Summary

This position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) - Veterans Health Administration - at the Atlanta VA Health Care System. The Surgical Technician is a member for the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members before - during - and following 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 05/04/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-6. The grade may have been in any occupation - but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year - it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade - as required by the announcement. In this instance - you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. 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: (All positions except Reporting Stenographer - Shorthand Reporter - and Closed Micro-phone Reporter)--Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position - and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable - specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience - as indicated in the table - are not required by this standard to have general experience - education above the high school level - or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements. OR - OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have graduate level in an accredited college or university in the amounts shown in the table meets the requirements for positions at GS-7 through GS-11. Such education must demonstrate the knowledge - skills - and abilities necessary to do the work. 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. OR - Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond Combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements for the grade levels specified in the table - and may be computed by first determining the applicant's total qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determining the applicant's education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; and then adding the two percentages. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for that grade level. Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. (When crediting education that requires specific course work - prorate the number of hours of related courses required as a proportion of the total education to be used.). 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/. Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing assistance in lifting and positioning patients. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing - walking - bending - lifting - pushing - reaching - and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments for the surgeon. Incumbent must be dexterous in "passing" instruments to surgeons without compromising principles of aseptic technique and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon. Appropriate scrub attire is required - including sterile gown and gloves - surgical caps to cover incumbent's hair - appropriate eye protection - and surgical mask in order to provide an aseptic environment in the operating room. If incumbent is assisting with a total joint replacement - he/she is often required to wear special attire - which may be confining - such as a "space helmet" or hood. Incumbent may need to wears X-Ray protective lead attire (up to 20 pounds in weight) for prolonged periods of time.

Duties

• The Surgical Technician functions as a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures
• The technician participates with the surgical team in planning and implementing complex procedures under the general supervision of the surgical team
• The Surgical Technician functions as the primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments - supplies and equipment during all surgical procedures
• Duties include but are not limited to: Independently scrubs for complex - extensive - specialized procedures in all surgical specialties
• Anticipates needs of the surgeon
• Assembles and tests delicate instruments to ensure optimal functioning
• Prepares - organizing - maintaining highly complex sterile surgical set-ups
• Primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments - supplies - and equipment during all surgical procedures
• Provides direct assistance to the surgeon
• Shares responsibility with circulating nurse for correct sponge - needle - and instruments counts
• Receives tissue specimens and cultures for laboratory analysis and ensures circulating nurse receives correct information for labeling purposes
• Independently prepares and applies sterile dressings following procedures
• Assists with positioning and draping patients
• Positioning and draping patients
• Accountable for taking emergency call on a rotating basis
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm Work Schedule subject to change based on Agency needs
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD06720A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized