Surgical Technician

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Shreveport (LA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

US Department of Veterans Affairs is seeking a Surgical Technician to join the Shreveport campus surgical team. The technician will assist the surgeon and team during procedures and help plan and implement complex operations under supervision.

The role requires maintaining sterile fields, gathering supplies, and anticipating the surgeon's needs to support safe, efficient patient care. Applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date (10/16/2026).

Qualifications

• Experience maintaining sterile fields in operating rooms.
• Familiarity with surgical ethics and patient safety protocols.
• Adaptability to fast-paced surgical environments.

Responsibilities

• Maintain sterile field during procedures and anticipate needs of the surgeon.
• Assist circulating nurse and team with instruments, supplies, and equipment.
• Assist with tasks such as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures.

Skills

Instrumentation knowledge

Sterile technique

Education

One year of graduate education

Job description

The Surgical Technician (ST) is a member of the surgical team at the Shreveport campus and provides assistance to the surgeon and other team members during surgical procedures. The ST 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 (IOR):

Applicants who meet the Individual Occupational Requirements described below are fully qualified for the specified entry grade and must also meet the specialized experience and/or education requirements.

• Specialized Experience: 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 meeting the above Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) AND Time-In-Grade, applicants must also meet the experience and/or directly related education relevant to this position.

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: Knowledge of a variety of instrumentation and service lines including orthopedic, general urology, ophthalmology, vascular, thoracic and plastic, surgical ethics and conscious; Confirms all specimens to be sent to pathology with surgeon and verifies accuracy with team, gowns and gloves members of surgical team; Establishes and maintains sterile field during surgical procedures; Assists circulating nurse and surgical team in maintaining sterile environment; Assists circulating nurse in gathering surgical supplies and equipment; Assist the surgeon by performing such procedures as preparing skin grafts, suctioning, holding retractors, applying skin staples, and cutting sutures; Anticipates the needs of the surgeon by maintaining a high level of concentration for extended periods of time. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one (1) full year of graduate education. (Transcript Required).

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 Demands:

Duties regularly require providing manual assistance in lifting and positioning patients, most of which are 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. Position must be dexterous in passing instruments to surgeons without compromising principles and aseptic techniques and in a manner requiring little or no effort from the surgeon.