Health Technician

Summary

The position is located in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), at the Salt Lake City VA Medical Center (VAMC) and clinics 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.

Duties

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: Mon - Fri, 8:30 - 5:00pm, Overtime as needed. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD13888A Physical Requirements: The work requires much walking through the clinic, with occasional requirements to lift objects, computer work and operating office equipment. The positions require the ability to process written and electronic information. The work requires the ability to physically control or defend against emotionally distressed patients. The work requires above average agility and dexterity due to the fine skills of some of the point of care lab testing. The work may require heavy lifting of equipment or patients. The incumbent may be required to commute between two outpatient clinics within the workweek, depending on the clinic workload. The work environment involves risks typically associated with performance of laboratory work. Work involves regular and recurring exposure to moderate risks or discomforts that require special safety precautions. Environment may involve infectious diseases, contact with or disposal of body secretions, verbal and physical abuse from emotionally distraught individuals and/or working around equipment.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/26/2026. Health Aid and Technician Series, 0640 Individual Occupational Requirements: IOR: Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. English Language Proficiency: Health Technician must be proficient in spoken and written English.(Refer to VA Handbook 5005 Part II Chapter 2) In ADDITION to meeting the IOR Requirement the Health Technician 0640 Series requires Specialized Experience to be met as well. GS-06 grade level: One year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-05 grade level in the federal service); experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA's) and other characteristics to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled, in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Specialized experience includes: 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 Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-06 level. Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required if the education or internship was directly related to the work of the position. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed one-half year of GRADUATE level education that demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position and is directly related to the work of the position. 9 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the one-half year of full-time study requirement. Transcripts are required if you're using education as a substitute for specialized experience. OR Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at the GS-06 level. To calculate, first identify the percentage of required education you have earned (when substituting, you cannot use the first 60 semester hours that you earned). Then identify the percentage of required experience you possess. Add the two percentages. The total percentage must equal at least 100 percent to qualify at the GS-06. For example, an applicant who has 9 semester hours of graduate level education (i.e. 50% of graduate education required) and 6 months of creditable specialized experience (i.e. 50% of the required experience) would equal 100% of the required experience for the position A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. 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