Clarification from the agency

ALL US CITIZENS. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY: This position is being filled using Direct-Hire Authority (5 CFR 337.201) for this occupation.

Major duties include but not limited to:

• Responsible for timely and accurate collection, accessioning, processing and distribution of laboratory specimens.
• Processes specimens into the laboratory according to laboratory procedure. Identifies and accessions specimens by computer. Labels specimens according to laboratory policy. Prioritizes specimens by urgency and distributes each specimen to the appropriate pathology laboratory section for testing.
• Responsible for storage and preparation of specimens for send-out testing. Prepares test requisitions for all send-out tests according to the reference lab's specifications. Ensures that results are returned for all tests sent out. Maintains filing system for send-out test order requisitions and results.
• Serves as contact person for referral laboratories. Gathers information for new or changed send-out tests. Informs laboratory information manager and section supervisor of any changes in send-out tests.
• Answers or directs routine inquires from telephone calls or visitors. Communicates standard laboratory procedures and practices to Medical Center staff and resolves problems with specimens received by the laboratory according to P&LMS policy.
• Collects and processes biohazard waste for disposal. Collects and cleans glassware, plastics and other lab equipment according to washroom procedure. Distributes clean glassware to various laboratory locations. Monitors condition and supply of plastics and glassware. Performs quality control on laboratory dishwashing equipment.
• Provides teaching and guidance to other health technicians, students and volunteers. Provides assistance to other medical center staff concerning laboratory processes and procedures.
• Performs daily, weekly and monthly, maintenance on designated laboratory equipment. Monitors temperature on refrigerators, freezers, ovens, incubators and other designated laboratory equipment.
• Acts as an autopsy assistant. Assists the prosecutor as directed in performing the autopsy by making the initial incision, removing, weighing and describing the organs, opening and cleaning the intestine, opening the skull and removing the brain and any other organs required. Ties off blood vessels. Prepares the body for the funeral home by replacing the organs and suturing the body and head cavities closed.
• Cleans and maintains the autopsy suite and tissue examination room.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00am - 3:30pm, PST
Position Description Title/PD#: Health Technician - Autopsy Assistant/PD213680
Physical Requirements: Requires walking, sitting, lifting up to 35 pounds, listening, speaking, intermittent bending and long periods of standing. Must be able to moves bodies in the morgue unassisted.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this job
• Subject to a background/suitability investigation
• Designated and/or random drug testing may be required
• May serve a probationary period
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
• A complete application package; Resume, Transcripts, etc
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process
• 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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet specialized experience requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Individual Occupational Requirements:

• Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 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. OR
• Education/Training: For GS-5: 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.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: 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.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• Specialized Experience Requirement for GS-05: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-04 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes:
  • collecting, accessioning, processing, and distribution of laboratory specimens;
  • preparing of specimen for send out;
  • answering or directing routine inquiries;
  • collecting and processing biohazard waste for disposal;
  • filing;
  • assisting the prosector as directed in performing autopsy; OR
• Education: Four (4) years of education above the high school level leading to a Bachelor's degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position (i.e. medical technologist, nursing, etc). (Transcripts Required) OR
• Combination: An equivalent combination of successfully completed post-high school education (beyond the second year) and specialized experience, as described above, which meet the total qualification requirements for this grade level. This education must have been obtained at an accredited business, secretarial or technical school, junior college, college or university. To determine if you met these requirements, total your qualifying experience as a percentage of the experience required for the grade level; then determine your education as a percentage of the education required for the grade level; then add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify. For example, an applicant has 8 months of GS-4 level specialized experience and 80 semester hours of college. The applicant meets 67 percent of the required experience and 33 percent of the required education (i.e., 20 semester hours in excess of the first 60 semester hours). The applicant meets 100 percent of the total requirements and is qualified for the position. (Transcripts Required)

Preferred Experience: Working as a cytology, histology and autopsy assistant. Working with the team at changing conditions, under stress. Attention to detail. Excel/Work skills, and good organizational skills.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
Communications, Critical Thinking, and Infection Control

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; religions; 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.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. 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.

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/.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Applicants will be referred in the order in which they were received.

Resume Reminder - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:

• Job title
• Duties (be as detailed as possible)
• Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
• Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
• Salary/Rank etc.
• Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
• References, current or recent supervisor

Do not include the following types of information in your resume:

• Classified or Government sensitive information
• Social Security Number (SSN)
• Photos of yourself
• Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc.

Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. The experience stated in your resume must support your assessment responses.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.