The incumbent performs the duties of a Health Technician in the clinical laboratory of the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. These complex duties include receiving and processing specimens including computerized accessioning, centrifugation, aliquoting, determining specimen acceptability, and delivery to the point of analysis or, if analysis is to be delayed, ensuring proper storage conditions are utilized to preserve specimen integrity.
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 01/02/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS 5 grade: Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience that required the application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of this position. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-04 grade level in Federal service. Specialized Experience include: specimen receipt and processing, instrument operation, maintenance, and testing, customer service, and send-out processing. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond . GS 6 grade Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: knowledge of laboratory procedures and terminology for all disciplines of the laboratory, knowledge to screen requests and specimen labels to ensure completeness, appropriateness, and priority for efficient handling and knowledge of general laboratory policies and procedures such that the incumbent is able to communicate requirements to and answer questions from patients and clinical staff. OR Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 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. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond . 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/.
Duties include but not limited to: Specimen Receipt & Processing: - Receives specimens into the laboratory area following all applicable policies and procedures. - Verifies patient identification and specimen labeling prior to acceptance into the laboratory. - Evaluates the suitability of the specimen for analysis, requesting new specimen if determined to be unusable. Prepares specimens for analysis, ensuring that the physiologic state of the specimen properties is maintained. Follows established protocol for handling of mislabeled/unlabeled specimens. - Ensures acceptable orders have been placed by provider and accurately accessions specimens and maintains correct identification by name and/or accession number through each phase of processing/testing. Instrument Operation & Maintenance & Testing: - Operates all equipment including, but not limited to automation line, centrifuges, pneumatic tube system, dumbwaiter, testing instrumentation as designed and according to all applicable policies and procedures. - Must have the ability to follow detailed instructions to operate various types of laboratory equipment. - May perform waived and/or moderately-complex testing as needed by the service. Customer Service: - Incumbent will accept incoming calls, answer questions, and provide information as able, and field and direct calls to the appropriate subspeciality laboratory area when necessary. - Provides information, guidance, and technical advice on test ordering, specimen collection and submission to clinical staff. - Maintains a positive attitude, willingness to work as part of a team and is supportive of coworkers. Collaborates and works well with others Send-Out Processing: - Processes samples as required for reference laboratory testing. - Prepares shipping manifest as required for reference laboratory testing. - Packages specimens in accordance with all applicable policies, procedures, and regulations. - The incumbent must be knowledgeable about the specimen requirements for each test and the ordering procedures for each reference 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: 9:00am-7:30pm, Monday-Wednesday and Friday, rotating weekends/holidays Compressed/Flexible: Available Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD92190A and PD92714A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized