Career Center

Summary

The Lead Medical Supply Technician (MST) works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team. The MST distributes - prioritizes and monitors all workloads distributed to employees and ensures that work completed is in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations. This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT until July 15 - 2026. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred weekly or as vacancies become available.

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
• 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
• Grandfathering Provision
• All MSTs that are employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title - series and grade held - that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard - but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it - the following provisions apply: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-622 occupational series as MSTs may be reassigned - promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level - or changed to lower grade within the occupation
• Please note - that this position is above the full performance level
• 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
• English Language Proficiency
• MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA policy
• GRADE REQUIREMENTS Creditable Experience Knowledge of Current MST Practices
• To be creditable - the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge - skills - and abilities (KSAs) associated with MST responsibilities
• Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as a MST
• Quality of Experience
• Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MST experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled
• For all assignments above the full performance level - the higher level duties must consist of significant scope - administrative independence - complexity (difficulty)
• Part-Time Experience
• Part-time experience as a MST is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek
• For example - a MST employed 20 hours a week - or on a 1/2-time basis - would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service
• Grade Determinations In addition to the basic requirements - the following criteria must be met by the candidate
• GS-07 Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements - to qualify for the GS-07 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-6)
• Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Receiving contaminated critical and semi-critical RME in the decontamination area
• 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 - ETO - and high level disinfecting scope re-processors
• performing and documenting daily operational checks and records for all sterilization equipment
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities (KSAs)
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to instruct staff on the correct procedures and protocols for completing assignments
• Skill in communicating with staff to ensure compliance with written directives - rules and regulations
• Skill in interpersonal relationships in dealing with employees - team leaders - and managers
• Knowledge of sterility principles in order to instruct staff on decontamination procedures
• Ability to lead individuals - manage priorities - and schedule work assignments
• Assignment
• The Lead MST works in support of the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team
• Distributes and prioritizes workload among employees in accordance with established workflow and/or job specializations
• Assures an even workflow and distribution of the workload
• Revises work schedules to meet anticipated and unanticipated changes in the workload
• Assigns work to staff based on experience and training needs
• Monitors and reports on the status of work
• Ensures SOPs and SPS mandates are followed during the performance of workflow
• Reviews work in progress or spot checks work not requiring review to ensure completed work meets supervisors' instructions on such things as work sequence - procedures - methods - and deadlines
• Assesses the quality and quantity of work by reviewing the cleaning - reprocessing - and distribution of technical medical equipment - material and instrumentation
• Provides information to management officials concerning performance issues - assignment changes and task completion
• Instructs employees on work-related activities - policies - procedures and goals
• Preferred Experience: Sterile Processing experience at least 3 years
• Experience with endoscope reprocessing for 2 years minimum
• Experience applying quality assurance skills
• Ability to assess for the application of best practice
• Attention to detail - time management - problem-solving - testing experience - and survey experience
• Must have a good reputation with an unwavering commitment to meticulous production
• Demonstrates self-confidence
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• FORMER VA HANDBOOK REFERENCE: PART II APPENDIX G47 EFFECTIVE DATE: May 28 - 2014 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-7. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-7. Physical Requirements: As required by VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• This work is performed in various settings: decontamination - preparation - clean sterile supply (preparation) and in other services and departments throughout the medical facility/campus
• May be required to work in areas that are hot - cold - drafty and poorly lighted
• 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 work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating - disassembly and assembly of instrumentation
• On a regular and recurring basis - the employee alternates between a contaminated environment and a carefully controlled clean environment
• The employee wears special clothing - hair covers - personal protective equipment and shoe covers that can be uncomfortably warm
• The employee uses insulated gloves to remove carts from sterilizers
• The employee is subject to burns from accidentally touching hot items
• Strong - unpleasant odors are encountered while decontaminating bloody or grossly contaminated instrumentation or reusable medical equipment
• The work area is noisy due to the clatter of metal instruments - rumbling of carts and operation of pre-sterilizing equipment.

Duties

• The Lead Medical Supply Technician (MST) works with the Chief and Assistant Chief for SPS - in the assignment of functions to team members to meet routine and unusual deadlines and priorities
• The MST leads a unit or team of employees performing work at the GS-6 levels or below and provides guidance and technician direction for accomplishing the work of the unit or team
• Duties include but are not limited to the following: Distributes and balances workload and tasks among employees
• Ensures timely accomplishment of assigned tasks
• Revises work schedule to meet changes in the workload
• Breaks out tasks as necessary to provide new employees with experience and training
• Explains work requirements - methods and procedures on difficult or different operations and answers technical questions
• Monitors status and progress of work and makes adjustments in accordance with established priorities
• Provides on-the-job training to new employees in accordance with established procedures and practices
• Monitors and reports on the status and progress of work - checking on work in progress and reviewing completed work to see that the supervisor's instructions on priorities - methods - deadlines and quality assurance have been met
• Obtains assistance from the supervisory staff on problems that may arise
• Amends or rejects work not meeting established standards
• Refers questions or matters not covered by standards and problems in meeting performance standards to the supervisory staff
• Checks the cleaning - reprocessing and distribution of technical medical equipment - materiel and instrumentation to assess the quality and quantity of work produced by each employee
• Ensures that items are safe to use - delivered on time at the proper place - and in the correct condition to be properly used for VA patient care
• Monitors working conditions such as seating - ventilation - lighting or safety
• Approves emergency leave for a few hours or for emergencies in the absence of supervisory staff
• Informs employees about the policies - procedures and goals of the service
• Reports to the supervisor on performance - progress and training needs of employees - and on behavior problems
• Informs supervisor of employees' participation - suggestions - and reactions
• Resolves simple - informal complaints of employees and refers others - such as formal grievances and appeals - to the supervisor or an appropriate management official
• Conducts and records competencies on individuals for the proper reprocessing of RME - following established checklists devised by supervisory staff and approved by Infection Control
• Performs quality assurance inspections of instruments and equipment in the Sterile Preparation area of SPS prior to items being wrapped and sterilized
• Conducts inspection of the Decontamination area of SPS to verify that proper techniques and processes are being followed by staff and that all equipment is working properly
• Inspects to verify that all instrumentation is disassembled to the simplest form
• Inspects all instrumentation for cleanliness and to assure that it is in good working order - checking lock boxes - alignment - sharpness and general operation
• Independently prepares the full range of trays and sets necessary to be used in wards - clinic areas and dental clinic
• Effectively processes and sterilizes a wide variety of instrumentation - to include implant devices - in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations - and ensures that they are held for the required time post sterilization per regulations
• Completes training coursework and VA SPS certification as required for a Sterile Processing Technician position in the VA
• Maintains certification by completing approved - annual Continuing Education Units (CEU) and annual in-service hours
• Maintains current knowledge of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) which document the processes and procedures for cleaning - disinfection - sterilization and preparation of RME appropriate to this position
• Work Schedule: Full-time - Monday through Friday - 1500-2330 Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Functional Statement #: 04067A