Summary The position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center and Clinics in the Pathology and Laboratory Medical Service (PMLS). The multi-skilled Health Technician performs a wide range of administrative functions which includes compliance to CUA regulations for laboratory testing, clerical, and health tech functions. Responsibilities Major duties and responsibilities include but not limited to: Receives patients for medical laboratory testing. Processes orders and appointment, collects specimens and evaluates tests for processing determination. Performs patients care procedures such as collection of lab specimens, applying dressings, and adjusting simple supportive equipment. Contacts providers to correct order errors and to place orders if a patient arrives with no orders in the system. Follows proper patient preparations and venipuncture while following sterile collection techniques and bandage patient appropriately following collection. Collect, label, process, store, and either ship specimens that require reference lab testing or deliver to laboratory area that performs tests that are outside of the Health Technician scope of testing or not performed at our facilities. Monitor the patient's status and inform the provider of critical changes in health status and lab values. Organizes work so that efficiency is paramount and work area is neat, tidy and meets all regulatory requirements for sanitization required for laboratory certification. Monitors and documents temperature and humidity of room and equipment, refrigerators, instruments, etc. Responsible for all point of care laboratory testing which includes Urinalysis, Pregnancy Testing, Hemoglobin A1C, stool Hema cults, Rapid Strep, Rapid Flu and finger stick blood glucose. Ensure that all quality control materials are run and acceptable daily or as required by regulations. Ensure proper cleaning and perform minor maintenance of laboratory equipment and make adjustments as needed. Make adjustments to equipment of laboratory testing, set up all necessary accessories and supplies regarding laboratory testing and assist with minor surgical procedures. Run any proficiency specimens correctly and within required timeframe. Performs daily, monthly maintenance as required and documents such appropriately. Processes tissue cultures and specimen samples related to pathology testing which require difficult specialized procedures, specifically dermatological procedures (assists with pathology paperwork and specimen collection, transport, and proper labeling). Assists the ATC in the supervision of clinical staff including training and competency assessments. Maintains continuity of functions and provides full medical administrate support and nursing assistant functions within the clinic to both clinical, laboratory, and administrative VA staff. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Position Description/PD#: Health Technician - Path and Lab/PD13888A Physical Requirements: The work requires much walking through the clinic, with occasional requirements to lift objects, computer work and operating office equipment. The positions require the ability to process written and electronic information. The work requires the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally distressed patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity due to the fine skills of some of the point of care lab testing. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients. The work environment involves risks typically associated with performance of laboratory work. Work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions. Environment may involve infectious diseases, contact with or disposal of body secretions, verbal and physical abuse from emotionally distraught individuals and/or working around equipment. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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) As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 11/07/2025. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education GS-6 as described below: Specialized Experience: GS-6 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: data entry to include entering specimens into computer, collecting patient specimens, answering questions relative to patient specimens, instructing and assisting patients in specimen collection, performs routine repetitive diagnostic tests and procedures such as venipuncture collection of blood specimens, adhering to safety, infection control, and universal precautions at all times while drawing blood or performing tests, preparing and packaging specimens for shipment, ensuring/verifying correct labeling, patient identification, and appropriate storage temperature. OR Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-06 level. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required if the education or internship was directly related to the work of the position. Transcripts are required if you're using education as a substitute for specialized experience. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-06 level. 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 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information 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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.
