Health Technician (Surgical Technician)

Full Job Description

Health Technician (Surgical Technician) is a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures.

Participates with the surgical team members in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 02/23/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization.

Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge of highly technical medical instruments, human anatomy, physiology and aseptic technique to prepare and protect the sterile field during surgery; knowledge of a wide variety of complex surgical and endoscopic procedures and possible complications in order to prepare for the procedure, to anticipate the needs of the surgical team, to respond with speed and accuracy, and to report observations and immediate procedural needs to the RN circulator; knowledge of anatomy, physiology and protocol to select the correct instruments for a procedure anticipating the needs of the surgeon during the procedure and on a regular and recurring basis recognize and respond to a variety of critical situations, including emergency and life threatening conditions; technical knowledge on the use and effects of anesthesia in order to recognize the hazards of anesthetic agents and to recognize and respond to adverse conditions during the course of the procedure; knowledge of proper patient positioning depending on the types of procedures, be able to provide emotional support to patients.

Individual Occupational Requirement: 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.

Preferred Experience: Certified Surgical Technician Recent experience of a minimum of 2 years in the operating room setting Basic Life Support 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:

Duties include, but are not limited to: Functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies and equipment during all surgical and endoscopic procedures such as: thoracic, oncology, laparoscopic, podiatry, gynecology, urology and total joint replacement surgery Setting up sterile field with all required items for each procedure such as air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices and other operating room supplies and equipment Planning and discussing each procedure with surgical professionals and assures that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure Preparing, organizing and maintaining highly complex sterile surgical setups Observing and responding promptly to each stage of the surgical procedure and anticipating the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time Utilizing universal precautions and following all infection control policies and procedures when handling specimens, supplies and equipment Handling all specimens appropriately Functioning as second circulator for complex surgical procedures Maintains Equipment and Work Areas Performing non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions Maintaining OR area Recognizing potentially hazardous situations ( e.g., frayed cords, water on floor) and takes corrective action Provides Guidance/Supervision Providing guidance and support to Nursing Assistants and other Surgical Technicians (Operating Room Nursing Assistants) Supervising volunteers, aides, non-surgical team members, students and other personnel Other Duties Assisting surgical team members.

in quality improvement activities Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday, 0700 - 1530 with rotating shifts and on-call requirements Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Surgical Technician)/PD504-2085-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized