Purchasing Agent

Veterans Health Administration • Eureka, CA

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The VA San Francisco Health Care System is hiring two Purchasing Agents in the Prosthetics and Sensory Aids Service (PSAS). Duty locations may be the San Francisco VA Medical Center in San Francisco, the North Santa Rosa VA Clinic in Santa Rosa, or the Eureka VA Clinic in Eureka, California. This is not a virtual position; the employee must live within or be willing to relocate within commuting distance of the selected duty location. Salary depends on the duty location.

This is a multi-grade career-ladder position at GS-05/GS-06. The duties described are at the full-performance GS-06 level; at GS-05, assignments are more limited and performed with less independence. Promotion is discretionary and depends on performance, availability of higher-level work, and funding.

The Purchasing Agent provides direct medical-supply purchasing and inventory-management support to VA administrative and clinical services. The role initiates obligations for requirements needed to provide prosthetic and sensory-aid services, including durable medical equipment and supplies for Veterans. Work is primarily sedentary, with inventory duties in warehouse and storage settings that may involve walking, standing, bending, climbing, retrieving, carrying, and lifting items weighing up to 25 pounds. Prolonged computer-terminal work is required. The employee may need to wear protective clothing when visiting the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Fabrication Laboratory and may walk between the medical center and other Prosthetics areas.

The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Recruitment and relocation incentives are not authorized, and a Critical Skills Incentive is not approved.

Requirements

• For GS-05, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-04 involving relevant purchasing or procurement work; alternatively, qualifying education or a combination of qualifying education and experience may be used.
• For GS-06, one year of specialized experience equivalent to GS-05 involving purchasing or procurement-related work with medical equipment, supplies, prosthetic devices, durable medical equipment, or other healthcare products.
• GS-05 qualifying experience may include processing purchase requests and equipment orders; researching vendors, contracts, and product specifications; entering and tracking purchase orders; maintaining purchasing records and inventory accountability; verifying invoices and transaction information; and communicating with vendors, staff, and customers.
• GS-06 qualifying experience may include reviewing medical-product purchase requests; researching vendors, product descriptions, prices, and contracts; preparing and tracking purchase orders; reviewing and processing transactions or invoices; maintaining records and monitoring orders; resolving routine order or payment discrepancies; and communicating with vendors and internal customers about purchasing requirements, deliveries, and order status.
• Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
• Applicants must complete the application, questionnaire, and required online assessment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Selected applicants are subject to a background/security investigation and must complete online onboarding and acceptable identity-document requirements.
• Participation in the VA seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• The position requires a one-year probationary period.
• Applicants relying on education for GS-05 qualification must submit an unofficial transcript; GS-06 has no educational substitution.
• The employee must live within or be willing to relocate within commuting distance of the duty location.
• Physical demands include prolonged computer-terminal work; retrieving, stocking, and managing inventory; sitting, standing, walking, bending, climbing, and carrying or lifting items up to 25 pounds; and possible use of protective clothing during laboratory visits.

Responsibilities

• Review and triage prosthetic consults and prescriptions in VISTA and APAT to determine Veteran needs, urgency, eligibility, and appropriate procurement actions.
• Clarify medical needs, device specifications, and clinical requirements with requesting providers to ensure prescriptions are interpreted accurately and equipment and services are acquired appropriately.
• Prioritize routine and emergent requests, including STAT orders, to meet procurement timelines and avoid delays in discharges, surgeries, and care coordination.
• Monitor pending consults, suspense logs, and workload statistics to ensure timely processing, compliance with deadlines, and accurate reporting of PSAS activities.
• Procure Veteran-specific medical equipment, supplies, prosthetic appliances, and services through applicable contracts, mandatory sources, purchase-card transactions, and open-market acquisitions in accordance with federal procurement requirements.
• Evaluate vendor quotes, product specifications, medical justification, diagnosis, and purchasing hierarchy to select equipment that meets clinical needs and provides value to the government.
• Prepare acquisition plans and procurement packages, obtain supporting documentation, and upload quotes, bids, invoices, and related records into electronic contract-management systems.
• Establish purchase orders and obligate funds within authorized micro-purchase thresholds, applicable contracts, delegated purchasing authority, and purchase-card policies and procedures.
• Reconcile invoices, verify charges against Veteran records and services provided, resolve vendor discrepancies, maintain transaction records, and complete required adjustments before certifying payments.
• Manage prosthetic inventory, track equipment identification and expiration dates, coordinate replacement or replenishment, and maintain accountability for purchased, consigned, and issued equipment.

Benefits

• Federal employee benefits package available to the employee and family, subject to position type and eligibility.
• Eligible selected applicants may request credit for prior work or military service toward annual leave accrual; approval is required and is not guaranteed.

What This Job Offers

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