Summary
This position is located in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), VA Medical Center, Kansas City, MO. The primary purpose of this position is to perform a variety of functions, including performing phlebotomy for routine and emergency requests; test a variety of patients. The position also requires performance of a variety of computers, customer service, instruction, and communication tasks.
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Duties
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*THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION***
Major duties and responsibilities will include:
- Follows procedures for patient identification, sample procurement, and specimen labeling
- Performs routine venipuncture specimen collections from patients
- Follows laboratory procedures for collecting specimens in the appropriate container
- Controls the physical condition of samples and responds to time factors to ensure that the physiologic state of the specimen is maintained
- Provides education to patients for proper collection techniques
- Prepares samples for testing to include labeling, centrifugation, decanting and aliquoting, etc.
- Maintains adequate supplies for all phlebotomy and specimen procurement procedures
- Answers incoming calls for the laboratory service - finding and relaying accurate information or referring the caller to technical personnel
- Performs standard diagnostic tests/procedures such as bleeding time, occult blood, urine dipstick, pregnancy test, fingerstick glucose
- Performs sterilization on the autoclave, and cleans glassware and other reusable items
- Identifies and appropriately responds to adverse reactions such as fainting, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, and arrests
- Perform other related duties as assigned
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; Full - Time, 8:00am - 4:30pm, rotating weekends and holidays
Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Not authorized
Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not approved
DESIGNATED DRUG-TESTING POSITION: 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. Applicants will not be appointed to the position if a verified positive drug test result is received.
Requirements
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Conditions of employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this 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
- 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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 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 apply for this position, you must have the following qualifications:
ENGLISH LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position.
~AND~
This position includes a
Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristics basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration.
The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: Experience performing phlebotomy/blood draws on human patients.
~AND~
To qualify for this position at the GS-4 level, you must meet one of the following:
- EXPERIENCE: At least six (6) months of general experience, and six (6) months of specialized experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled? General Experience is: (1) Any type of work that demonstrates the applicant's ability to perform the work of the position, or (2) experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience is: (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. Note: Experience must be fully documented on your resume and must include job title, duties, month and year start/end dates AND hour worked per week. ~OR~
- EDUCATION: 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) 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? (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application) ~OR~
- COMBINATION: Equivalent combinations of post-high school education and specialized experience, as described above. Note: only education in excess of the first 30 semester hours of a course of study leading to an associate's degree creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. One full academic year of study, or 30 semester hours, beyond the first year is equivalent to 6 months of specialized experience. (Transcripts must be submitted at time of application)
You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position:
- Computer Skills
- Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
- Patient Care
- Quality Assurance
- Specimen Collection
IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. 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.
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; religious; 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.
Physical Requirements: Physical requirements may include standing for extended periods, lifting, walking, bending at the waist, pushing, reaching, and occasional lifting. The incumbent must possess good manual dexterity and adequate vision to perform venipuncture procedures safely. The incumbent is expected to utilize all safety protocols and equipment provided by the medical center and ensure compliance with applicable safety standards and accreditation requirements.
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
IMPORTANT: 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: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov).
Additional information
This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.
If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.
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.
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
