Surgical Technician

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 52,000 - 82,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs in Houston, TX is seeking a Surgical Technician to assist the surgeon and team during complex procedures, under supervision. The role focuses on scrubbing, aseptic technique, instrument handling, and maintaining sterile fields in the operating room.

The ideal candidate has OR experience or education in health services, with knowledge of universal precautions and infection control policies. The closing date for applications is 2026-10-16.

Qualifications

• 1 year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-06 or higher.
• Experience in an operating room and scrubbing/assisting in surgical specialties.
• Knowledge of sterile technique, sterilization, and handling of instruments.
• Experience with infection control policies and universal precautions.
• Ability to prepare and protect the sterile field during surgery.

Responsibilities

• Assist the surgeon and team during procedures.
• Scrub in, handle instruments, and maintain sterile technique.
• Support planning and implementation of complex procedures under supervision.

Skills

Operating room

Surgical scrubbing

Aseptic technique

Sterile equipment handling

Infection control

Education

Graduate education (1 year)

Job description

The Surgical Technician (ST) is a member of the surgical team and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during 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. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/16/2026.

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.

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: experience in an operating room; experience with scrubbing and assisting independently in the surgical specialties (i.e., Cardiac, transplant, orthopedic, neurological); experience with medical instruments, human anatomy, physiology and aseptic technic to prepare and protect sterile field during surgery; sterile technique to include sterilizer operations and tests to determine the effectiveness of sterilization, packaging, storage, and shelf life; handling medical instruments, supplies and equipment during all surgical procedures; performing proper cleaning techniques, as well as the proper handling and rotation of sterile supplies; handling contaminated items, quality control, and personal hygiene, experience of universal precautions and implementing infection control policies and procedures.

OR,

• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one year of graduate education to 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/.