Program Specialist (Operating Room)

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/29/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-09 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-07. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-07 level in the Federal service, that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to successfully perform the duties of this position and that is typically in or related to the work of the position being filled.

Examples of specialized experience include, but aren't limited to: coordinating the procurement, availability, inventory, and management of medical supplies, equipment, or instrumentation; identifying and analyzing operational, workflow, staffing, resource, or equipment-related problems and collaborating with clinical and administrative staff to recommend or implement solutions; gathering, analyzing, interpreting, and trending program or operational data; preparing management reports, presentations, graphs, or other data products; coordinating operating-room or comparable healthcare support activities across multiple organizational functions; forecasting, budgeting, managing, or monitoring equipment and service transactions and other program expenditures; applying medical terminology and procurement, purchasing, or contracting terminology; coordinating with vendors, sales representatives, contracting personnel, sterile processing, logistics, or clinical staff to ensure equipment and supplies are available, processed, and delivered timely; planning and evaluating projects or program activities; and interpreting policies, procedures, accreditation requirements, or regulatory standards and monitoring corrective actions through completion. -OR- Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience.

To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a Master's or equivalent graduate degree -or- 2 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree -or- LL.B. or J.D., if related. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION). -OR- Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education as described above.

Only graduate education in excess of the amount required for the next lower grade level may be used to qualify applicants for positions at grades GS-9 and GS-11. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education beyond the first 18 semester hours of graduate-level education earned (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED WITH APPLICATION).

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/.

Physical Requirements

Light lifting, under 15 pounds Light carrying, under 15 pounds Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Both hands required Walking, 5 hours Standing, 5 hours Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously Both eyes required Depth perception Ability to distinguish basic colors Hearing, aid may be permitted

Maintains and improves systems of delivering health care by developing better programs and policies, improving utilization of resources, designing and overseeing needed changes, and being a catalyst for positive change and continuous improvement for operating room functions. Responsible for translating and accurately interpreting the policies, theories, and strategies into action within the complex interrelationships that exist in Surgical Service operations.

Maintains relationships with peers and counterparts at other medical centers to support cooperation, resource sharing, and resolution of operational problems; develops and presents recommended solutions to management. Responsible on a day-to-day basis for coordinating and facilitating the function of all services, clinical and administrative, which interface with Operating Room functionality.

Evaluates operating room issues, develops recommendations based on applicable policies and accreditation requirements, and tracks approved actions through completion. Identify and analyze problems in workflow, work distribution, staffing, performance/proficiency, and organizational structure to improve the efficiency and productivity of the Operating Room.

Coordinates with Surgery, Anesthesia, Nursing, Biomedical Engineering, Prosthetics, and Sterile Processing to ensure required instrumentation and equipment are available, functional, and ready for the daily surgical schedule.

Has oversight for analysis, managing, coordinating, controlling, purchasing, monitoring, and accounting for a variety of medical equipment and services to support assigned services in the operating room and associated areas including, but not limited to the pre-operative holding, outpatient surgery, and post-anesthesia unit. Coordinates the purchase and availability of equipment required for operating room procedures in accordance with applicable budgetary and procurement processes.

Forecasts, budgets, manages, and controls all equipment and service transactions for assigned areas in the medical center. Serves as the main contact person for all OR equipment related issues for SPS, OR, distribution, purchasing, and warehouse personnel.

Coordinates the procurement and management of operating room supplies, equipment, and instrumentation; facilitates coordination among the operating room, Sterile Processing, purchasing, vendors, and surgeons regarding equipment, supplies, and procedural requirements.

Within the parameters of the approved project plan, the employee is responsible for planning and organizing all issues/projects related to the OR, estimating costs, coordinating with staff and management, and conducting all phases of any projects or assignments. Informs management of potentially controversial findings, issues, or problems with widespread impact.

Serves as a liaison among physicians, nursing staff, Central Supply, purchasing personnel, vendors, logistics staff, and other support services to coordinate operating room requirements, exchange information, and resolve operational issues. Provides technical guidance to the supply tech and training on supply management duties for the OR. In conjunction with the OR supply tech, coordinates proper inventory of stock within the OR, as well as the turn-in of excess inventory and end of life equipment.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Program Specialist (Operating Room)/PD00520A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized