Summary The Health Technician will be located within the Veteran Affairs Health Care System, North Florida/South Georgia (NF/SG), Leo C. Chase Jr. Community Based Outpatient Clinic, Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT). The incumbent provides technical and supportive assistance to medical personnel and team members in the diagnosis or treatment of patient's illnesses or medical conditions in PACT setting. The position is within the NF/SG catchment area located in Saint Augustine, FL. Responsibilities Duties include, but not limited to: Performs arrange of diagnostic support studies such as taking and labeling specimens for the laboratory. Adheres to safety, infection control and universal precautions at all times while drawing blood. Performs standard diagnostic tests or procedures such as venipuncture for collection of blood specimens or timed collections according to written protocol or as directed by the physician or other professional staff. Instructs patients in the proper midstream urine collection, 24-hour urine collection, collections of specimens for culture and sensitivity, stool, or sputum and reviews any special preparations for labs or procedures prior to completing. Verifies the accuracy and completeness of requests through the use or the Vista or CPRS computer systems. Receives samples for testing in the laboratory, labels specimens correctly, centrifuges samples, and distributes them appropriately for processing based on department. Maintains the blood drawing room, including the replacement of supplies as needed. Receives and relays incoming telephone calls and CPRS messages as well as secure messages. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 4:00pm Compressed/Flexible: Not available. Telework: This position is not authorized for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD05063A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. 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 physical demands are primarily standing and walking, but also some bending, lifting and carrying light items. The work requires above average agility and dexterity. Standing for long periods of time may be required, as well as the ability to lift, pull, push 20-30 pounds. 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, 05/12/2026. 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 next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: 1) Knowledge of equipment, safety practices, and emergency lifesaving techniques. 2) Ability to assists nursing staff to plan for continuing nursing care/follow up during ED visit. 3) identifies unsafe or emergent conditions of the work and intervenes appropriately. 4) Performs routine work with minimal direction within the appropriate guidelines using interdependent judgment in recurring tasks and referring unusual problems or deviations to supervisor. 5) Utilized prescribed documentation format to compile pertinent, meaningful, and accurate data in the patient's medical record. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have Six (6) months of graduate-level education or an internship directly related to the work of the position. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education that meets 100% of the qualification requirements. 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 for 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/.
