct patient care. 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/.
Requirements
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 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) 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.
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/. NOTE: If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.