Surgical Technician

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 56,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Surgical Technician to assist the surgical team in performing hours of critical procedures. The ideal candidate will manage instruments, maintain sterile environments, and support the surgeon effectively. This full-time position offers competitive pay and opportunities for professional growth, including participation in a designated drug testing program.

Benefits

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Qualifications

• One year specialized experience equivalent to GS-6 level.
• Experience in sterilization and cleaning techniques.
• Assist in surgical procedures like skin grafts and suctioning.

Responsibilities

• Assist the surgical team during operations and maintain a sterile environment.
• Perform instrument counts and manage surgical supplies.
• Recognize hazardous situations and take corrective actions.

Skills

Aseptic technique

Manual dexterity

Attention to detail

Job description

Join to apply for the Surgical Technician role at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Continue with Google Continue with Google

2 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Join to apply for the Surgical Technician role at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

Sign in to access AI-powered advices

Continue with Google Continue with Google

Continue with Google Continue with Google

Continue with Google Continue with Google

Continue with Google Continue with Google

Continue with Google Continue with Google

Continue with Google Continue with Google

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provided pay range

This range is provided by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.

Base pay range

$56,955.00/yr - $74,046.00/yr

Summary

The Surgical Technician is a member of the surgical team and assists 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.

Help

Duties

Major duties include, but are not limited to:

• Anticipate needs of the surgical team.
• Handle all specimens appropriately
• Perform sponge and instrument counts to verify accuracy in conjunction with the circulating Registered Nurse (RN).
• Assist the surgeon by performing specific procedures (i.e. preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, etc.).
• Assist in training in the operation of equipment, sterile technique, handling of instruments, and/or specific procedures to include the scrub role in surgical procedures.
• Perform non-technical maintenance of equipment to prevent malfunctions.
• Recognize potentially hazardous situations (i.e. frayed cords, water on floor) and take corrective action(s).
• Assess equipment needs and maintain adequate stock of supplies and materials.
• Serve as a primary scrub person responsible for handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures.
• Use proper cleaning techniques and types of detergents to use on various items.
• Proper handling and rotation of sterile supplies, handling of contaminated items, quality control and personal hygiene.
• Prepare, organize and maintain highly complex sterile surgical setups.
• Maintain Operating Room (OR) area.
• Plan and discuss each procedure with surgical professionals and ensure all supplies and equipment are available prior to the surgical procedure.
• Respond to surgical team with speed and accuracy during surgical procedures.
• Assist the team members with care of the patient (i.e., positioning, prepping, obtaining supplies, etc.).
  
  

Work Schedule: Based on the needs of the service

Position Description Title/PD#: Surgical Technician/PD06637A



Physical Requirements: Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of who are at stages of unconsciousness. There are extensive periods of regular and recurring standing, walking, bending, lifting, pushing, reaching, and prolonged stretching to provide easy accessibility of instruments and supplies for the surgeon. The surgical technician 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.

DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.

Help

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
• 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 dentification 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)
  
  

Qualifications

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

INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: Please select the statement below that best describes your education and/or experience to meet the specific qualification requirements for this position. 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.

In addition to the IOR, candidates must meet the specialized experience below:

Specialized Experience: One (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-6 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience is defined as: working in an operating room and setting up a sterile field with all required items for surgical procedures (i.e., air-powered equipment, fiber optic equipment, laparoscopic equipment, microscopes, lasers, arthroscopy equipment, urologic equipment, recording devices, and other operating room (OR) supplies and equipment, etc.); use proper sterilization and cleaning techniques on instruments and equipment; and assist surgeon by performing such procedures such as skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples and cutting sutures.

NOTE: Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such 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.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

Additional information

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 (TJO). Please visit the Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP), va.gov/EMPLOYEE/docs/The-Fair-Chance-to-Compete-Act.pdf for more information.

The following will be communicated to applicants for VA employment in a testing designated position and will also be included in all VA vacancy announcements for such positions: All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.

The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be well-qualified, applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors if applicable, and must be proficient in most of the requirements of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website which can be found at https://www.opm.gov/.

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. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. 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.

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

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.

Read more

• Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
  
  

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Health Care Provider

• Industries

  Hospitals and Health Care

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs by 2x

Sign in to set job alerts for “Surgical Technician” roles.

Continue with Google Continue with Google

Continue with Google Continue with Google

Surgical Tech I, OR - $20k Sign-on Bonus

Certified Surgical First Assist - $20K Sign-on Bonus

Certified Surgical First Assistant / Spine

Certified Surgical First Assistant / Spine

Certified Surgical First Assist , Franklin - $20k Bonus

Surgical Tech I & II, Monroe Carell - $20K Bonus

CSFA / Certified Surgical First Assistant - Spine OR

Surgical Tech II, OR- $20k Sign-on Bonus

Certified Surgical First Assistant - Joint OR

ARRT Radiology / Limited X-Ray Technologist (Medical Assistant) at Ascension Saint Thomas Urgent Care - PRN

Certified Surgical First Assistant / Main Operating Room

Surgical Tech II, Franklin - $20K Sign-on Bonus

ARRT Radiology / Limited X-Ray Technologist (Medical Assistant) at Ascension Saint Thomas Urgent Care - PRN

Surgical Tech II, CVOR - $20k Sign-On Bonus

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.