Lead Medical Supply Technician (Sterile Processing)

Veterans Health Administration • Minneapolis, MN

10d • Onsite

About The Position

The Lead Medical Supply Technician (MST) supports the Sterile Processing Service (SPS) management team at the Minneapolis VA Healthcare System in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The role distributes and prioritizes staff workload and is responsible for departmental activities during the assigned tour of duty, including receiving instruments and trays, decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and building case carts. The Lead MST serves as a subject matter expert, guides staff in proper procedures, monitors work, and ensures compliance with established policies and quality standards.

The position assesses the quality and quantity of reusable medical equipment (RME) cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution; coordinates special and emergent requirements with medical and surgical staff; and advises medical personnel on proper use of sterile equipment and related issues. The Lead MST also provides day-to-day work direction, instruction, training, review, and reporting for employees. The full performance level and actual selection grade are GS-7.

The work schedule is 3:00 p.m.–11:30 p.m. CST, with a variable shift and rotating weekends and holidays. Telework is unavailable, and the position is not virtual.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship, subject to the stated exception for appointments when qualified citizens cannot be recruited.
• At least six months of experience demonstrating the ability to perform the work or an understanding of it; or one year of education above high school including at least six semester hours in health-care-related courses; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.
• For the GS-7 grade, one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, with experience comparable to MST work at that level.
• For GS-7, demonstrated ability to instruct staff on correct procedures and protocols; communicate to ensure compliance with directives, rules, and regulations; and maintain effective interpersonal relationships with employees, team leaders, and managers.
• For GS-7, knowledge of sterility principles sufficient to instruct staff on decontamination procedures, and ability to lead individuals, manage priorities, and schedule work assignments.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Successful completion of applicable pre-employment requirements, including background/security investigation and, for applicants tentatively selected for testing-designated positions, urinalysis screening.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Ability to meet the position’s physical requirements, which may be evaluated through a pre-employment examination or evaluation.
• Compliance with the required 1- or 2-year trial period.

Nice To Haves

• Leadership or supervisor experience.
• Five years of sterile processing experience across areas such as pack and prep, decontamination, and the scope room.

Responsibilities

• Distribute and balance workload among staff to support timely processing and keep employees appropriately occupied.
• Monitor work status and progress, make day-to-day adjustments based on priorities, and report expected completion times.
• Maintain records of work accomplishments and extended time, and prepare production reports as requested.
• Receive instruments and trays and oversee their processing through decontamination, assembly, sterilization, and case-cart preparation.
• Guide staff as a subject matter expert on proper procedures and protocols; provide task instruction, written guidance, reference materials, and on-the-job training for new employees.
• Maintain current knowledge of procedures, policies, and directives and answer employee questions; consult the supervisor when necessary.
• Monitor work in progress and spot-check completed work for compliance with instructions, work sequences, procedures, methods, deadlines, and quality standards; amend or reject work that does not meet standards.
• Assess the quality and quantity of RME cleaning, reprocessing, and distribution.
• Coordinate special and emergent requirements with medical and surgical staff and advise medical personnel on the proper use of sterile equipment and related problems.
• Provide management officials with information about performance issues, assignment changes, and task completion; report employee performance, progress, training needs, and behavior problems to the supervisor.
• Complete MST competencies as delegated.
• Monitor working conditions such as seating, ventilation, lighting, and safety.
• Resolve simple, informal employee complaints and refer other matters to the supervisor.
• Refer questions or issues not covered by standards, and problems meeting performance standards, to the supervisor.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, including 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior military service or other qualifying prior work experience, subject to approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment in connection with birth, adoption, or foster-care placement of a child.
• Potential childcare subsidy for eligible full-time employees after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in VA contributions.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED