Supervisory Medical Supply Technician - Sterile Processing Chief

Summary

The Chief of Sterile Processing Service (SPS) is responsible for the planning, direction and management of all areas of the SPS department to include Decontamination, Sterile Preparation, Non- Biological Implantable Devices, Reusable Medical Device reprocessing and Inventory Control for the Indianapolis VA Medical Center.

Duties

As Service Chief, the incumbent performs first and second-level supervisory duties and is responsible for section leadership and overall indirect supervision of Medical Supply Technicians (MSTs) and Lead MST employees. The Chief, SPS must hold and maintain a nationally recognized or VHA SPS certification within one (1) year of employment. The duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, setting and adjusting short-term priorities, and preparing schedules for completion of work. Assigning work to subordinates based on priorities, selective consideration of the difficulty and requirements of assignments, and the capabilities of employees Evaluating work performance of subordinates, including subordinate supervisors. Giving advice, counsel, or instruction to supervisors and employees on both work and administrative matters. Interviewing candidates for positions in the service; recommending appointment, promotion, or reassignment to such positions. Receiving and resolving complaints from employees supervised directly to include group grievances as well as escalating more serious and unresolved complaints of those supervised directly to higher authorities. Directing and facilitating disciplinary measures, such as warnings and reprimands, and recommending other actions in more serious cases for employees directly supervised. Identifying developmental and training needs of employees, providing or arranging for needed development and training. Ensuring all staff are trained and competent to perform duties and administering formal VACO SPS Level One training to all employees. Maintaining detailed in-service training programs to ensure staff receives the minimum continuing education units to maintain certification or competencies. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 0900 -1930 (9:00AM - 7:30 PM) Telework: Ad-hoc Telework may be available in accordance with agency policy. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 92954-0 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Requirements

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. 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 identification 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

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 (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED); OR Combination: Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). 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: 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. MSTs 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. MSTs 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 reentry to the occupation. Grade Determinations: In addition to the Basic Requirements you must also meet the following criteria for this grade level. GS-10 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician - Chief of Sterile Processing Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to implement and incorporate regulations, policies, and procedures to manage SPS operations. Ability to evaluate new products and equipment, develop options, and make recommendations. Ability to integrate SPS managerial duties, which includes strategic planning of facility organizational goals and integration of SPS vision and values within the organizational mission. Ability to perform a full range of supervisory duties, including assigning, planning and evaluating work, recommending awards, approving leave, identifying training needs, and resolving staff issues. Skill to initiate and lead interdisciplinary groups in order to facilitate daily SPS functions. Ability to analyze and interpret fiscal data in order to forecast resource and equipment needs. Preferred Experience: 3 - 6 years Sterile Processing experience, 2 - 4 years Leadership Experience, and Sterile Processing related certification. 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-10. Physical Requirements: The work requires some walking and standing during a normal workday. Some lifting and carrying of moderately heavy items are required occasionally.

Education

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/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Other 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 appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.