Summary This position is in the Sierra Vista, Arizona Primary Care Community Based Outpatient Clinic Lab within the Nursing, Ambulatory Care Service. The position will provide lab specimen collection, preparatory processes, quality control checks, and logistics inventory management for the entire clinic. This position provides a service to complement a fully coordinated continuum of care for patients. Responsibilities THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION Major Duties: Responsible for technical accuracy, and validity of instrumentation and laboratory test results. Operates, calibrates, and maintains medical instruments, equipment to ensure reliable and valid laboratory testing and resulting. Monitors and plans equipment inventory, routine equipment maintenance, and serves as a unit resource for cleaning and disinfection of non-critical, semi- critical, and critical Reusable Medical Equipment (RME). Performs a wide range of clinical laboratory tests and examinations to assist in clinical diagnosis, patient screening, patient therapy, and monitoring. Follows procedures to assure proper patient identification prior to doing the procedure. Instructs patients and/or other personnel in collection, processing, and transportation of specimens. Performs work in the testing and examination procedures carried out in the laboratory. Draws blood specimens, preparing the sample for analysis, analyzing the sample, evaluating the result, and reporting out the result. Participate in the training of new lab technicians and nursing staff in the processes, standards, and validating competency for collecting and processing lab specimens. Serves as a technical expert and resource for information concerning regulations, policies, and procedures. Maintains oversight and responsibility when clinic personnel when they work in the laboratory environment. Functions as liaison with Laboratory leadership to update practice, process changes, and troubleshoot any issues that arise with lab and specimen processing and shipment to the main lab. Performs other related duties as assigned. 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. Work Schedule: M-F (6:30am - 3:00pm) Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized 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 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, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications 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. Minimum Qualification Requirements: For this Medical Technician, GS-5 position, at least one (1) full year of specialized experience, equivalent to at least the GS-4 grade level, 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. OR For this Medical Technician, GS-5 position, successfully completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application) OR For this Medical Technician, GS-5 position, equivalent combinations of post-high school education and specialized experience, as described above? Note: only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application) 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 requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: possess 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: Computer Skills Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Patient Care Quality Assurance Specimen Collection 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 extensive and recurring physical exertion such standing for long period of time, bending, lifting, walking, stooping, and stretching. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job and requires above average agility and dexterity. The work requires extensive and recurring physical exertion; to include assisting patients in and out from wheelchairs or bending while drawing blood; and to lift light loads. Knowledge and competency in the use of lifting equipment and mobility devices. The work also requires lifting loads. 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 Note: Per "Executive Order 14251: Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs", this position is no longer eligible for bargaining unit participation. 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.
