Medical Technician - Phlebotomist

Summary The Medical Technician serves in the Phlebotomy Department within Pathology and Laboratory Service at the Dayton VA Medical Center. Duties include accessioning specimens, collecting blood by venipuncture, performing Drug-Free Workplace chain-of-custody collections, transporting and processing specimens, receiving CBOC specimens, answering specimen-related questions, assisting patients, and supporting testing in Clinical Testing and Microbiology. Responsibilities Duties include but are not limited to: Phlebotomy - 50% - Collect and label blood and other specimens, including urine, sputum, and body fluids, using proper sterile and standard precautions. - Perform venipuncture on inpatient and outpatient Veterans, including difficult collections, while minimizing failed attempts, bruising, and resticks. - Verify patient identity using two approved identifiers and ensure specimens are labeled with required patient information, collection date/time, and collector identification. - Evaluate specimen quality and suitability for testing and follow special handling instructions, including transport on ice, immediate delivery, or protection from light. - Assess patients' physical and emotional condition before and during collection procedures. - Explain procedures, position patients appropriately, and provide courteous, compassionate care to promote comfort and cooperation. - Follow infection-control, safety, PPE, and standard-precaution requirements during all specimen collections. - Respond to collection emergencies, provide preliminary first aid as appropriate, and promptly report fainting, bruising, illness, injury, behavioral changes, or other unusual conditions. - Assist with challenging collections and respond to requests for support from staff. - Maintain proficiency, efficiency, and professionalism while completing collection duties. Accessioning and Processing - 30% - Receive, accession, label, process, and transport specimens using automated and manual methods and laboratory information systems. - Receive specimens from Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), compare specimens with manifests, and resolve discrepancies or missing information. - Review laboratory orders, specimen labels, request information, and specimen integrity; independently contact appropriate clinical staff to resolve problems. - Process urine specimens for Clinical Testing Unit/ Chemistry testing and load appropriate specimens onto analyzers according to specimen type, tube requirements, and testing procedures. - Perform microbiology setup, including accessioning, specimen plating, media selection, incubation, slide preparation, and Gram staining according to established protocols. - Set up molecular testing, load cartridges onto the appropriate analyzer, and collect and load blood cultures using aseptic technique. - Instruct patients in proper collection of midstream clean-catch urine, 24-hour urine, stool, culture and sensitivity, occult blood, timed, and other specimens. - Transport routine and STAT specimens promptly from collection areas or patient floors to the testing laboratory. - Monitor supplies, rotate stock, remove outdated materials, and report supply needs to the Lead Medical Technician or supervisor. - Collect employee drug screens using the DHHS split-specimen method, maintain chain of custody, complete required documentation, and maintain Drug-Free Workplace training. Administrative and Customer Service - 20% - Greet patients and visitors and assist with automated or manual phlebotomy and laboratory-service check-in procedures. - Answer laboratory-related questions, provide directions, and refer patients or representatives to the appropriate staff when needed. - Provide first-line troubleshooting for automated check-in systems and clearly report problems and corrective actions to supervisory or lead staff. - Use hospital computer systems to review and accept laboratory orders, retrieve information, document activities, and research or resolve specimen-related issues. - Communicate effectively with Veterans, families, visitors, clinical staff, and laboratory personnel. - Contribute positively to team morale and demonstrate flexibility, initiative, adaptability, and problem-solving skills. - Obtain and maintain CPR certification as required by the Medical Center. - Complete mandatory training and perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Overnight shift, 11:30 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician - Phlebotomist/PD93129A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Requirements 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 ( 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 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, 11/20/2026. 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. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of general experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade, GS-03, that provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the duties of the Medical Technician position. Qualifying experience may include technical medical laboratory support work, such as performing or assisting with chemical, microbiologic, hematologic, or blood banking tests and examinations; collecting, preparing, labeling, and processing specimens; documenting procedures; and preparing or recording laboratory results. Technical support work in a closely related field, such as biological laboratory technician work involving comparable methods and techniques, may also qualify. Experience must be fully documented in your resume, including job title, duties, employer, month and year of employment, and hours worked per week. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level, you must meet one of the following: Successfully complete an associate-degree course of study in which the second year included an approximately one-year training course at a certified laboratory assistant school approved by a nationally recognized accrediting agency; or Successfully complete one year of study that included at least six semester hours in chemistry and/or biological sciences, plus successful completion of the qualifying laboratory assistant training course described above; or Successfully complete two years of study that included at least 12 semester hours of chemistry and/or biological science coursework directly related to the specialization of the position. Note: Transcripts, course listings, and documentation of qualifying laboratory assistant training must be submitted when education or training is used to qualify. Education and training cannot be credited without supporting documentation. You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Computer Skills Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Patient Care Quality Assurance Specimen Collection 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 incumbent's work requires regular and recurring physical exertion such as standing for long periods of time, bending, lifting, walking, stooping and stretching. The work requires duty on weekends, holidays, and evening shifts when assigned. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Your Name Name of Academic Institution City and State of Academic Institution Degree Earned Date Degree Conferred (Month and Year) REMINDER: A transcript, either official or unofficial, must be submitted with your application for ALL degrees. A copy of your certificate/degree or screenshot of your current classes are not a replacement of your transcript and they will not be used in the qualifying process. 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: 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: Additional Information This occupation is being considered for a Veterans Health Administration enterprise-wide Critical Skills Incentive (CSI). Candidates may be eligible for a lump sum CSI. The amount of lump sum CSI is determined based on appointment date and may be pro-rated as determined by the end date of the CSI. Eligible candidates will be required to sign a service agreement agreeing to an obligated service period and failure to complete the obligated service period may result in a debt for the unearned portion of the CSI. 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.