- Position Title
- Surgical Technician
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CBTC-12750679-25-RG Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Tuesday, June 17, 2025 to Wednesday, June 25, 2025
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Do you claim Veterans’ Preference?
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.
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
Your resume must be submitted in English and include the following information for each job listed:
- Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
- Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
- Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
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).
Assessment 1
Thank you for your interest in employment with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education 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.
1.
This occupational series has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) which is a minimum qualification requirement. To be considered for the position, you must ensure that the experience is reflected in your resume.
Specialized Experience: 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.
Specialized Experience: 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.
2.
Carefully read the following descriptions of the required specialized experience for the position. Your resume must support your response. Applicants must have one (1) full year of specialized experience related to this position. This experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level in the Federal Service.
Specialized experience: Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: preparing and organizing complex sterile surgical setups, observing and responding to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipating the needs of the surgeon, assisting team members with patient care, performing instrument counts, preparing prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures, and assisting the surgeon by performing procedures such as suctioning and cutting sutures.
OR,
Education: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-7 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have One (1) full year of graduate education related to the field to meet the requirements for the GS-7 level. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. NOTE: A transcript (unofficial or official) must be submitted if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Applications submitted without this information will not be considered.
OR,
Combination of Experience & Education: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
Specialized experience: Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: preparing and organizing complex sterile surgical setups, observing and responding to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipating the needs of the surgeon, assisting team members with patient care, performing instrument counts, preparing prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures, and assisting the surgeon by performing procedures such as suctioning and cutting sutures.
OR,
Education: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-7 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have One (1) full year of graduate education related to the field to meet the requirements for the GS-7 level. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. NOTE: A transcript (unofficial or official) must be submitted if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Applications submitted without this information will not be considered.
OR,
Combination of Experience & Education: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an appropriate combination of specialized experience and education. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.
Select the one statement that most accurately describes your training and experience carrying out each task using the scale provided.
3.
Sets up sterile field with all required items for each procedure including air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, and other operating room supplies and equipment.
4.
Utilizes universal precautions and follows all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies, and equipment.
5.
Plans and discusses each procedure with surgical professionals, ensuring that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure.
6.
Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex sterile surgical set-ups.
7.
Observes and responds promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time.
8.
Performs sponge and instrument counts to verify accuracy and is responsible for the accountability for all surgical instruments and equipment during the surgical procedure.
9.
May function as second circulator for complex surgical procedures under the direct supervision of an RN.
10.
Maintains OR area.
11.
Assesses equipment needs and maintains adequate stock of supplies and materials.
12.
Assists the team members with care of the patient, i.e., positioning, prepping, and obtaining supplies.
13.
Assists the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures.
14.
Assists surgical team members in quality improvement activities.
15.
Handles all specimens appropriately.
16.
Performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions.
17.
Recognizes potentially hazardous situations (e.g., frayed cords, water on floor) and takes corrective action.
18.
Updates personal knowledge regarding current trends in surgical technology through continuing education.
19.
Assists in training residents, medical students, nursing students, operating room technology students, and new Operating Room (OR) staff in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, handling of instruments, and OR procedures to include the scrub role in surgical procedures.
20.
Provides guidance and support to Nursing Assistants and other Surgical Technicians, nonsurgical team members, students, and other personnel.
21.
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in this questionnaire is true, correct, and provided in good faith. I understand that if I make an intentional false statement, or commit deception or fraud in this application and its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibilities may be cancelled; I may be denied an appointment; or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731). I understand that any information I give may be investigated and that responding "No" or providing no response to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.
RESUME REMINDER: IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.
Verbiage displayed on your resume or application must contain your own words. You may refer to position descriptions, i.e. the general and specialized experience located within the vacancy announcement, to assist with describing work experiences; however, resumes or applications received in verbatim will not be considered. In your resume you will need to address the general and specialized experience listed below. Please use as much detail as needed, giving dates (months and years) of the experience, position title and how the experience was gained. This information is needed to determine if you are qualified for the position.
Resume should include for example: contact information; descriptions of jobs held, including the name and address of employer, job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, average hours worked per week if part-time, and supervisor's name and phone number; education, including name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned; other information such as possession of licenses, certificates, etc. Descriptions of duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the level of experience. Although not mandatory, if the position is (was) with the Federal government, either military or civilian, you should state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion.
Verbiage displayed on your resume or application must contain your own words. You may refer to position descriptions, i.e. the general and specialized experience located within the vacancy announcement, to assist with describing work experiences; however, resumes or applications received in verbatim will not be considered. In your resume you will need to address the general and specialized experience listed below. Please use as much detail as needed, giving dates (months and years) of the experience, position title and how the experience was gained. This information is needed to determine if you are qualified for the position.
Resume should include for example: contact information; descriptions of jobs held, including the name and address of employer, job title, description of duties, beginning and ending date (month/year) of employment, average hours worked per week if part-time, and supervisor's name and phone number; education, including name and location of college, dates attended, and type and date of any degree earned; other information such as possession of licenses, certificates, etc. Descriptions of duties must be sufficiently detailed to document the level of experience. Although not mandatory, if the position is (was) with the Federal government, either military or civilian, you should state the series and grade or pay grade (rank) and the date of last promotion.