Surgical Technician

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Augusta (GA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Augusta, GA is seeking a Surgical Technician under Direct Hire Authority to support operating room teams. The position ranges from GS-4 and above, with opportunities to advance based on experience and education.

Qualified applicants may meet through specialized experience (CST/TS-C), or education (one year graduate study or internship in surgical tech). Documentation of transcripts required; combination of education and experience also acceptable per

Qualifications

• Specialized experience: one year at GS-06 level or equivalent, CST/TS-C certification, OR experience, knowledge of sterile technique, instrumentation, and reusable medical equipment processing.
• Education: one full year of graduate education (18 semester hours) or an internship with coursework related to surgical technology (anatomy, physiology, aseptic techniques). Transcript submission required.
• Combination: mix of education and experience meeting total requirements; graduate courses related to surgical tech noted.

Skills

CST certification

Operating room experience

Sterile technique

Infection prevention

Surgical instrumentation

Implant management

Reusable medical equipment processing

Education

Graduate education or internship in surgical technology

Job description

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.205) for this occupation.

Individual Occupational Requirements(IOR) (for positions at GS-4 and above): 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.

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 08/13/2026.

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: Current Certified Technologist (CST) or TS-C certification; at least two years of recent hospital operating room experience; demonstrated knowledge of sterile technique, infection prevention, surgical instrumentation, implant management, and reusable medical equipment processing. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate education (18 semester hours) or an internship in course matter that must include courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position such as anatomy and physiology, surgical technology, aseptic techniques, etc. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation. ~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 graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position. This education must have been obtained in an accredited college or university. NOTE: Transcripts (unofficial or official) must be submitted with your application materials. Education cannot be credited without documentation.

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/.