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Medical Technician

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
VA St. Louis (John Cochran Division )

Summary

This position is located in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the VA St. Louis Health Care System. The incumbent serves as a Medical Technician/Phlebotomist in the with the responsibility of obtaining blood samples by venipuncture from inpatients and outpatients. Incumbent is also responsible for correctly routing or delivering samples and maintaining records of blood draws.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
05/19/2026 to 05/26/2026
Salary
$37,333 - $48,535 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 4
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Saint Louis, MO
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
Yes
Announcement number
CBSS-12962807-26-AM
Control number
869914000

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Duties

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Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Performs Phlebotomy duties on both inpatients and outpatients for clinical laboratory testing.
- Uses computer to query patient demographics, laboratory test requests, test order status and test descriptions.
- Uses computer to order, delete or amend laboratory tests, build collection lists, print collection lists and labels, and log in collection of specimens.
- When performing phlebotomy duties. incumbent could spend up to eight hours a day intermittently using the computer which could amount to over 35% of their time on the computer and the rest performing phlebotomy.
- Uses centrifuges and other laboratory equipment and supplies to process specimens after collection. Sorts aliquots and distributes specimens throughout the laboratory and to other hospital and referral labs.
- Assists the Ancillary Testing Coordinator. Performs ancillary testing procedures, for example fingerstick glucose measurements, and quality control associated with these tests.
- Acts as courier to deliver specimens to UMHC laboratories an returns pathology reports, test results and specimens to the laboratory.
- Measures, aliquots, and prepares preservatives for surgical and cytology specimens.
- Picks up, preserves, measures, aliquots, and prepares for shipment all 24 hour urine collections.
- Stocks blood drawing and processing supplies in the receiving area and blood drawing room.
-Insures printers in receiving room and blood drawing room are functioning properly, programs setup, and replaces paper. labels and ribbons.
- Instruct patients on proper collection of specimens for timed and random testing.
- Answers queries from physicians. nurses and other hospital staff regarding test requirements. processing instructions, test order status.
- Routes calls to the proper section of the lab.

Work Schedule: Various shifts, M-F from 8:30am-5:00pm with rotating weekends and holidays.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician/PD09444A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: A recruitment or relocation incentive may be paid to a Highly Qualified candidate.
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
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
  • 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
  • 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 or trial 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, 05/26/2026.

Individual Occupational Requirements:

Specialized Experience: For positions at GS-4 and above: (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: For GS-4: 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 as described in (a) above for GS-3; or (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.

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

  • General Experience: At least six (6) months of general experience. General experience is any type of work that demonstrates the ability to perform the work of the position, or that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation.
  • Specialized Experience: At least six (6) months of specialist experience that equipped the applicant 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 the position to be filled. Examples of specialized experience for this position may include the following: performs phlebotomy duties, technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking), preparing reports of findings, or 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: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have 2 years above high school with courses related to the occupation. Transcripts are required for verification. 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 2 years above high school with courses related to the occupation.
You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Customer Service
  • Flexibility
  • Integrity/Honesty
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Self-Management
  • Stress Tolerance
  • Teamwork


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.

Physical Requirements: The work performed requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing for long periods of time, bending over equipment/instruments, and occasionally unassisted light lifting or carrying. Working in a clinical laboratory also involves regular and recurring risks to infectious substances and irritant reagents. You will be required to wear protective clothing and take safety precautions. There may be special requirements for agility or dexterity, such as exceptional hand/eye coordination or color differentiation.

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/.

Preferred Experience: Independently performs phlebotomy procedures, following a sequence of steps approved for sample collection. Selects the best venipuncture site, most suitable phlebotomy equipment, and proper collection vials. Assesses condition of patient before, during, and after procedure. Identifies unusual test results or conditions that can lead to erroneous results. Assesses sample integrity and suitability.

Selective Placement Factor: Experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients.

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

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. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. 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.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

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.

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.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE.

Narrative responses are not required at this time. If you are referred for consideration, you may be asked to submit additional job related information, which may include, but not limited to; responses to the knowledge, skills and abilities; completion of a work sample, and/or contact for an interview. Your resume and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating or consideration for employment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

For more information on the "Who may apply" eligibility requirements, please refer to the OHRM Status Candidates and Other Candidate Definitions document.

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.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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 Moore
Phone
314-652-4100
Email
Ashley.Moore5@va.gov
Address
VA St Louis Health Care System
1 Jefferson Barracks Drive
St. Louis, MO 63125
US

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