Surgical Technician

This position is located in the Erie VA Medical Center Ambulatory Surgery and reports to the Manager of Ambulatory Surgery within the Clinical Services line. The Surgical Technician is an integral part of the Operating Room (OR) care team, functioning under the guidance of nursing and medical staff in Ambulatory Surgery and the Operating Room.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement (08/03/2026).

• Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-5. Examples include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists.
• Preferred Experience: Certified Surgical Technician with 5+ years of experience.

There is no educational substitution for the GS-06 level. For more information on qualification standards, visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website.

Responsibilities

• Don OR attire and personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Gather, check, and open supplies and equipment needed for surgical procedures.
• Perform the surgical scrub, donning gown and gloves.
• Set up the sterile back table and mayo stand with instruments, supplies, equipment, and medications/solutions.
• Perform initial instrument, sharps, and sponge counts with the circulating nurse.
• Assist team members with gowning and gloving.
• Assist with draping the patient and establishing the sterile field.
• Participate in surgical site and patient verification during the "time out" procedure.
• Secure tubing, cords, and other sterile accessories.
• Prepare and anticipate additional instrumentation, equipment, and supplies during procedures.
• Anticipate the needs of the surgeon by passing instruments and supplies during procedures.
• Measure and pass medications, hemostatic agents, and irrigation solutions.
• Hold retractors or instruments as directed by the surgeon.
• Sponge or suction the operative site as necessary.
• Apply electrocautery to clamps or forceps on bleeders at the surgeon’s direction.
• Cut suture material as directed by the surgeon.
• Coordinate the camera or change instruments during endoscopic procedures.
• Maintain the highest standard of sterile technique during procedures.
• Perform additional counts as necessary.
• Prepare sterile dressings and/or immobilization devices.
• Prepare and pass off specimens as appropriate.
• Clean and prepare instruments for terminal sterilization.
• Assist in prepping (turning over) the OR for the next patient/procedure.
• Set up and operate equipment such as electrocautery, laser, suction, microscope, endoscopic and laparoscopic cameras, battery and air-powered drills/saws, radiofrequency generators, and disposable/non-disposable instruments.
• Function as the primary scrub person assisting the surgeon in a full range of procedures, including General Surgery, Upper and Lower Endoscopy, Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, Podiatry, Urology, and Pain Management.
• Participate in debriefing and quality improvement practices to ensure quality patient care.
• Assist with transferring the patient to and from the OR table.
• Monitor patient comfort and provide verbal and tactile reassurance.
• Assist in maintaining normothermia.
• Assist with patient positioning using appropriate equipment and anatomical principles to avoid injury.
• Properly care for specimens according to Erie VA policy.
• Secure dressings after incision closure.
• Update and maintain accurate records of the surgeon’s preferences.
• Collaborate with the circulator to stock OR supplies.
• Coordinate with ambulatory surgery nursing staff to stock necessary supplies in PACU/pre/post-operative bays.

Schedule

Monday – Friday, 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM.