SUMMARY

This position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), at the Northern Colorado VA Outpatient Clinic of the Cheyenne VA Health Care System in the Pathology and laboratory Medical Service (PMLS). The multi-skilled Health Technician performs a wide range of administrative functions which includes compliance to CLIA regulations for laboratory testing, clerical and health tech functions.

QUALIFICATIONS

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/15/2025.

You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below:

• GS-06 Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-05 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: data entry to include entering specimens into computer, collecting patient specimens, answering questions relative to patient specimens, instructing and assisting patients in specimen collection, performs routine repetitive diagnostic tests and procedures such as venipuncture collection of blood specimens, adhering to safety, infection control, and universal precautions at all times while drawing blood or performing tests, preparing and packaging specimens for shipment, ensuring/verifying correct labeling, patient identification, and appropriate storage temperature.. OR,
• Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have one full year of graduate education in course of study in an accredited college or university that included a major field of study in hospital administration, public health administration, or related fields such as business or public administration with course work in health care administration.. 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 ???????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 one year of specialized experience.

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/.

EDUCATION

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

HOW YOU WILL BE EVALUATED

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Computer Skills
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Diagnostic Medical Testing
• Quality Assurance
• Specimen Collection
• Technical Competence

USA Hire Assessments include a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency in these critical general competencies. You must meet or exceed the cut score to be considered. You will not be considered for the position if you score below the cut score or fail to complete the assessment.
Your experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hours worked per week. 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. IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE WILL NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration.
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.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• Receives patients for medical laboratory testing.
• Processes orders and appointment, collects specimens and evaluates tests for processing determination.
• Performs patients care procedures such as collection of lab specimens, applying dressings, and adjusting simple supportive equipment.
• Contacts providers to correct order errors and to place orders if a patient arrives with no orders in the system.
• Follows proper patient preparations and venipuncture while following sterile collection techniques and bandage patient appropriately following collection.
• Collect, label, process, store, and either ship specimens that require reference lab testing or deliver to laboratory area that performs tests that are outside of the Health Technician scope of testing or not performed at our facilities.
• Monitor the patient’s status and inform the provider of critical changes in health status and lab values.
• Organizes work so that efficiency is paramount and work area is neat, tidy and meets all regulatory requirements for sanitization required for laboratory certification.
• Monitors and documents temperature and humidity of room and equipment, refrigerators, instruments, etc.
• Responsible for all point of care laboratory testing which includes Urinalysis, Pregnancy Testing, Hemoglobin A1C, stool Hema cults, Rapid Strep, Rapid Flu and finger stick blood glucose.
• Ensure that all quality control materials are run and acceptable daily or as required by regulations.
• Ensure proper cleaning and perform minor maintenance of laboratory equipment and make adjustments as needed.
• Make adjustments to equipment of laboratory testing, set up all necessary accessories and supplies regarding laboratory testing and assist with minor surgical procedures.
• Knowledge of sterile technique during surgical procedures
• Run any proficiency specimens correctly and within required timeframe.
• Performs daily, monthly maintenance as required and documents such appropriately.
• Processes tissue cultures and specimen samples related to pathology testing which require difficult specialized procedures, specifically dermatological procedures (assists with pathology paperwork and specimen collection, transport, and proper labeling).
• Assists the ATC in the supervision of clinical staff including training and competency assessments.
• Maintains continuity of functions and provides full medical administrate support and nursing assistant functions within the clinic to both clinical, laboratory, and administrative VA staff.
• Other duties as assigned.
  Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:30pm
  Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
  Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD11794A

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

• Computer Skills
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Diagnostic Medical Testing
• Quality Assurance
• Specimen Collection
• Technical Competenc