Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

The Tuscaloosa VA Clinic located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama is recruiting for a Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing) to work within Sterile Processing Services. The Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (SP) functions as a first-level supervisor responsible for the oversight of a group of MSTs, with administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work, with responsibilities of managing the instrument tracking system, training and quality assurance oversight.Qualifications: Assignment. The Supervisory MST functions as a first-level supervisor responsible for the oversight of a group of MSTs, with administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work. Conducts staff performance appraisals. Oversees attendance and leave, including approval of sick and annual leave and vacation schedules. Informs higher level management of anticipated vacancies or increases in workload. Recommends promotions, reassignments, recognition of superior performance, retention or release of probationary employees or other changes of assigned personnel. Holds corrective interviews with employees, referring disciplinary problems to higher levels of management. Resolves informal complaints of employees and deals with union representatives on personnel matters. Provides technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the organizational unit.
Basic Requirements:
a. Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3g.
b. 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; or
• Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.

c. Certification: None.
d. Foreign Education: To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
e. Physical Requirements: The work requires standing and walking during the entire workday and frequent bending and lifting of packages (occasionally weighing as much as 50 pounds). The work requires dexterity and visual acuity for manipulating, disassembly and assembly of instrumentation.
f. English Language Proficiency: MSTs must be proficient in spoken and written English
Grade Requirements:
a. Creditable Experience.
(1) Knowledge of Current MST Practices. Experience in Sterile Processing and advanced knowledge of SPS standards and practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) associated with MST responsibilities. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment.
(2) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MST experience at the next lower grade level of the position being filled. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
(3) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as a MST is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a MST employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.
Grade Determinations: GS-08 Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)
a. Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-7.
b. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:(1) Ability to manage, interact and deal with individuals of varying backgrounds.
(2) Ability to direct staff and manage tasks to be completed.
(3) Ability to oversee and supervise all aspects of decontamination, preparation, sterilization, monitoring, and distribution of RME.
(4) 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.
Assignment: The Supervisory MST functions as a first-level supervisor responsible for the oversight of a group of MSTs, with administrative responsibility for planning and directing the work. Oversees attendance and leave, including approval of sick and annual leave and vacation schedules. Informs higher level management of anticipated vacancies or increases in workload. Recommends promotions, reassignments, recognition of superior performance, retention or release of probationary employees or other changes of assigned personnel. Holds corrective interviews with employees, referring disciplinary problems to higher levels of management. Resolves informal complaints of employees and deals with union representatives on personnel matters. Provides technical supervision necessary for accomplishing the work of the organizational unit.
Preferred Experience:

• Level 1 and Level 2 Sterile Processing certification strongly encouraged.

Note: All males born after 12/31/1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/76 PART II, APPENDIX G-47, dated May 28, 2014.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-08.Education: IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.Employment Type: FULL_TIME