USA Staffing

Position Title: Health Technician (Surgical Technician) - Recruitment/Relocation Incentive Authorized
Agency: Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number: CAZM-12706787-25-LGJ Opens in new window
Open Period: Friday, March 7, 2025 to Friday, June 13, 2025

For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.

Eligibilities

1. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:

you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of the vacancy; AND,
your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.

A. Yes

B. No

2. Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a federal agency other than the Department of Veterans Affairs? If yes, confirm:

you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.

For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.

A. Yes

B. No

Preferences

1. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.

A. Yes, I am considered a political appointee as described under 5 U.S.C. sections 5312 through 5316.

B. Yes, I am considered a Non-career Senior Executive Service (SES), Limited Term SES, Limited Emergency SES Executive Branch employee.

C. Yes, I am considered a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or appointee who served in a political capacity under agency-specific authority in the Executive Branch.

D. Yes, I am considered a political appointee in the Executive Branch (as described in a., b. or c above) in a covered position in an agency having an interchange agreement with OPM, which allows movement from the agency's system to the competitive civil service.

E. None of the above. I am not considered a current or recent (last 5 years) political appointee as described above in items a, b, c, or d.

By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).

2. I authorize my application information being shared with hiring managers for similar positions. I understand this option may not result in further consideration for additional positions nor will it impact my application for this announcement.

A. Yes

B. No

3. Applicants are required to undergo and successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening test and must submit to random drug testing after employment. Will you comply with this requirement?

A. Yes

B. No

4. Please indicate the highest grade you have held in the Federal government.

5. Please indicate dates of the highest grade you have held in the Federal service (if applicable).

6. What is the highest grade you have held on a non-temporary basis in the federal service? If you have never held a federal position, please type "N/A".

7. What was the start and end (if applicable) date of promotion/appointment for the highest grade held above? Your response will assist in verifying the time in grade requirement if applicable to this position. If you have never held a federal position, please type "N/A".

Assessment 1

Thank you for your interest in a position within the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Administration. Please select the appropriate answer to each of the following set of questions based on your current level of experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience is subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.

Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).

1. Individual Occupational Requirement: 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. Do you possess this required experience?

A. Yes

B. No

2. Please select the statement below that best describes your experience and/or education to meet the specific qualification requirement for this grade level.

A. I 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 needed to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in and/or related to the position being filled. Specialized experience includes: knowledge of highly technical medical instruments, human anatomy, physiology and aseptic technique to prepare and protect the sterile field during surgery; knowledge of sterile technique must include sterilizer operations and tests to determine the effectiveness of sterilization, packaging, storage and shelf life; knowledge of a wide variety of complex surgical and endoscopic procedures and possible complications in order to prepare for the procedure, to anticipate the needs of the surgical and endoscopic team, to respond with speed and accuracy, and to report observations and immediate procedural needs to the RN circulator; knowledge of anatomy, physiology and protocol to select the correct instruments for a procedure anticipating the needs of the surgeon during the procedure and on a regular and recurring basis recognize and respond to a variety of critical situations, including emergency and life threatening conditions; technical knowledge on the use and effects of anesthesia in order to recognize the hazards of anesthetic agents and to recognize and respond to adverse conditions during the course of the procedure; know how to prepare instruments for gas and steam sterilization; knowledge of proper patient positioning depending on the types of procedures, be able to provide emotional support to patients, and be able to assist anesthesia providers when implanting pain control devices; must possess advanced knowledge of medical terminology to be able to understand written and verbal requests of procedures and knowledge of proper patient positioning depending on the types of procedures, be able to provide emotional support to patients and be able to assist anesthesia providers when implanting pain control devices and must possess advanced knowledge of medical terminology to be able to understand written and verbal requests of procedures.

B. I do NOT possess the experience described in the above.

***Application Package Notification & Important Information***

We appreciate your interest in available positions within the VA Heart of Texas Health Care Network. It is our goal to forward every eligible and qualified candidate for consideration.
Due to the nature of our systems, it is imperative that your application package be accurate and complete. Therefore, prior to finalizing your application package and submitting for consideration:

Ensure all documents are appropriately selected, are legible, and have uploaded successfully (we recommend viewing them a second time to ensure no errors have occurred in the process). Missing documents may cause your application package to be ineligible for consideration.
Ensure that all responses to the assessment questions are accurate and correctly reflect your current situation. Question responses are used in determining if you meet specific eligibility and qualification requirements.

Please Note: Until the closing date of the announcement, you can update or edit your package. However, once your application package is submitted and the announcement period closes, we are unable to add documentation or alter your responses. By submitting your package for consideration, you are attesting that your application package is complete and accurate.

Some helpful tips:
*Resume - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:

Job title
Grade Level (for federal positions)
Duties (be as detailed as possible and ensure they demonstrate how you meet the specialized experience and/or Knowledge, Skills and Abilities required for the position)
Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2019 to April 2020)
Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)

*Current or former VA or Federal Employees - You must submit a copy of a current and/or highest grade held SF-50 - Notification of Personnel Action (not an award SF50)

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/working-in-government/unique-hiring-paths/students/transcripts/

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/account/documents/resume/build/

https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/faq/application/documents/resume/what-to-include/

Your session will expire due to inactivity in 60 seconds.

Unsaved data may be lost if you allow this session to expire.

Warning! The announcement has now closed.

Failure to continue will prevent you from completing and submitting the application.

Click the Stay Connected button below to continue your session.

Terms & Conditions

Your Session is About to Expire!