Surgical Technician

Full Job Description

This position is located within Surgical Services at the Martinsburg VA Medical Center. The Surgical Technician (ST) is a member of the Surgical Specialty Operating Room surgical team.

The Surgical Technician aids the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures.

The Surgical Technician 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, 02/26/2026.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-06 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 sterile technique must include sterilizer operations and test to determine the effectiveness of sterilization, packing, storage, and shelf life.

Also includes the proper cleaning techniques and the types of detergents to use on various items, as well as the proper handling and rotation of sterile supplies, handling of contaminated items, quality control, and personal hygiene.

Must have in-depth knowledge of universal precautions and know how to implement infection control policies and procedure. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position.

One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-07. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be 18 semester hours.

OR Combining Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying.

If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position.

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 primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and complex equipment during all surgical procedures such as: major vascular, microsurgery, podiatry, gynecology, urology, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, a full range of general surgery cases, minimally invasive procedures, and orthopedic surgery.

Prepares, organizes, and maintains highly complex sterile surgical setups.

Sets up sterile field and maintains working knowledge of all required items used for each procedure such as disposable and non-disposable surgical instrumentation.

Assist the team members with care of the patient, i.e., positioning, prepping, sterile draping, and ensuring patient safety.

Assist the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures.

Prepares prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures. Monitors daily surgery schedules, provides input into case scheduling duties as assigned.

Performs non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions. Maintains rules and regulations of restricted and semi-restricted areas of the operating room suite.

Recognizes potentially hazardous situations and takes corrective action.

Participates in all unit education and in servicing to ensure competency for the set-up, use, and care of all complex surgical equipment used in the operating room.

Work Schedule: Monday through Thursday 8:00am-4:30pm, Friday 07:30am-4:00pm, with on-call rotation after hours, weekends, and holidays. Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD25209-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized