Summary OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans? Responsibilities This position is located at the Clement J. Zablocki VA Medical Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) provides sterilization, preparation, supply items and reusable medical equipment decontamination and distribution support for the medical center. Duties: -Receives contaminated critical and semi-critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME) in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well. -Disassembles the RME and determines the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions. -Inspects, assembles, and determines the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors. -Performs and documents daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment. -Prepares operating room case carts daily utilizing surgery schedule. -Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids and other contaminants by wiping, soaking, rinsing and scrubbing. -Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembles basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room. -Operates equipment involved in sterilization processes. Work Schedule: 2nd Shift 3pm-11:30pm, 3rd Shift 11pm-7:30am with Holiday and Weekend rotation. Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year)Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Not Authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required 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. 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. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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. English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3j. 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. In addition to the basic requirements applicants must meet the following Grade Determinates: GS-3 LEVEL GRADE REQUIREMENTS None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 LEVEL GRADE REQUIREMENTS Must have completed six (6) months experience as a MST, operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting or successful completion of two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation. Experience at this level includes, but is not limited to: performing segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization, and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME); completing segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center; operating equipment involved in sterilization processes; preparing operating room case carts; and receiving guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) AND In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1.Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. 2.Basic knowledge of medical terminology in order to assemble specialty operating room/clinic instrument sets. 3.Basic knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. 4.Ability to communicate both orally and in writing. GS-5 LEVEL GRADE REQUIREMENTS Must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-4) OR successful completion of four (4) academic years above high school leading to a Bachelor's degree with at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation or a Bachelor's degree. Experience at this level includes, but is not limited to: removing soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing; inspecting packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembling basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room; preparing loads, and operating sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor; preparing operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule; receiving guidance from more experienced staff members for more complex tasks and require direct supervision on new assignments. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) AND In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1.Basic knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. 2.Basic knowledge of event-related packaging in regards to sterility. 3.Knowledge of sterilization and cleaning equipment. GS-6 LEVEL GRADE REQUIREMENTS Must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5). To be creditable, this experience must be equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-5, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and abilities. Experience at this level includes, but is not limited to: receiving contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment in the decontamination area as well; disassembling the RME and determining the correct cleaning method, such as but not limited to ultrasonic cleaners, mechanical washers, cart washers and chemical cleaning/decontamination agents, as determined by manufacturer instructions; inspecting, assembling and determining the correct method and packaging for sterilization such as but not limited to steam, Sterrad, Steris, and high level disinfecting scope reprocessors; performing and documenting daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment. AND In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1.Knowledge of surgical instruments used in operating rooms and clinic settings. 2.Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination. 3.Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, microbiology, medical conditions and procedures. 4.Knowledge of sterility principles in regards to instrumentation. 5.Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures. 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). Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The work requires walking, bending, standing, and carrying of instruments sets no heavier than 25lbs. The work does not require any special physical effort or ability. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-6. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-3 to GS-6. 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 for 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.
