Health Technician

Summary

This Health Technician position serves in outpatient care settings like primary care, surgery, mental health, and specialty clinics. The incumbent performs ongoing patient care, assists licensed staff with complex clinical procedures and specialized medical equipment, collects lab specimens, and handles mental health support and crisis intervention. Duties also include electronic health record documentation and administrative operations such as patient scheduling and eligibility reviews.

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to: GS-06 Level Assignment: Assists outpatient licensed staff with preparing patients for medical evaluations, performing vital signs, obtaining 12-lead EKGs, and conducting basic point-of-care testing (such as blood glucose and COVID antigen testing). Helps perform routine clinical procedures, applies basic wound care (bandaging and dressings), and assists with specimen collection and labeling (blood, urine, and mucous) under supervision. Participates in basic observation-based screenings, supports patients in outpatient mental health settings, and assists with communication and documentation templates under guidance. Performs routine clerical operations, including patient registration, managing encounter forms, completing work orders, and handling outpatient appointments using scheduling software (such as VSE, CTM, and VISTA) under structured supervision. Accurately documents actions, interventions, and patient responses in medical records using approved templates and clinical reminders. Operates under continuing instructions where recurring tasks are handled independently, but deviations, unfamiliar clinical situations, and complex problem-solving are referred to the supervisor or licensed staff. GS-07 Level Assignment: Assists with complex, specialized, and potentially life-threatening care situations, including surgical instrument setup (skin biopsies, cervical smears), cryotherapy, incision and drainage, and Foley catheter insertion. Recognizes life-threatening situations, initiates Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (BLS) and AED protocols, and continuously monitors patient status to report changes to licensed staff. Provides one-to-one behavioral observations, applies Prevention and Management of Disruptive Behavior (PMDB) techniques, and assists with crisis intervention for aggressive or suicidal patients. Operates, troubleshoots, and maintains complex technical equipment for virtual care (such as total exam cameras, dermatoscope, and digital stethoscopes), and trains new staff on VA telehealth standards. Reviews military and sharing documents to determine treatment and beneficiary travel eligibility, manages delinquent recall reminder lists, and utilizes specialized medical administration software (CPRS, VISTA, CAPRI, etc.) independently. Performs the full range of advanced health technician duties with a high degree of independence, conducts or assists with formal staff preceptor and telehealth training, and participates in facility health-care screenings and committees. Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8AM - 4:30PM Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Health Technician/PD21Z86A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized. Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized. 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 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 period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/30/2026. Grade Determinations: You may qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: GS-06 Level: Health Technician Experience or Education: 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: performing routine to moderately complex health technician and patient care duties in an outpatient or clinical care setting under standard supervision. I.E. obtaining patient health histories, vital signs, and diagnostic indicators (e.g., 12-lead EKG, point-of-care testing); collecting and preparing laboratory specimens; assisting licensed healthcare providers with examinations, routine clinical procedures, and minor surgical setups; maintaining equipment and infection control precautions; and providing basic mental health observation or crisis intervention support. Additionally, experience involves performing medical administrative tasks such as outpatient appointment scheduling, entering clinical reminders and notes in electronic health record (EHR) systems (e.g., CPRS, VISTA), and communicating effectively with patients and multidisciplinary clinical staff. OR; Education: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-06 level. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have at least 9 semester hours of graduate education, but only where it is directly related to the work of the position. 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 GS-05 requirement. GS-07 Level: Health Technician Experience or Education: 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: performing advanced health technician duties with a high degree of independence in outpatient, specialty, or surgical care settings. Assisting licensed providers with complex procedures and specialized care; operating and troubleshooting specialized clinical equipment (e.g., telehealth peripherals, digital stethoscopes, dermato-cameras); collecting and processing complex biological specimens; performing advanced wound care, catheter insertion, and suture removal per orders; responding to emergent situations using BLS/AED protocols; and executing behavioral observation and prevention techniques (PMDB) in psychiatric or crisis situations. Additionally, experience includes performing comprehensive administrative and clinical operations, such as managing complex scheduling, verifying treatment eligibility, documenting detailed procedural and progress notes in EHR systems, and assisting with training or precepting clinical staff. OR; Education: Applicants may substitute education for the experience required for the GS-07 level. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have at least one year (18 semester hours) of graduate education, where it is directly related to the work of the position. 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 GS-06 requirement. Preferred Experience: Experience with stress testing, Coumadin management, point-of-care (POC) testing, and Holter monitoring. Additionally, experience working with outpatient specialty services such as Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Hematology/Oncology, Endocrinology/Diabetes, Hypertension, Infectious Diseases, Pulmonary, and Rheumatology is highly preferred. 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

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: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Reading Comprehension Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork 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. Special Employment Consideration: VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply, including those eligible for hiring under 5 CFR 213.3102(u), Schedule A, Appointment of persons with disabilities [i.e., intellectual disabilities, severe physical disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities], and/or Disabled veterans with a compensable service-connected disability of 30% or more. Contact the Agency Contact for information on how to apply under this appointment authority via the Selective Placement Coordinator. Other Information

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. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. VA may offer newly-appointed Federal employee's credit for their job-related non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. The Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP) and Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) provide eligible displaced VA competitive service employees with selection priority over other candidates for competitive service vacancies. To be qualified you must submit appropriate documentation (a copy of the agency notice, your most recent performance rating, and your most recent SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location) and be found well-qualified for this vacancy. To be well-qualified: applicants must possess experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors, and who are proficient in most of the required competencies of the job. Information about ICTAP and CTAP eligibility is on OPM's Career Transition Resources website at http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/workforce-restructuring/employee-guide-to-career-transition/.