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Medical Technician-Phlebotomy and Processing

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
Amarillo VA Health Care System

Summary

The incumbent serves in the Phlebotomy and Processing section of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. The position is that of a Medical Technician assigned to provide phlebotomy support for both inpatients and outpatients at the Amarillo VA HealthCare System.

Overview

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Accepting applications
This job will close when we have received 50 applications which may be sooner than the closing date. Learn more
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Work site options
Telework eligible
No
Remote job
No
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Salary
$42,518 - $55,276 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 4
Promotion potential
None
Pay scale and grade determines the salary of the job.
Work schedule
Full-time
Travel Required
Not required
Appointment type
Permanent
Occupations and job series
Supervisory status
No
Federal service type
This job is in the Competitive Service
Represented by a union
No
Drug test
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Jobs require a background check and some require a security clearance. The type depends on the job.
Background check type
Financial disclosure required
No
Some jobs require financial disclosure to identify conflicts of interests.
Announcement number
CAZM-13101912-27-AO
Control number
890394700

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Duties

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The position is that of a Medical Technician assigned to provide phlebotomy support for both inpatients and outpatients at the Amarillo VA HealthCare System. The incumbent will perform a variety of specimen collection, processing, and testing related functions coordinating the general flow of specimens from phlebotomy to the individual sections (i.e. Chemistry, Hematology, Immunology, etc.) to ensure accurate, reliable laboratory results. The incumbent will be required to work weekends and holidays on a fair and equitable rotation basis.

Accessioning and Processing Duties
The majority of the incumbent's day will be spent performing routine venipuncture specimen collections from inpatient, outpatients, Community Living Center patients, Community Based Outpatient Centers, and Emergency Room patients. The incumbent will be required to proficiently collect this blood samples with a minimal number of failures, patient bruising, or required resticks, and ensure that samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with the least possible delay.
Receives all requests for testing into the laboratory computer package. Verifies th.e accuracy and completeness of the request. Interacts with hospital personnel to correct discrepancies. Recognizes emergency situations and takes necessary action.
The incumbent is also be required to receive and sort specimens, check request slips or shipping documents for proper information, log in specimen, and deliver specimens to various laboratory sections. Verifies sample transport requirements for a variety of laboratory tests, including cultures, biopies, etc.
The incumbent may also be assigned to technical support tasks that include, but are not limited to:
Preparation of samples for testing in the various clinical laboratory sections, such as labeling, centrifugation, decanting, allocating, etc.
Distribution, storage and delivery of supplies and other materials used for the purpose of phlebotomy services.
Cleaning and restocking the blood collection room and areas where collection trays and equipment is stored.
Receiving phlebotomy requests utilizing both manual and computerized logging methods.
Recollection of patient specimens when determined by the medical technologists to be inadequate or insufficient to meet the test requirements.
Collection of additional samples as required for the purpose of performing additional requested testing.

Phlebotomy Duties:
The incumbent instructs patients in proper sterile and non-sterile urine collections, 24-hour urine collection, collection of specimens for culture and sensitivity, ova and parasite, occult blood and special specimen collections for flu, DNA testing, environmental surveillance, urine drug screens, etc. Upon completion of collection measures and records urine volume and properly stores the sample for analysis. Uses standard aseptic procedures and safeguards.
Blood sample collection must be performed in the manner described by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) as well as the written guidelines of P&LMS.
Assists in writing and revising standard operating procedures relative to job performance. Controls contaminated or potentially dangerous specimens in accordance with agency requirements. Makes sound decisions independently, and takes appropriate action to correct and solve problems. Ensures the lab blood collection lists are called up at the correct times and reconciles any uncollected orders.
Observes and reports any physical or mental changes while the patient is having blood drawn. Follows hospital and section procedures when dealing with outpatient medical emergencies. Processes all specimens per strict guidelines to assure specimen integrity.

Clerical Duties:
The incumbent answers incoming calls for Laboratory Services. Quickly finds and relays accurate information or refers the caller to technical personnel.
Provides information to patients on the date/time of appointments and clinic locations. Informs patient on venipuncture procedure, securing the confidence and the cooperation of the patient during the procedure.

Work Schedule: Thursday-Sunday 6:00pm to 4:30am
Compressed: Yes
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician-Phlebotomy and Processing/PD02036A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Physical Requirements: The work requires extensive and recurring physical exertion such as standing for long periods of time, bending, walking, stooping, sitting, and stretching. The incumbent must have the digital dexterity and adequate vision to perform safe venipuncture procedures. Lifting will not exceed a weight of 1 O pounds. The incumbent must fully utilize all safety practice and equipment provided by the medical center, and in compliance with local and accrediting agency requirements.

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 identification 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, 11/02/2026.

This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement:

Experience: Six months of general experience and six months of 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: 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. (Transcript Required)

Or

Combining Experience and Education: Equivalent combinations of successfully completed post-high school education and experience are also qualifying. If education is used to meet specialized experience requirements, then such education must include courses directly related to the work of the position. (Transcript Required)

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/.

If your school has changed names, or is no longer in existence, you must provide this information in your application.

Additional information

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
  • Customer Service
  • 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.

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

Aide Oviedo
Email
Aide.Oviedo@va.gov
Address
Thomas E Creek VA Medical Center
6010 Amarillo Boulevard, West
Amarillo, TX 79106
US

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