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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 05/13/2026. 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/.

Duties

• 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-Friday (7:30am-4:00pm / 8:00am-4:30pm - with rotating weekends and holidays) Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Health Technician (Phlebotomist)/PD14453A and PD14531A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized