MEDICAL CARE TRANSPORTATION TECHNICIAN (Paramedic)

Summary

This position is assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Veterans Transportation Services (VTS) - Ambulance Service - in various VA Medical Center (VAMC) locations with an emergency room - acute care or urgent care clinic - or other similar departments performing basic and advanced life support procedures.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 07/06/2026. In addition to the English Language Proficiency and Selective Placement Factor above - to qualify for this position at the GS-09 grade level - you must meet one of the following: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: You must have at least one (1) full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level (GS-08) in the Federal Service - that is directly related to the work of the position and has equipped you with the particular knowledge - skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the Medical Care Transportation Technician -Paramedic. Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists - speech pathologists - medical officers - and optometrists. Therefore - technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge - methods - and techniques of the position to be filled. Specialized experience includes knowledge of a majority of body systems - i.e. - skeletal - muscular - nervous - respiratory - circulatory - digestive - and genitourinary - to perform patient examination; responding to accidents and other emergencies involving injury and/or illness which may be life-threatening and require basic life support procedures; experience providing transportation of patients to medical treatment facilities; using communication equipment and techniques to accurately obtain and relay information to and from dispatchers and health care providers; knowledge of protocols and treatments used in the delivery of emergency care for persons injured in chemical - nuclear - biological - and hazardous materials incidents; and experience operating emergency or patient transport vehicles. SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Successfully completed two years of Graduate education or a Master's degree is creditable only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position (Transcript Required). -OR- COMBINATION OF EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED): Equivalent combinations of successfully completed Graduate education (in excess of one year) and experience may be used to meet total qualification requirements (Transcript Required). Physical Requirements and Work Environment: This position involves extended periods of heavy moving and lifting of patients in a variety of situations. Generally - the work requires recurring bending - lifting - stooping - stretching - and positioning of patients - frequently under adverse conditions or in confined areas. May be required to spend prolonged periods in protective breathing apparatus and protective closing during chemical - nuclear - biological - or hazardous materials incidents/exercises. Employee may be exposes to infection and contagious diseases - and may involve exposure to patients who are intoxicated - under the influence of drugs - or mentally unstable resulting in belligerent and sometimes violent behavior. For more information on these qualification standards - please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at

Duties

• This Medical Care Transpiration Technician - Paramedic position is assigned to the Department of Veteran Affairs - Veterans Health Administration (VHA) - Veterans Transportation Services (VTS) - Ambulance Service - in various VA Medical Center (VAMC) locations with an emergency room - acute care or urgent care clinic - or other similar departments performing basic and advanced life support procedures
• The major duties include but are not limited to: Inter-facility transport of emergent - urgent and stable patients - sometimes over long distances Determines and prioritizes appropriate medical treatment/procedures and need for additional assistance
• Perform patient triage and take/records patient's vital signs as needed
• Perform physical examinations and obtains patient history - assesses status of patient's neurological system - cardiovascular system - circulatory system - skeletal system - orthopedic system - motor and sensory skills - and level of consciousness
• Makes an independent preliminary assessment of the patient's condition and selects from a variety of prescribed protocols the one that is considered appropriate under the given circumstances
• Administers basic and advanced life support care at emergency scene in accordance with established medical standards - which may include providing advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) - international trauma life support (ITLS) - PALS - PEPP - advanced airway management - CPR - and/or drug treatments
• Performs invasive and non-invasive procedures on patients with life threatening and non-life-threatening conditions per established procedures or as authorized/directed by physicians
• Responds to cardiac and respiratory emergencies - performs cardiac monitoring and defibrillation
• maintains circulation controls bleeding and provides spinal management and immobilization
• Observes - records - and monitors patient's condition and effects of medication - and performs rapid sequence intubation according to established medical standards
• Follows safety procedures - utilizes safety equipment - and monitors work environment to ensure safety of employees and other individuals
• Serve in a technical support capacity to the Emergency Department making critical observations (within their level of competencies) regarding among other conditions - vital signs - deformities - swelling - pallor - and mental status
• Operates the emergency transport vehicle and uses telephone and radio communications equipment and systems in order to select the most efficient route to and from sites - taking into consideration traffic patterns - health facility locations - etc
• Adheres to traffic ordinances and regulations pertaining to operation of emergency vehicles
• Utilizes various tools and equipment to transport patients - such as Henley backboards - EKG monitor and defibrillator - and mechanical CPR device - etc
• Assists in lifting and carrying patients into or out of transport vehicles and into treatment facility
• Paramedics will perform the following procedures - as required - and in strict compliance with standing orders and protocols within the national scope of practice and written standards: Airway Obstruction and Respiratory Arrest Cardiac Arrest Mechanical Breathing Aids Wounds Bleeding and Shock Fractures of Torso and Extremities Head - Face - Neck - and Spine Injuries Eye - Chest - Abdomen - and Genitalia Childbirth: Paramedic responds to pre-delivery complications - e.g. - convulsions - heart/lung hemorrhaging - as well as to normal deliveries
• Miscellaneous Medical Emergencies Environmental Emergencies Work Schedule: Paramedics work rotating shifts - including holidays - and are subject to occasional recall to maintain adequate coverage of the Emergency Department and ambulance service 24 hours a day - 7 days a week
• Mandatory overtime may be required due to run times that may extend beyond normal scheduled work hours
• Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized for highly qualified candidates Financial Disclosure Report: Not required

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.