Why This Surgical Technician Job Matters
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Surgical Technician Job Overview
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/30/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: English Language Proficiency Requirement: 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 perform the duties of this position. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR). This position has a minimum qualification entry requirement: 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 requires application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. AND, Specialized Experience:You must have one year of specialized experience at the next lower grade level GS-6 that equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics in or related to the work of this position. Examples of specialized experience include but are not limited to: providing assistance to a surgical team during surgical procedures; utilizing knowledge of highly technical medical instruments, human anatomy and aseptic technique to prepare and protect the sterile field during surgery; functioning as primary scrub person handling instruments, supplies, and equipment during all surgical procedures; preparing, organizing, and maintaining highly complex sterile surgical set-up; observing and responding to each state of a surgical procedure to anticipate the needs of the surgeon; handling specimens appropriately, cleaning and decontaminating instruments before and after procedures. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Successfully completed one (1) full year of graduate education (or 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: You must have a combination of successfully completed graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate courses directly related to the work of the Surgical Technician position. Equivalent combination of successfully completed some graduate level education and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total experience requirements for this grade level. The education portion must include graduate 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. Preferred Experience: Completion of a Surgical Technologist program preferred but not mandatory. 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/.