Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Summary

A RECRUITMENT/RECLOCATION INCENTIVE IS AUTHORIZED FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED CANDIDATES This position is located in the Sterile Processing Service at the Columbia VA Healthcare System, located in Columbia, SC. This is a Supervisory Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing Service) position. The incumbent will perform Supervisory duties in Decontamination, Preparation, Sterilization and Case Cart section of Sterile Processing Service.

Duties

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The Supervisory Medical Supply Technician provides leadership of day-to-day operations under the direction of the Chief, Sterile Processing Service. The Supervisory MST functions as a first-level supervisor responsible for the oversight of a group of Medical Supply Technicians, with administrative responsibility for planning and directing of work. Oversees attendance and leave, including approval of sick and annual leave and vacation schedules. Informs high level management of anticipated vacancies or increases in workload. Recommends promotions, reassignments, recognition of superior performance, retention or release of probationary employees or other changes of assigned personnel. Holds corrective interview with employees, referring disciplinary problems to high levels of management. Provides technical supervisory necessary for accomplishing the work of the organizational unit. Operationalizes the quality assurance program in daily practice in order to ensure that the right instrument, in the right condition, is in the right place, at the right time. In conjunction with the Lead/RMD Coordinator/Educator, the Supervisor will be responsible for operational deployment of a comprehensive training program for all SPS staff. Communicate daily with customers in order to ensure open communication results in uninterrupted and consistently accurate flow of necessary RMD supplies for procedures. Plans work to be accomplished by subordinates, sets and adjusts short term priorities and prepares schedules for completion of work. Plans and assigns work on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis and adjust assignments during a workday to alleviate choke points in reprocessing activities. Participates in Interview Panels and makes recommendations regarding hiring decisions. Provides recommendations regarding promotion and advancement of the Medical Supply Technicians on respective shifts. Hears and resolves complaints from employees, referring to group grievances and more serious unresolved complaints to a higher-level supervisor or manager. Identifies developmental and training needs of employees, providing for and arranging for needed development and training. Finds ways to improve production or increase the quality of work directed and assists in the development of performance standards. Establish guidelines and performance expectations for staff, which are clearly communicated through the formal employee performance management system. Observes workers' performance, demonstrates and conducts work performance critiques. Provides informal feedback and evaluates employee performance. Resolves informal complaints and grievances. Develop work improvement plans, recommending personnel actions as necessary. Provides advice and counsel to workers related to technical work and administrative matters. Provides training to subordinates to fully comply with provisions of safety regulations. Make operational decisions based upon findings, observations or problems presented by subordinate technicians and direct observation. Directly oversees the work of employees under his/her supervision, orients new employees to their duties, validates competencies of employees, identifies equipment requirements, and recommends methods to improve the quality and productivity of the service. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday: 1:00pm - 11:30pm 10hr. tour with rotating day off. Subject to change based on department needs. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay, a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade). Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience. Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: FS 60141F

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All 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. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications and evaluation

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for 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. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

How to apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/02/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13069860. To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes: Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc. Cover Letter DD-214/ Statement of Service Disability Letter (VA) Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV) Performance Appraisal Professional Certification Proof of Marriage Status SF-15 SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action Transcript

Additional information

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. 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. 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. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.