What are the responsibilities and job description for the Surgical Technician position at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs?
Summary
The Surgical Technician position is located at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers - Jr. VA Medical Center - Memphis - Tennessee. The Surgical Technician is a member of the Operating Room (OR) surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The Surgical Technician participates with the surgical team in planning and implementing complex procedures.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/30/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirement for Health Aid and Technician Series (0640): 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. Specialized Experience (GS-7): In addition to the IOR state above - you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 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 to include sterilizer operation and tests to determine the effectiveness of sterilization - packaging - storage - and shelf life. Knowledge of a wide variety of complex surgical procedures and possible complications in order to prepare for the procedure. Knowledge of pathology care and handling of specimens correctly are essential for the prevention of damage to or loss of specimens and eventual diagnosis. Knowledge of operation and function of all surgical instruments and equipment - testing procedures to assure all equipment works - and proper postoperative decontamination procedures. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology to be able to understand written requests and provide proper documentation of procedures. . OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate education. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school - 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (COPY OF TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equal combination of specialized experience and graduate education. 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/.
Duties
The Surgical Technician position is located at the Lt. Col. Luke Weathers - Jr. VA Medical Center - Memphis - Tennessee. The Surgical Technician is a member of the Operating Room (OR) surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The Surgical Technician participates with the surgical team in planning and implementing complex procedures.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 04/30/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Individual Occupational Requirement for Health Aid and Technician Series (0640): 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. Specialized Experience (GS-7): In addition to the IOR state above - you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 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 to include sterilizer operation and tests to determine the effectiveness of sterilization - packaging - storage - and shelf life. Knowledge of a wide variety of complex surgical procedures and possible complications in order to prepare for the procedure. Knowledge of pathology care and handling of specimens correctly are essential for the prevention of damage to or loss of specimens and eventual diagnosis. Knowledge of operation and function of all surgical instruments and equipment - testing procedures to assure all equipment works - and proper postoperative decontamination procedures. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology to be able to understand written requests and provide proper documentation of procedures. . OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate education. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school - 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (COPY OF TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED). OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equal combination of specialized experience and graduate education. 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/.
Duties
- The Surgical Technician functions as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments - supplies - and equipment during all surgical procedures
- This position will be located in the Operating Room (OR) - which performs surgical procedures including general surgery - ENT - ophthalmology - cardiothoracic - vascular - podiatry - plastic surgery - orthopedics - urology - neurosurgery - etc
- The incumbent duties include but are not limited to: Setup sterile field with all required items for each procedure
- Plan and discuss each procedure with surgical professionals
- Assure that all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure according to the surgeon's preference cards
- Maintain a high level of concentration for an extended period of time
- Assist the team members in the care of patients
- Assist the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts - suctioning - holding retractors - applying skin staples - and cutting sutures
- Prepare prosthesis and surgical devices during procedures
- Maintain operating room area
- Maintain adequate stock of supplies and materials
- Recognize potentially hazardous situation and takes corrective action
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 06:45am - 3:15pm - 06:45am - 5:15pm (on call and rotating weekends) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
- Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD50163A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $50,460 - $65,599