Medical Technician - Phlebotomy

Summary

This Medical Technician - Phlebotomy position is located at Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital, Columbia, MO., within the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. This position performs duties related to the receiving, accessioning, and specimen processing area including collecting chain of custody drug screens, reference laboratory specimen processing, clerical functions, patient testing, and phlebotomy.

Duties

• Duties include, but may not be limited to the following: Phlebotomy and Specimen Collection (40%) Properly identifies patients utilizing the full name and social security number before collecting, processing, or entry of requests; compares orders from multiple physicians and combines the orders as applicable. Properly identifies, labels, and collects blood bank specimens for STAT and routine testing while next to the patient bedside or chair side. Must be proficient in phlebotomizing patient in varying debilitation (i.e., paralysis, stroke, mentally unstable, spinal cord injuries in fetal position and contractures). Performs phlebotomy using specialized techniques for cleansing the blood collection site to prevent bacterial contamination critical to patient care, to ensure contamination rate of blood cultures remains within guidelines with blood culture contamination. Draws blood tests ordered by providers for inpatients, outpatients, CBOC patients, and for requested drug screens. When required, draws blood from patients for requested laboratory test. Applies knowledge of human anatomy, aseptic and sterile techniques, and phlebotomy equipment in selection of the phlebotomy site, taking into consideration the condition of the patient, age group, and the type of test requested. S Specimen Receipt, Processing, and Waived Testing (50%) Responsible for receiving and preparing requests for testing, receiving and preparing specimens into the clinical laboratory, evaluating the acceptability of each specimen, documents discrepancies, and resolves potential problems. Screens telephone calls and routes inquiries to appropriate personnel. Ensures proper processing and accession of specimens, especially those requiring special handling; and clearly communicates requirements to the laboratory staff. Contacts Medical Center staff for additional information to ensure that proper testing and interpretive data are received. Sorts specimens based on testing location, needs, and priority for turnaround time. Performs specimen processing and plating in microbiology. Loads samples on the analyzers automated loading lines or into testing bays as applicable. Able to cope with quick deadlines and uses knowledge of processing procedures to identify and resolve specimen errors. Follows detailed instructions in operating the laboratory equipment, to include but not limited to, centrifuge, barcode reader, printers, etc. Resolves and documents any pre-analytical issues. Records refrigerator and freezer temperatures at all sites. Collecting and Processing Employee Drug Screens (5%) Coordinates with Human Resources (HR) and Employee Occupational Health (EOH) to schedule pre-employment and random drug screens collections. Performs drug screens by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) split specimen collection method and follows all regulatory and legal requirements in maintaining the chain of custody of each specimen. Checks that all urine specimens are properly prepared, conducts temperature testing and attaches labels. Paperwork and processing for the sample is done by the same person, and all forms are submitted with required information before the sample is packaged and sealed for shipping. Prepares all shipping manifests ensuring the integrity of shipping documents, shipping logs, and specimens. May perform direct observation when necessary and look for signs of tampering. Follows infection control regulations in handling, storage, packaging, and disposal of biohazard materials. Accurate records must be kept for two years as evidential documents for court cases. The Federal Drug Testing Custody and Control Form must be filled out and copies of the form sent to HR and the Medical Review Officer (MRO). Acts as a point of contact for the MRO. Administrative Assignments (5%) As applicable, the Medical Technician will assist with scanning for document retention to include, but not limited to competency records, maintenance logs, quality control reports, patient testing and results, etc. The Medical Technician will assist with scanning results into a patient's electronic health record, followed by assistance from a clinical laboratory scientist to release the result. The Medical Technician will assist with transcribing necessary information into the patient's electronic health record as applicable, followed by assistance from a clinical laboratory scientist or pathologist to release the record. Provides training and guidance in these administrative assignments to intern students, volunteers, clinical laboratory scientists, and new hires when directed. Work Schedule: Various shifts, can be discussed during interview. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician - Phlebotomy/PD10569A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/17/2026. Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement. For a GS-05 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-04. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service. An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials. If the most recent SF-50 has an effective date within the past year, it may not clearly demonstrate you possess one-year time-in-grade, as required by the announcement. In this instance, you must provide an additional SF-50 that clearly demonstrates one-year time-in-grade. Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment. You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade GS-04 in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Examples of specialized experience would typically include, but are not limited to: performs phlebotomy duties; collects blood and urine specimens; collects specimens using proper patient identification and specimen labeling; performs laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking); maintains operational and quality control logs, records, and worksheets; resolves and documents any pre-analytical issues; provides training and guidance; maintains operational and quality control logs, records, and worksheets; use of laboratory equipment; evaluates the suitability of specimens. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have completed a 4-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to the occupation. OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have a 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 l year of specialized experience. (Transcripts Required). 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/.

Requirements

You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the 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 Physical Requirements: The work required does not inherently include any physical requirements essential for successful job performance that could not otherwise be performed with accommodation or workplace adjustment. A pre-placement physical examination is not required. 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 or 2-year trial 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.

Education

There is no educational substitution at this grade level. 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 to apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include the initial online questionnaire and submission of the required documentation specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To preview the application questionnaire, click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13058668. The application process is as follows: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USA JOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date, 09/17/2026. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire Assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link. NOTE: Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us. To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. Beginning September 27, 2025, Federal agencies will only accept resumes up to two pages in length to comply with the Merit Hiring Plan. Resumes longer than two pages will result in ineligibility for further consideration for the position. USAJOBS will not allow you to upload or build resumes longer than two pages, and you will need to update the resumes in your profile before applying for a job. Resumes should include information relevant to the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies of the position to which you are applying. VA is unable to make assumptions about qualifications if not clearly listed. Resumes must be legible so they can be reviewed for eligibility, minimum qualifications and other position requirements listed in the job announcement. Your resume must be 5MB or less. We recommend saving and uploading your resume as a PDF to maintain formatting and number of pages. We also accept GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, TXT, PDF, ODT or Word (DOC or DOCX). We do not accept PDF portfolio files. We recommend using a sans-serif font size like Lato, if available. Other widely available options are Calibri, Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, Open San Source Sans Pro, Roboto or Noro Sans. Make your page margins 0.5 inches. Consider using 14-point size font for titles and 10-point for the main text in your resume. The resume builder can help you create a resume using these recommendations and uses the information in your USAJOBS profile to help you get started. Helpful Hints for Creating a Two-Page Resume: Prioritize most relevant and recent experience Use concise, results focused language Align language from the job announcement Focus on demonstrating skills and competencies Remove outdated or unrelated experience Use the USAJOBS resume builder Additional guidance on this new requirement and resume building tools can be found at https://help.usajobs.gov/faq/application/documents/resume/page-limit