About this role
Job SummaryEmployee serves as a Surgical Technician - Operating Room, on the Perioperative Surgery Team located at the William S. Memorial Veterans Hospital in Madison, WI.
QualificationsTo qualify for this GS-6 grade position, applicant(s) must meet at least one of the following qualification requirements. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS 5 in the Federal service. 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 is experience working in a complex surgical Operating Room in multiple surgical specialties, including but not limited to, Orthopedics, General Surgery, ENT, Vascular, Robotics or Cardiac Surgery, to include: preparing and handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during surgical procedures; scrubbing for assigned surgical procedure ranging from simple to complex; maintaining a sterile field; anticipating the needs of the surgeon to quickly pass surgical items needed during the surgical procedures; and positioning and prepping patients for surgical procedures. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successful completion of at least 6 months of graduate level education or an internship meets the specialized experience required. Graduate education is creditable only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): An equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education and experience are also qualifying. To qualify for this GS-7 grade position, applicant(s) must meet at least one of the following qualification requirements. SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Requires one full year of specialized experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level GS 6 in the Federal service. . 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 is experience working in a complex surgical Operating Room in multiple surgical specialties, including but not limited to, Orthopedics, General Surgery, ENT, Vascular, Robotics or Cardiac Surgery, to include: preparing and handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during surgical procedures; scrubbing for assigned surgical procedure ranging from simple to complex; maintaining a sterile field; anticipating the needs of the surgeon to quickly pass surgical items needed during the surgical procedures; positioning and prepping patients for surgical procedures; and performing procedures such as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples and cutting sutures to assist surgeon; and recognizing and responding to critical situations, including emergency and lift threatening conditions. OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successful completion of at least 1 year of graduate level education (in excess of 6 months) meets the specialized experience required. Graduate education is creditable only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. OR COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED):An equivalent combination of successfully completed graduate level education and experience is also qualifying. Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of which are in stages of unconsciousness. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. Incumbent must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner of requiring little or no effort from the surgeon. 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/.
Major Duties***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** This position involves a multi-grade career ladder. The major duties listed below represent the full performance level of GS-7. At the GS-6 grade level, you will perform assignments of a more limited scope and with less independence. You will progressively acquire the background necessary to perform at the full performance level of GS-7. Promotion is at the discretion of the supervisor and is contingent upon satisfactory performance, availability of higher level work, and availability of funds. Duties include but may not be limited to: Setting up sterile field with all required items such as air-power equipment, fiber optic equipment, microscopes, lasers, etc. Planning and discussing procedures with surgical professionals. Making sure all supplies and equipment are available prior to surgical procedure. Preparing and maintaining sterile surgical setups. Assisting the surgeon during surgical procedure. Handling specimens, supplies, and equipment following universal precaution and infection control policies. Assisting with patient care, i.e., positioning, prepping, etc. Assisting surgeon in such procedures as; preparing skin grafts, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures. Maintaining correct count of instruments used during procedures. Performing non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions. Stocking replenishing, and preparing supplies and equipment for use Assists other members of the team with room clean up in readiness for next patient. Providing customer service in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Providing customers with information according to policies and procedures. Making sure computer system security and confidentiality of sensitive information is maintained. Perform all other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday 6:45am-3:15pm with on call duties to include evenings, nights, weekends and holidays in rotation. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not ApprovedRequirementsYou 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 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) - See "Required Documents" below for details. 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.