Va Sterile Processing Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Summary
The Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) position is located within the Sterile Processing Service at the Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital in San Antonio, TX. The role of a Medical Supply Technician in sterile processing ensures that medical instruments and devices are clean, sterile, and ready for direct patient care. Provides sterilization, preparation, supply items and reusable medical devices (RMD) decontamination and distribution support for the medical center.
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Duties
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Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional
The incumbent must complete the SPS Level I training program within 90 days of hire and maintain a minimum of twelve continuing education hour annually. In this position, the incumbent will provide sterilization, high level disinfection (HDL), preparation, supply items and reusable medical devices decontamination and distribution support for the medical center. The term "supply item" as used in this functional statement refers to disposable and reusable items for patient care including instrumentation (scissors, forceps, retractors, rigid / flexible scopes, Tee probes etc.), reusable medical devices (suction machines infusion pumps, etc.), surgical trays and sets and various other items that could be processed or assembled through the Preparation and Decontamination areas of Sterile Processing Service.

• Removes soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids and other contaminants by wiping, soaking, rinsing and scrubbing. Inspects packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembles basic sets and trays used throughout the medical center including those used in the operating room.
• Performs segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization and inspection of reusable medical devices (RMD).
• Completes segments of work pertaining to the assembly and quality checks of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center.
• Incumbent ensures proper transportation and delivery methods of all RMD transported through the facility.
• Operates and performs routine cleaning of equipment involved in sterilization processes.
• Incumbent is responsible for reprocessing verification, all record and documentation of reprocessing, signing all verifications as well as all other required documentation i.e. HDL logs, Temperature & Humidity, cleaning logs, Eye wash logs.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30-4pm, 3:30-Midnight, Midnight-8am
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 54256-9F
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Requirements
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Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Valid driver's license.
• 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 dentification 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial 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 trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 07/27/2026.
Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship - You must be a citizen of the United States
• English Language Proficiency - English Language Proficiency - You must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d)
• Experience and/or Education -
  
  • Experience - Six months of experience that demonstrates the 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.

Grandfather Provision. A Medical Supply Technician (MST) employed in VHA on the effective date of the qualification standard (May 28, 2014) 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 may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level or changed to lower grade within the occupation but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
3. Employees who are converted to Title 38 Hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations:
GS-03 (Entry Level) : Experience/Education Requirement: None beyond the basic requirements.
GS-04 (Developmental Level) :

1. Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-04 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements:
   
   • 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 US. 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.
2. And Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate ALL the KSAs below in their resume:
   
   1. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination.
   2. Basic knowledge of medical terminology 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-05 (Developmental Level) :

1. Experience/Education Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-05 you must meet one of the following experience or education requirements:
   
   • Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-4). Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Performing segments of work pertaining to the decontamination, sterilization and inspection of reusable medical equipment (RME); completing segments of work pertaining to the assembly of basic sets and trays for use in the medical center; operating equipment involved in sterilization processes; preparing operating room case carts; 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.
2. AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate ALL the KSAs below in their resume:
   
   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):

1. Experience Requirement: In addition to meeting the basic requirements, to qualify for the GS-06 you must possess one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-5). Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: Removing soil, blood, tissue fragments, body fluids, and other containments by wiping, soaking, rinsing, and scrubbing; Inspecting packages for indications of proper sterilization, assembling basic sets and trays used throughout a medical facility including those used in the operating room; preparing, loading, and operating sterilizers such as steam, Sterrad, Steris, ETO, and a high level disinfecting scope reprocessor; prepares operating room case carts daily using surgery schedule.
2. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, you must demonstrate ALL the following KSAs in your resume:
   
   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 regard to instrumentation.
   5. Ability to read and interpret written instructions and procedures.

Preferred Experience:

1. Knowledge of universal precautions for safety and prevention of cross contamination PE
2. Must be able to demonstrate knowledge of cleaning, disinfection, sterilization, and preparation of Reusable Medical Equipment
3. Knowledge of Sterilization and cleaning equipment
4. Knowledge of surgical instrumentation used in operating rooms and clinical settings.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
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.
Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation and would generally not require a pre-placement examination.
Education
A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.
If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the