Summary

The Medical Supply Technician (MST) works within the Sterile Processing Service Line at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. In this position - the incumbent will provide sterilization - preparation - supply items and reusable medical equipment decontamination and distribution support for the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship
• Citizen of the United States
• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - Section A - paragraph 3g.) Experience and/or Education 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
• Certification
• None
• Foreign Education
• To be creditable - education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U
• S
• programs
• Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• English Language Proficiency
• MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j - this part
• Grade Determinations GS-3 (Entry Level) Experience or Education
• None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-4 (Developmental Level) Experience
• Six months experience as a MST - operating room or surgical technician or other position that demonstrated knowledge of sterile processing in a clinical setting
• or Education
• Two years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in courses related to the occupation
• NOTE: Successful completion of a course for medical technicians - hospital corpsmen - medical service specialists - or nursing assistants obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces - the U.S. Maritime Service - or hospitals under close medical and professional supervision - may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to 6 months of experience
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience or education above - the candidate must demonstrate the KSAs below: 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 (Developmental Level) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• or Education
• Four 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
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience or education above - 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-06 (Full Performance Level) Experience
• One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities In addition to the experience above - 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
• Preferred Experience: Education in Sterile Processing - Certification in Sterile Processing VA- Level 2 or CRCST Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Most of the work requires physical strain to include walking - grasping - lifting and carrying different sizes and weights of instrument sets
• The incumbent maybe required to work in areas that ate 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 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. All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package
• We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications.

Duties

• Major duties include - but are not limited to the following
• Receive contaminated critical and semi-critical reusable medical equipment (RME) in the decontamination area and may receive noncritical equipment
• Disassembles RME and determines the correct cleaning method - such as - but not limited to - ultrasonic cleaners - mechanical washer-disinfectors - cart washer 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 processes and equipment
• Work Schedule: Various Monday - Friday schedules with rotating weekends
• Will be discussed during the interview
• Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases
• When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade)
• 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 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 available
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #00000 Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized This occupational series may be eligible for the Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP)
• Repayment is limited to $40 -000 annually - up to $100 -000 in lifetime awards
• Participants must sign a three-year service agreement and maintain an acceptable level of performance to remain eligible for this program
• Contact VHAV23SLRP@va.gov for more information.