Summary There are two (2) positions located in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the at VA Phoenix Health Care System - Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ. The Lead Medical Technician is responsible for working with the Phlebotomy Supervisor and other team members to ensure task completion and providing service to meet program and production goals. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: Applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received. Major duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Overseeing workflow, prioritizing tasks, and ensuring efficient coverage across all shifts and collection areas to meet quality and turnaround-time standards Creating and adjusting duty rosters, assigning personnel equitably across subsections (e.g., STAT draws, inpatient, outpatient), and adapting schedules to workload changes Serving as acting Phlebotomy Supervisor or lead during absences; managing staff leave requests and maintaining attendance records Communicating with internal and external customers, resolving specimen or service-related issues, and referring technical inquiries to appropriate departments Conducting orientation and training for new staff, students, and volunteers; evaluating proficiency and modifying training plans as needed Managing phlebotomy student rotations with affiliated schools, submitting required documentation, and providing feedback on performance and professionalism Preparing and updating SOPs, guidelines, and instructions related to specimen collection, send-outs, and section operations Ensuring adherence to accreditation standards (CAP, JC, CLIA, OSHA), VA policies, and safety protocols; implementing corrective actions as needed Accessioning, processing, and packaging specimens for referral labs; tracking results, handling incomplete orders, and updating test procedures Performing venipunctures, ensuring proper patient ID and specimen labeling, and processing specimens according to protocols Identifying equipment problems, determining if service is needed, and escalating as appropriate for repair or replacement Reviewing staff performance, documenting conduct, recommending promotions or corrective actions, and contributing to performance evaluations Maintaining inventory levels in inpatient areas and ordering reagents/supplies when delegated to prevent shortages Compiling workload data, assisting with management reports, contributing to performance improvement initiatives, and supporting strategic goals Participating in continuing education, workshops, and inspections to stay current with phlebotomy advancements and best practices Work Schedule: Monday to Friday (Rotating Weekends and Holidays); 06:00 a.m. to 02:30 p.m. OR 01:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 You may be required to serve a probationary period Subject to background/security investigation Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP) Qualifications Minimum Requirement: The following are minimum requirements for appointment as a Lead Medical Technician in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). One of the following minimum requirement criteria must be met to be qualified for this position. Specialized Experience (GS-06): You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. Specialized experience is: (a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled. At this level, specialized experience should include experience performing a variety of relatively standardized tests, examinations, and determinations. The procedures and techniques are well-established but involve many meticulous sequential steps to complete a test; and following written procedures which give carefully detailed instructions on each step of the assigned test and examinations. (CLEAR DETAILS OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: Your resume must show complete information for each job entry, such as beginning and ending dates of employment, duties performed, and/or total hours worked per week.) OR, Education (GS-06): Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successful complete of at least one-half year graduate education (i.e., 9 semester hours above a bachelor's degree) or an internship in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position (e.g., chemistry, hematology, blood banking, microbiology, serology, biological sciences, etc.). NOTE: One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) OR, Combination (GS-06): Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a combination of specialized experience and education, as described above. (UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED: If you do not submit your transcript, your application may not be reviewed.) AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: 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 meet the requirements of this position. AND SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability, or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirement for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Conscientiousness Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Diagnostic Medical Testing Teamwork Technical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: The work requires moderate physical exertion, such as regular and reoccurring running, walking, stooping, or bending to collect blood or record information. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job. There is a special requirement for agility and dexterity such as exceptional hand/eye coordination and sense of touch. 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/. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. NOTE: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov). Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
