Summary This position is located in the Pathology and Laboratory Medical Service within the Eastern Oklahoma VA Health Care System and Community Based Outpatient Clinic, performing support work in a wide range of administrative functions, to include compliance to Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) and The Joint Commission regulations for laboratory testing, clerical, and health technician functions. Responsibilities The Health Technician uses knowledge of the technical methods and procedures to independently carry out a variety of essential duties common to the lab and maintains continuity of functions, providing full medical administrative support and @type of nursing assistant functions within the laboratory and administrative VA staff. Duties include, but are not limited to: Working with clients and customers to assess their needs, provide information or assistance, resolve their problems or satisfy their expectations. Operating guidelines to determine technical factors, setting controls, calibrating, and operating equipment and instruments such as occult blood analyzer. Ensuring proper cleaning and performing minor maintenance/adjustments of laboratory equipment. Maintaining records for point of care testing and maintenance of laboratory machines. Performing patient care procedures such as collection of lab specimens, applying dressings, adjusting simple supportive equipment, and handling various specimens including venous blood. Preparing patient for blood or collection according to College of American Pathologists (CAP) and The Joint Commission (TJC) guidelines; follows proper patient preparation and venipuncture while following sterile collection techniques and bandage patient appropriately following collection. Accepting patient orders, printing labels, selecting proper tubes and containers, PPE, labeling specimens with all required information. Determining correct handling environment for each specimen submitted for referral laboratory testing and performing processing procedures. Ensuring fire, safety disaster, and infection control procedures are implemented by staff; utilizing protective and supportive devices which comply with Personal Protective Equipment Infection Control Standards. Processing tissue cultures and specimen samples related to pathology testing. Preparing specimens to be sent to outside laboratories, including reference and sharing laboratories; assuring the proper specimen was collected, recording in the send-out book, putting specimen in the proper receptacle; packaging specimen to maintain correct temperature during shipping; completing and checking paperwork, and sending specimen to correct laboratory. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday-Thursday or Tuesday - Friday, Midnight to 10:00am (with rotating holidays and ADHOC weekends) Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician - Phlebotomist/PD14453A and PD14451A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): 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 work requires much walking through the clinic, lifting objects, and operating office equipment; ability to physically control/defend against emotionally distressed patients; requires above average agility/dexterity; may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients; required to commute between two outpatient clinics, depending on the clinic workload. 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) Per 5 CFR 330.502, general restriction on movement after competitive appointment applies. 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, 07/30/2026. Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR): The Health Aid and Technician Series, 0640 has a minimum qualification entry requirement: Specialized Experience (GS-04 grade level and above): Positions in this series range widely in @type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. Education and Training (GS-05 grade level): Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. AND, You may qualify for the GS-05 grade level 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-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: Basic knowledge of anatomy sufficient to assure accurate and appropriate phlebotomy procedures; implementation and monitoring of phlebotomy guidelines and policies; skill in laboratory test requests and medical terminology sufficient to ensure appropriate specimen tube selection and proper blood procurement; skill sufficient to process specimens for routine laboratory test procedures skill sufficient to operate laboratory centrifuges; basic clerical procedures to assist with laboratory record keeping and processing of reports; understanding of regulatory agencies requirements to include College of American Pathologists and the Joint Commission. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses directly related to the occupation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as stated above to meet total experience requirements. You may qualify for the GS-06 grade level 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: Basic knowledge of anatomy sufficient to assure accurate and appropriate phlebotomy procedures; implementation and monitoring of phlebotomy guidelines and policies; skill in laboratory test requests and medical terminology sufficient to ensure appropriate specimen tube selection and proper blood procurement; skill sufficient to process specimens for routine laboratory test procedures skill sufficient to operate laboratory centrifuges; basic clerical procedures to assist with laboratory record keeping and processing of reports; understanding of regulatory agencies requirements to include College of American Pathologists and the Joint Commission. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have graduate education or an internship with courses 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 equivalent combination of specialized experience and education as stated above to meet total experience requirements. English Language Proficiency: Applicants must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d). 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/.
