Summary Join the Indian Health Service as a Medical Technician and make an impact! Use your laboratory skills to deliver accurate, life-saving results that support quality patient care in American Indian communities. Enjoy competitive benefits, professional growth, and a mission-driven career that truly matters. Apply today! USAJOBS Help Center - Update your resume now so it meets new resume requirements Responsibilities Perform laboratory testing - Conduct a wide range of routine and moderately complex clinical tests across disciplines such as chemistry, hematology, microbiology, urinalysis, immunology, serology, and blood banking. Maintain and calibrate equipment - Operate, calibrate, and perform preventive maintenance on laboratory instruments; troubleshoot and document equipment performance in compliance with policy and standards. Handle specimen collection and processing - Collect blood and other specimens, verify labeling and integrity, and prepare samples for analysis or shipment to reference laboratories. Ensure quality assurance and reporting - Validate and release test results, document quality control and proficiency testing, and assist with audits and performance improvement activities. Support laboratory operations and training - Follow biosafety and infection control protocols, provide guidance to staff or students, and participate in continuing education to maintain regulatory compliance. Requirements Conditions of Employment Selectee may be subject to a probationary period ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes. IHS Selectees whose duties and responsibilities require them to work permanently, temporarily, or occasionally in an IHS healthcare facility must comply with the IHS Employee Immunization Policy related to vaccine-preventable diseases, consistent with recommendations for healthcare workers. Vaccine exemption requests may be available, as outlined in the IHS Employee Immunization Policy and facility guidance. Position may be subject to rotating shifts: days, evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/. You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you. Background Investigation: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process. Qualifications To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): All specialized experience must meet the following: (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. In addition to the Basic Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Your resume must demonstrate the following education and/or experience as outlined below for the grade level(s) you are applying to. Any specialized experience must be equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the tasks as identified. GS-05: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following @type of work and/or tasks: instruct patients on specimen collection; operate and maintain laboratory and phlebotomy equipment; perform routine tests on blood, urine, and other specimens; perform venipuncture and capillary collections; prepare reagents and media following detailed instructions or guidelines; label, clean, and sterilize instruments and work areas; log referral specimens; maintain supply inventory and monitor expiration dates. OR A Bachelor's degree with major study in medical or clinical laboratory or a related field such as chemistry and/or the biological sciences; OR A Bachelor's degree in any field that includes at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled. Eligible courses may include: chemistry, hematology, blood banking, microbiology, or the biological sciences. OR A combination of education and experience. GS-06: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-05 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following @type of work and/or tasks: instruct patients on proper specimen collection and preservation; prepare and preserve specimen for analysis or referral following established procedures; performs patient phlebotomy via venipuncture and capillary methods ensuring correct patient identification; performs routine and standard clinical laboratory tests across chemistry, hematology, microbiology, urinalysis, serology, immunology and blood banking; evaluate test results and recognize normal and abnormal findings; operate, calibrate, and maintain laboratory instruments and troubleshoot issues; maintain records of quality control and equipment performance; prepare reagents and ensure temperature, humidity, and equipment standards are met; maintain laboratory records, quality control data, and reports using manual and computerized systems; adhere to federal standards and regulations to support continuous quality improvement processes. GS-07: Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-06 grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following @type of work and/or tasks: instruct patients and staff on proper specimen collection, preservation and transport procedures; collect and process patient specimens using venipuncture and capillary techniques; verify identification, labeling, and specimen integrity; perform a variety of clinical laboratory tests across multiple sections in chemistry, hematology, microbiology, urinalysis, serology, immunology, and blood banking to support patient diagnosis and treatment; evaluate and interpret test results; identify deviations from norm and report abnormalities to supervisor or senior laboratory staff; calibrate and operate analytical instruments to independently perform recurring tests; perform preventive maintenance and record laboratory equipment performance; communicate findings to healthcare providers; document quality control activities in compliance with federal standards and regulations; assist with quality assurance and performance improvement initiatives. OR Completion of 1 year (18 semester hours) of graduate education that is directly related to the work of the position. OR A combination of education and experience. Click on the following link to view occupational requirements for this position: Medical Technician 0645, Technical and Medical Support Positions Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). You must meet all qualification requirements by the respective cut-off day of rating to be eligible for consideration. Education You may qualify for this position with education. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.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 This is an Open Continuous Announcement. There MAY NOT be immediate vacancies at all locations. You will be limited to selecting no more than 5 locations during the application process, and will only be considered for the locations you select. Interested applicants should contact the Human Resources point of contact concerning immediate employment needs. 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. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous 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. This position may be covered by a Bargaining Unit. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 6 month service agreement will be required. This position meets the criteria specified in pillar number one of the five pillars of the PHS Commissioned Corps. PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps MUST apply online under the merit promotion announcement indicated above in order to receive consideration. For more information on PHS Commissioned Corps, visit the website at: https://www.usphs.gov/. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit: For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/ For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/ For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps This position has promotion potential to the GS-07 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher-level duties, the continuing need for the higher-level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied. You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan. As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government? In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness? How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role? How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements? Your responses are optional and will not be scored. However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process. You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).
