Surgical Technician

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Saint Cloud (MN); On-site; USD 55,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Cloud VA Healthcare System is seeking a Surgical Technician to join the operating room team. The ST directly assists surgeons and staff during procedures and maintains sterile technique to ensure patient safety. Candidates must meet qualification standards by the closing date and may substitute education for experience.

The role involves handling instruments, maintaining sterile fields, and adhering to infection control policies in a high-stress OR environment.

Qualifications

• One year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-06 or higher in surgical settings.
• Education can substitute for experience with graduate coursework in anatomy, physiology, surgical technology, aseptic techniques.
• Combination of education and experience is acceptable if core requirements are met.

Responsibilities

• Assist the surgeon and team during surgical procedures.
• Prepare and protect sterile field using aseptic technique.
• Handle medical instruments, supplies and equipment during procedures.
• Control quality and infection prevention in the operating room.

Skills

Sterile technique

Knowledge of medical instruments

Anatomy & physiology

Infection control

Education

Graduate education or internship in surgical technology

Tools

Sterilizer operations

Job description

The Surgical Technician (ST) is a member of the Surgical Specialty Operating Room surgical team. This position is part of the surgical specialty service line of the St. Cloud VA Healthcare System. The primary purpose of the position is to directly assist the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/06/2026.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY:

In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.

In addition to meeting the requirement above, 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: utilizing knowledge of medical instruments, human anatomy, physiology, and aseptic technique to prepare and protect sterile field during surgery; exercising 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, using knowledge 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 (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. OR,
• Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and graduate education or an internship that meets the specialized experience required. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position..

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:

You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Physical Demands:

Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of which are in 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. 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.

Work Environment:

Duties are performed in the operating rooms which require special OR attire with regular and recurring exposure to toxic and noxious gases such as methyl methacrylate, formalin, exposure to x-rays, exposure to blood and body fluids which are often infectious, and laser beams requiring special safety precautions. Appropriate scrub attire is required to provide an aseptic environment, including sterile gown and gloves, surgical caps to cover hair, and surgical mask. The incumbent is often required to wear protective attire such as eye wear, googles or face shields to prevent inadvertent splash injuries to eyes, hoods during total joint replacements, appropriate laser glasses when working with lasers and must frequently wear a lead apron as protection from radiation during various procedures. The operating room can be an exceptionally stressful work environment. Good mental and emotional health is required to function at an optimum level.