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Histopathology Technician

The Veterans Health Administration was seeking a Histopathology Technician for the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center in Muskogee, OK. This position supports anatomic pathology operations by retrieving, accessioning, labeling, processing, embedding, cutting, staining, and preparing surgical, cytology, autopsy, frozen section, bone marrow, and fine needle biopsy specimens while maintaining quality control, equipment function, chain of custody, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Agency: Veterans Health Administration

Facility: Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center

Location: Muskogee, OK

Vacancies: 1

Salary: $40,736 - $59,031 per year

Pay Scale & Grade: GS-5 to GS-6

Promotion Potential: GS-6

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm

Appointment Type: Permanent

Telework: Not available

Remote/Virtual: Not available

Travel Required: Not required

Relocation Expenses: Not reimbursed

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

PCS: Not authorized

Drug Test: Required

Security Clearance: Not required

Position Sensitivity/Risk: Non-sensitive / Low Risk

Background Check: Credentialing and suitability/fitness required

Financial Disclosure: Not required

Federal Service: Excepted Service

Union Representation: Yes

Supervisory Status: No

Functional Statement: 567980, 576990

Announcement Number: CBSU-12995637-26-TLK

Key Responsibilities:

• Retrieve surgical specimens from processing areas and clinics.
• Verify requisition and specimen container information for accuracy.
• Notify the supervisor or clinic when specimen discrepancies are identified.
• Accession and label histology specimens.
• Process and prepare histology specimens according to standard operating procedures.
• Assist pathologists with frozen specimens, tissue cassettes, specimen and slide retrieval, data recording, and related paperwork.
• Keep the preparation room clean, stocked, and organized.
• Dispose of specimens according to departmental standard operating procedures.
• Handle and dispose of reagents used in the department.
• Follow laboratory safety procedures and wear appropriate personal protective equipment.
• Prepare patient specimens and paperwork for reference laboratory testing.
• Maintain knowledge of and comply with Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act of 1988 requirements.
• Perform anatomic pathology laboratory procedures involving surgical pathology, autopsy pathology, and cytopathology.
• Maintain, troubleshoot, repair, and perform preventive maintenance on laboratory equipment.
• Diagnose deviations in test performance due to instrument malfunction.
• Perform and document quality control and participate in quality assurance activities.
• Train new employees and students and support laboratory in-service and continuing education.
• Ensure accurate patient identification through the chain of custody of specimens.
• Prepare technically adequate slides by processing, embedding tissue, cutting, staining, and cover slipping.
• Use specialized techniques for cell blocks, frozen sections, bone marrows, autopsies, and fine needle biopsies.
• Assist with autopsy procedures and maintenance of the autopsy suite as needed.

Basic Qualifications:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen. Non-citizens may only be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Must meet the Histopathology Technician experience, education, or experience/education combination requirements.
• Must be subject to background/security investigation.
• Must pass pre-employment drug testing and remain subject to testing requirements for this testing designated position.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after December 31, 1959.
• Must complete all application requirements, including application, questionnaire, required documents, and online assessment.
• Must complete online onboarding requirements.
• Must provide acceptable identification for employment eligibility verification.
• Must participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program as required for Department of Veterans Affairs health care personnel.
• Selected applicant will be required to serve a one-year or two-year trial period.

Eligibility:

• This announcement was open to current permanent Department of Veterans Affairs employees.
• This announcement was also open to current permanent federal employees.
• Current, past, and upcoming VHA Health Professions Trainee graduates were eligible.
• Veterans' preference was not applicable.
• The two-page resume requirement did not apply to this position.
• Area of consideration referrals were reviewed in order: current permanent VA employees of the facility, all other VA employees, and then all other applicants.
• This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.
• This announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

Experience and Education Requirements:

• One year of experience in a health care field demonstrating ability to perform or understand the work, such as medical or clinical laboratory assistant, medical or clinical laboratory technician, or health technician; or
• Four academic years above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation, such as biological science or chemistry; or
• Two academic years above high school including at least 24 semester hours in chemistry and/or appropriate biological science fields, plus successful completion of a 12-month education and training program in histopathology or cytotechnology; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and education.
• Examples of qualifying combinations include six months of health care field experience plus two years of education above high school with at least six semester hours in related health care courses or an associate's degree in a health care related field.
• Another qualifying combination includes six months of health care field experience plus completion of a course for health care technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or histopathology technicians given by the U.S. Armed Forces.
• Current VHA employees in the occupation may qualify under the applicable grandfathering provision if criteria are met.

GS-5 Qualification Requirements:

• Entry level.
• No experience or education beyond the basic requirements is required.
• Work is performed with guidance from more experienced staff and frequent direct supervision.

GS-6 Qualification Requirements:

• Full performance level.
• Must have one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
• Must demonstrate knowledge of professional anatomic pathology principles, practices, concepts, and theories supporting independent work.
• Must demonstrate knowledge of laboratory quality control and assurance procedures, performance improvement principles, reagent management, inventory supply systems, and document control systems.
• Must demonstrate knowledge of anatomic pathology laboratory equipment and ability to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot instrumentation.
• Must be able to plan, organize, set priorities, work as a team member, and complete assignments effectively.
• Must be able to use independent technical judgment to analyze and evaluate laboratory results.

Education:

• Education may be used to meet the basic qualification requirements as described above.
• Education must be from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Foreign education must be supported by a certificate of foreign equivalency if used to meet qualification requirements.
• Transcript was required if using education to qualify.

Physical Requirements:

• Physical requirements are governed by VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Evaluation Criteria:

• Applicants were evaluated based on qualification requirements, application materials, resume, CV, supporting documentation, and required online assessment responses.
• USA Hire competency-based assessments were required for this position.
• Experience had to be clearly and specifically described because the agency stated it would not make assumptions.
• Pre-employment reference checks may be used to verify information and support final selection decisions.

Required Documents:

• Clinical Resume/CV
• Resume
• SF-50 / Notification of Personnel Action
• Standard Clinical Resume Document uploaded into the restricted resume field
• Full resume or CV may be uploaded separately into the Other document upload field without page limitation
• Transcript, if using education to qualify
• License, if applicable
• Professional Certification, if applicable
• DD-214 / Statement of Service, if applicable
• SF-15 and supporting documentation, if claiming 10-point Veterans' preference
• Cover letter, disability letter, separation notice, and other supporting documents, if applicable

Benefits:

• Comprehensive federal benefits package.
• Eligibility for benefits depends on appointment type and work schedule.
• Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service, subject to approval.
• Federal employees may have access to health insurance, retirement benefits, paid leave, and other federal benefits.

Application Deadline: July 6, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET

Status: Hiring complete

This announcement for a Histopathology Technician position at the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center closed on July 6, 2026, and USAJOBS lists the hiring action as complete.