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Lead Medical Technician

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Veterans Health Care Systems of the Ozarks

Summary

This position serves in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the Fayetteville, Arkansas campus of the Veterans Health Care System of the Ozarks. The Lead Medical Technician (Lead Phlebotomist) assigned to oversee phlebotomy support for both in- and outpatients. This role is responsible for performing phlebotomy, accessioning specimens, and performing other procedures necessary to ensure appropriate specimen receipt, handling, and processing to ensure accurate and reliable results.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/16/2026 to 04/29/2026
Salary
$54,147 - $70,392 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 5
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Fayetteville, AR
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
No
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
CBST-12928485-26-TC
Control number
865228900

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

This vacancy is open to current permanent "Veterans Health Care Systems of the Ozarks" Employees including satellites and CTAP eligibles.

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Duties

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Duties:

  • Performs blood collection using a variety of phlebotomy techniques including vacutainer systems, syringe, butterfly, and/or capillary finger sticks.
  • Collects blood specimens, using correct container and order of draw.
  • Collects urine specimens and cultures in a manner that preserves the integrity of sample.
  • Processes emergency specimens and routine specimens in a timely manner.
  • Follows proper protocol for specialty blood draws.
  • Evaluates the suitability of specimens.
  • Prepares electronic requisitions for samples to be sent to the reference laboratories.
  • Uses a computer to retrieve laboratory test information.
  • Performs computerized accessioning of patient specimens.
  • Identifies inpatients and outpatients for whom laboratory tests have been ordered, and prints labels for appropriate blood samples.
  • Understands and utilizes information resource technology (i.e. computers, printers, label printers, copy machines, phones, fax machines, various computer information packages, etc.).
  • Provides education to patients for proper collection techniques of urine, stool, or other fluid collections.
  • Interacts with patients, visitors, staff, students and volunteers in a courteous, helpful, tactful, cooperative, respectful and compassionate manner.
  • Responds positively and in a timely manner to customer requests for service or information.
  • Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.
  • Identifies patients and ensure proper sample procurement and specimen labeling.
  • Assesses patient condition before, during, and after procedures.
  • Administers initial intervention in the event of an emergency.
  • Observes and reports any physical or mental changes during patient blood draws.
  • Prepares samples for testing to include labeling, centrifugation, decanting and aliquoting, etc.
  • Sterilizes and autoclaves contaminated material according to safety policies.
  • Cleans glassware and other reusable items following established policies and procedures.
  • Adheres to all universal precautions, infection control, and safety regulations associated with phlebotomy.
  • Collects specimens using proper patient identification and specimen labeling.
  • Maintains operational and quality control logs, records, and worksheets.
  • Identifies unusual test results or discrepancies/conditions that can lead to erroneous results.
  • Experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients.

Work Schedule: Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:00 am - 3:30 pm, subject to change based on the needs of the facility.
Telework: Unavailable
Position Description/PD#: Lead Medical Technician/PD03232-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Approved
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Approved

Requirements

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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.
  • Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
  • 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 or 2-year trial 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, 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, 04/29/2026.

Individual Occupational Requirement: Applicants who meet the Individual Occupational Requirements described below are fully qualified for the specified entry grade and must also meet the specialized experience and/or education requirements. Select the one statement that best describes your experience, education, or combination thereof, that demonstrates you possess the basic requirements to perform this job.

To qualify you must possess one of the following:

Specialized Experience:(a) Technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings or (b) technical support work in a closely related field, e.g., biological laboratory technician work, that required application of the methods and techniques for the position to be filled.

OR

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 appropriate to the position to be filled.

In addition to meeting the above Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), applicants must also meet the experience and/or directly related education relevant to this position.

To qualify at the GS-05 grade, you must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-04 level or higher and/or meet educational requirements or a combination of specialized experience and education. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position.
Specialized Experience:
Experience performing venipuncture.
Experience training and orienting new employees.
Experience communicating both orally and in writing.
Experience maintaining laboratory supplies.
OR
Education: 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation (transcripts required).
OR
Combination of Specialized Experience and Education: Combination of specialized experience as described above and education as described above which totals in excess of 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (transcripts required).[To calculate: determine your total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-05 level. Then determine your education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-05. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Specimen Collection
  • Computer Skills
  • Customer Service
  • Patient Care
  • Quality Assurance

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

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

The 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 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/.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.

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.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.

Placement Policy: The posting of this announcement does not obligate management to fill a vacancy or vacancies by promotion. The position may be filled by reassignment, change to lower grade, transfer, appointment, or reinstatement. Management may use any one or any combination of these methods to fill the position.

Veterans Health Administration

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Fayetteville is nestled in the heart of the Ozark Mountains, and is an outdoor paradise with hiking, golf, fishing, rafting, boating, and four distinct seasons. Fayetteville is the home of the University of Arkansas "Razorbacks" which provides the community with a college atmosphere. The area is home to several fortune 500 businesses such as Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, and J. B. Hunt Trucking, who have been generous benefactors for the community and the arts. In the neighboring community of Bentonville, Crystal Bridges Museum has been labeled as one the top 10 must see places in America. Fayetteville has outstanding public schools, excellent parks and trail system and is ranked as 4th "best college sports town" and 8th for business and careers by Forbes Magazine. Fayetteville is ranked as 7th best city in America to work, live and play by Kiplinger. The cost of living is 90% of the national average with affordable housing available in all price ranges

Agency contact information

Tania Cruz
Phone
719-238-4358
Email
Tania.Cruz@va.gov
Address
Fayetteville AR VA Medical Center
1100 North College Avenue
Fayetteville, AR 72703
US

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https://www.va.gov/jobs/

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