Summary Supervisor, Sterile Processing Services, for Veterans Health Administration (VHA). for Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Charles George VA Medical Center. This is a supervisory advance performance level position in Sterile Processing Service (Sterile Processing Technician). In this position, the incumbent will provide sterilization, preparation, supply items and reusable medical equipment decontamination and distribution support for the medical center. Responsibilities Major Duties: Responsible for the direct supervision of day-to-day operations in SPS, regardless of tour of duty, including reusable medical equipment (RME) reprocessing for all clinical services. Operationalizes the quality assurance program in daily practice in order to ensure that the right instrument, in the right condition, is in the right place, at the right time. - In conjunction with the Lead/RMD Coordinator/Educator, the Supervisor will be responsible for operational deployment of a comprehensive training program for all SPS staff. - Communicate daily with customers in order to ensure open communication that results in uninterrupted and consistently accurate flow of necessary RME supplies for procedures. - Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short term priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work. - Plans and assigns work on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis and adjusts assignments during a work day to alleviate choke points in reprocessing activities. - Assigns work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments, staff designation as competent to complete and task, and the capability of the employee. - Participates in Interview Panels and makes recommendations regarding hiring decisions. The incumbent will have knowledge of the processes for Reusable Medical Devices (RMD) as required by this position. The incumbent will be required to maintain current knowledge of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which document the processes and procedures for cleaning, disinfection, sterilization and preparation of RMD appropriate to this position. The incumbent will be able to demonstrate their ability to utilize an acceptable proficiency in the use of RMD appropriate to this position. Supervisor provides guidance concerning strategic program requirements, objectives and interpretation but incumbent works primarily independently using knowledge of job requirements, utilizing published manuals, policies and directives. Additionally, the Supervisor is expected to exercise judgement and flexibility in exercising emergency contingency plans in the event of internal or external disasters. Work Schedule: 7:00am till 3:30pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. 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. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. 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: Must have at least one year experience at the next lower grade (GS-7). Language: Must be proficient in the English language. Education: Must have (4) academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the sterile processing or Bachelor's degree related to the sterile processing? Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: Ability to read and interpret written procedures and select appropriate action to instruct staff in correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to ensure staff compliance with written directives, rules, and regulations. Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees, team leaders, and managers. Extensive knowledge of instrumentation and of sterility principles, to instruct staff on decontamination, disinfection, and sterilization procedures, documentation and quality assurance. Ability to oversee and supervise all aspects of decontamination, preparation, sterilization, monitoring, documentation, and distribution of RME. Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning, and evaluating work, identifying training needs, and resolving staff issues. 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). 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: Preferred 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; One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-8 to GS-8. Physical Requirements: his work is performed in various settings: decontamination, preparation, clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus. The incumbent may be required to work in areas that are hot, cold, drafty, and poorly lighted. The employee is subject to the possibility of falls, scrapes, cuts, bruises, and other injuries from material handling equipment. The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation. 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 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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. 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.
