Medical Technician

Summary This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. The VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System is seeking a Medical Technician for the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center-University Drive facility. The incumbent provides clinical and administrative support to a wide variety of departments in the Laboratory. Responsibilities This position is located in the Pittsburgh VA Medical Center Laboratory. They are responsible to the Supervisor of Phlebotomy/Processing. Duties include but are not limited to, specimen collection, specimen receipt, specimen preparation, specimen ordering, and specimen shipping. Major duties include but are not limited to the following: Specimen Collection/Specimen Receiving Actively identifies patient using two full identifiers according to facility policy before specimen collection. Performs venipuncture and capillary collections on both inpatients and outpatients on a routine or STAT basis to obtain blood samples for testing. Accurately labels specimens according to facility policy. Delivers samples to the lab for testing. Adheres to safety, infection control and standard precautions while drawing blood samples. Provides initial aid when a patient has a reaction to a venipuncture procedure and activates a condition when serious or emergency conditions exist. Recognizes, reassures and supports nervous patients during sample collections to keep them calm and comfortable. Explains procedure and provides collection container to patients for collection of other lab specimens including but not limited to; random, clean catch, and 24-hour urine samples, stool samples, sputum samples, salivary cortisol. Advises healthcare providers on special collection procedures for other lab tests as requested. Reviews and receives orders in VISTA, sorts and prioritizes samples collected outside the laboratory. Evaluates specimens for suitability and acceptability and labels according to facility policy. Notifies nursing or provider if samples need to be recollected. Incumbent enters orders into VISTA for samples collected and sent from other VA facilities both in and outside of VISN 4. Labels samples according to facility policy and delivers samples to the correct department for testing Clerical and Administrative Support Monitors supply inventory, rotates stock, and minimizes outdating. Responsible for determining that no outdated collection containers, tubes, etc., are in work area or in use. Requests additional supplies as needed using established protocols. Uses materials in a cost effective manne Completes requisitions with accuracy for samples sent to reference labs that are not interfaced with the VA lab information system. Files requisitions appropriately for result entry upon return. Trains and orients new employees and students as applicable and assigned. Opens and checks mail against manifest received with samples for testing at VAPHS. Receives orders for mailed samples or places orders into the lab information system and distributes samples to the respective testing area Participates in inspection readiness and compliance with laboratory regulatory agencies. Work Schedule: Rotating hours starting between 5:30am and 7:45am Telework: This position is not authorized for telework. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician/PD02667A 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 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 ( 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, 08/17/2026. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education described below: General Experience: Six months of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-3 level) that demonstrates technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings. AND Six months of general experience that includes any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's 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. The total amount of experience must equal a FULL YEAR. OR, Education: 2 years above high school with courses related to the occupation. Note at the GS 4 and above, a portion of the education is usually directly related to the work of the position to be filled. This positions contains an Individual Occupation Requirement that further specializes the work/education necessary to qualify: 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 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. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at Education There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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: 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 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