What are the responsibilities and job description for the Medical Technician position at VA Central Texas Health Care System?
The incumbent serves as a phlebotomist and specimen collection handler in the Specimen Handling Section, wards and outpatient clinics. Work may be performed in the laboratory or in patient care areas.
You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Individual Occupation Requirement
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 a full-time training course of approximately a year's duration in a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) school that included instruction in chemistry, hematology, blood banking, and microbiology (including serology) and that, in addition, included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients; 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.
In addition to the Individual Occupation Requirements listed above, you must also have:
General and Specialized Experience: You must have: Six months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience.
General Experienceis defined as 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. Examples of Specialized Experience includes: prepares samples for testing in the various clinical laboratory sections; performs routine venipuncture specimen collection from patients; verifies patient information and tests ordered in the computer system; provides customer service to all patients arriving in the laboratory for blood collection; performs proper specimen handling techniques; distributes, stores and delivers supplies and other materials used for phlebotomy service. OR,
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.
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/.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 6:00AM-2:30PM OR 7:30am - 4:15pm Rotating weekends & Holidays, may be assigned other tours to cover workload as needed
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician/PD04937A, PD04397A, and PD04937A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 04/20/2026.You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:
Individual Occupation Requirement
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 a full-time training course of approximately a year's duration in a medical or clinical laboratory assistant (or technician) school that included instruction in chemistry, hematology, blood banking, and microbiology (including serology) and that, in addition, included supervised laboratory practice incident to the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients; 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.
In addition to the Individual Occupation Requirements listed above, you must also have:
General and Specialized Experience: You must have: Six months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience.
General Experienceis defined as 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. Examples of Specialized Experience includes: prepares samples for testing in the various clinical laboratory sections; performs routine venipuncture specimen collection from patients; verifies patient information and tests ordered in the computer system; provides customer service to all patients arriving in the laboratory for blood collection; performs proper specimen handling techniques; distributes, stores and delivers supplies and other materials used for phlebotomy service. OR,
- Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed 2 years above high school with courses related to the occupation. (Transcript Required). 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 one year of high school with courses related to the occupation. (Transcript Required).
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.
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/.
Responsibilities:
Major duties include, but are not limited to:- Performs phlebotomy (venipuncture) and urine specimen collection on patients ranging from minimally to critically ill who may be hard to draw.
- Works as a phlebotomy technician, obtaining venous blood specimens from adults using knowledge of human anatomy, aseptic technique, and phlebotomy material selection (i.e. vacutainer, syringe, butterfly).
- Uses judgment in selection of phlebotomy site based upon the patient's condition, age group, and type of test to be performed.
- Prepares phlebotomy site for proper specimen collection, based upon knowledge of blood specimen types, request forms, anticoagulants and transport conditions testing procedures.
- Assists in training other personnel (employees and student trainees) in proper phlebotomy and specimen collection techniques.
- Performs processing procedures ( centrifugation, splitting specimens into aliquots under the guidance of others, requiring knowledge of the correct type tube, amount of specimen needed, and procedure to be followed according to the test requested).
- Performs glucose tolerance testing by administering pretest substances, drawing blood at specitic time intervals.
- Assists in disinfecting and closing the Phlebotomy Room at the end. of the shift. Contacts Medical Staff in handling patients in cases of fainting, convulsions, and illness.
- Conveys to the patient the intention of performing a phlebotomy while showing understanding and empathy for the patient's condition.
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 6:00AM-2:30PM OR 7:30am - 4:15pm Rotating weekends & Holidays, may be assigned other tours to cover workload as needed
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician/PD04937A, PD04397A, and PD04937A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Salary : $40,916