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Medical Technician - Phlebotomy

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Baltimore VA Medical Center

Summary

Medical Technicians work in a clinical laboratory providing a range of diagnostic functions to include blood collection procedures, receipt and accessioning of clinical specimens, assisting patients and specimen preparation and delivery to clinical areas.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
04/15/2026 to 04/24/2026
Salary
$47,588 - $61,867 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 4
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Glen Burnie, MD
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
25% or less - You may be expected to travel for this position.
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
Yes
Announcement number
CBTF-12935601-26-AP
Control number
865325200

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Open to current Department of Veteran Affairs employees and Federal employees who met the definition of a "surplus" or "displaced" employee, veterans and all other applicants.

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Duties

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Major Phlebotomist Duties:

  • Performs venipunctures on outpatients & inpatients by correctly identifying patients.
  • Adheres to safety, infection control, and universal precautions at all times while drawing blood.
  • Must be proficient in the area of phlebotomy, being able to draw all but the most difficult patients and follows proper procedures for redrawing blood.
  • Independently determines the need and initiates a Medical Emergency, Code Blue and/or Code Green for a violent patient.
  • Observes and reports any physical or mental changes while patients are being drawn.
  • Instruct patients in proper procedure for 24 hour urine collection.
  • Prepares specimens and accessions clinical specimens for analysis in the clinical laboratory using the appropriate CERNER and/or VISTA options.
  • Actively receives and accessions appropriate orders for laboratory testing.
  • Recognizes emergency situations and takes necessary action.
  • Establishes priorities for emergency orders.
  • Notifies technologists of impending work.
  • Receives specimens for testing into the laboratory.
  • Verifies sample collection, patient identification, and sample transport requirements for all laboratory tests. Identifies unusual conditions and discrepancies, which may cause erroneous test results.
  • Notifies technologists of any issues that may adversely affect analysis.
  • Receives all specimens that are sent to commercial reference laboratories for testing.
  • Knowledgeable about the specimen requirement for each reference laboratory test and the test ordering procedures for each of the reference laboratories. Verifies proper patient preparation, specimen collection, and specimen transport requirements for all reference laboratory tests.
  • Identifies unusual conditions and discrepancies that may cause erroneous test results.
  • Distributes specimens to laboratory section in which requested tests are performed.
  • Operates centrifuges and other minor equipment within the laboratory for specimen processing and delivery to testing areas.
  • Performs initial setup of testing procedures such as the inoculation of microbiology plates as specified by policy and training.
  • Performs chain of custody drug collections as specified by training and procedural requirements.
  • Maintains adequate supplies (tubes, needles, syringes, alcohol, labels, etc.) in the outpatient phlebotomy rooms, collection carts, and collection baskets.
  • Maintains general appearance of AECCC by cleaning and by the storing of supplies.
  • Stores, records and organizes general laboratory supplies and materials in an efficient manner.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:30pm
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available
Telework: Not Authorized
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician - Phlebotomy/PD25579A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
  • 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 required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required.
  • 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, 04/24/2026.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-04 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-03. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

This occupational series has an Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR) which is a minimum qualification requirement.

  • 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
  • Education and Training: Successful completion of (a) an associate-degree course of study of which the 2nd year of the 2 year program included successful completion of a training course of approximately a year's duration in a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; (b) 1 year of study that included 6 semester hours in chemistry and/or the biological sciences, plus successful completion of the training course for GS-3; a full-time training course of a year's duration in a medical or laboratory assistant (or Technician) school; that included instruction in Chemistry, hematology, blood banking, microbiology (including serology) and in addition, included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and treatment of patients; (c) 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours of chemistry and /or biological science course work that must have been directly related to the specialization of the position to be filled.
In addition to meeting the above Individual Occupational Requirement (IOR), applicants must also meet the experience relevant to this position.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
  • General/Specialized Experience: GS-04: Six months of general experience and six months of specialized experience that equipped you with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of this position. General Experience is any type of work that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of the position, or experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Applicants who have the 1 year of appropriate specialized experience, as indicated in the table, are not required by this standard to have general experience, education above the high school level, or any additional specialized experience to meet the minimum qualification requirements. 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) an associate's degree course of study in which the second year of the 2 year program included successful completion of a training course of approximately a year's duration in a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; (b) one year of study that included six semester hours in chemistry and/or the biological sciences, plus successful completion of a full-time training course of approximately a year's duration in a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) school that included instruction in chemistry, hematology, blood banking, and microbiology (including serology) and that, in addition, included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients; or (c) two years of study that included at least twelve semester hours of chemistry and/or biological science course work that must have been directly related to the specialization of the position to be filled. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. Transcripts are required to be submitted if using education to qualify. OR,
  • Combining Experience and Education: Having equivalent combinations of creditable specialized experience and education as described in one (1) and two (2) above to meet the total experience requirements for the Medical Technician position. Combination of successfully completed post high school education and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements.
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

"Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care."

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/.

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
  • Computer Skills
  • Customer Service
  • Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Patient Care
  • Quality Assurance
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Self-Management
  • Specimen Collection
  • 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.

Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator.

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?

Agency contact information

Ashley Patterson
Phone
910-488-2120 X205642
Email
ashley.patterson3@va.gov
Address
VA Maryland Health Care System
10 North Greene Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
US

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