Medical Technician – Phlebotomist
Veterans Health Administration - Department of Veterans Affairs
To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 12/03/2024. Advancement to positions up to GS-5. Candidates may be advanced without time restriction to positions up to GS-5 if the position to be filled is no more than two grades above the lowest grade the employee held within the preceding 52 weeks under his or her latest nontemporary competitive appointment. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. English Language Proficiency: MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a. Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have: successfully completed of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. 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 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor’s degree with courses related to the occupation. For GS-5 level positions, only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to l year of specialized experience. Determine the applicant’s total qualifying experience as a percentage of the year of specialized experience required at the GS-5 level. Then determine the applicant’s education as a percentage of the education that meets the requirements for GS-5. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify an applicant for GS-5. 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, For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor’s degree with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects appropriate to the position to be filled. PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: One year of Phlebotomy experience. Assignment. This is considered the full performance level for nonsupervisory positions You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Customer Service (Clerical/Technical) Problem Solving Safety Engineering 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 work requires standing, walking, bending, lifting and carrying of light items. The work requires average agility and dexterity. The work involves regular and recurring risks or discomforts associated with working in a clinical laboratory which require special safety techniques and universal precautions, e.g., working around moving parts, carts, or machines; with contagious diseases or irritant chemicals. Employees are required to use protective clothing. Work area must be maintained in a clean and organized fashion. 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/.
Phlebotomists serve as a Medical Technician in Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center Lexington, KY. Incumbent performs many lab functions which include, but is not limited to the following tasks: accessions specimens into computer system, collects patient specimens (phlebotomy), answers questions relative to patient specimens, and instructs and assists patients, and instructs and assists patients specimen collection.