Career Center

Summary

This position is for a Medical Technician-Phlebotomist in the Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) at the Sioux Falls VA. The incumbent performs a variety of functions including accessioning specimens into computer systems; collecting and evaluating patient specimens; answering questions relative to specimens; instructing and assisting patients; and preparing specimens to be sent to reference labs.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement - 06/30/2026. Opening Date: April 1 - 2026 Closing Date: June 30 - 2026 First Cut-Off Date: April 15 - 2026 Note: This is an Open Continuous Announcement. Qualified candidates will be referred as vacancies occur. Eligible applications received after April 15 - 2026 - will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until all positions are filled. Final application disposition will be completed at the end of the open period stated in the announcement. 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. This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill - knowledge - ability or other worker characteristic 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 - including venipuncture and capillary blood collection - on human patients in a clinical or healthcare setting. You must qualify based on your experience and/or education as described below: Specialized Experience: You must have at least 6 months of general experience and 6 months of specialized experience that equipped me with the particular knowledge - skills - and abilities (KSAs) 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 familiarity with the subject matter or processes of the broad subject area of the occupation. Specialized experience includes: (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. OR - Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed (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 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: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an combination of specialized experience and education beyond high school. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. The work requires manual dexterity and exceptional hand/eye coordination - some physical exertion - such as regular and recurring walking - bending - and to stand for several consecutive hours during the collection of specimens. Work is performed at a fast pace. In many situations the duration of the activity (such as most of a workday) contributes to the arduous nature of the job. Position requires lifting of reagent containers weighing up to 20 pounds. Work Environment: The work involves regular and recurring moderate risks or discomforts which require special safety precautions. Employees are required to use protective clothing or gear such as masks - gowns - lab coats - respirators - gloves - or shields to moderate risks - or to follow procedures for minimizing risk. The technician is required to take special precaution as prescribed by the Laboratory Safety and Chemical Hygiene Manual. Adherence to safety and Standard precautions and use of protective gear are mandatory to reduce occupational risk factors. There is frequent contact with patients with undiagnosed illnesses and the employee has the potential to be exposed to communicable disease. Employees are mandated to use appropriate personal protective equipment. 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/.

Duties

• Major duties include but are not limited to: Using proper patient identification and sample labeling
• The incumbent collects blood or urine specimens and ensures safe - non-traumatic processes are used to maintain patient safety and assure specimen quality
• Performs blood collection using venipunctures - arterial punctures - and capillary finger sticks with a minimal number of failures - patient bruising - or required repeat collection - ensuring that samples are submitted to the clinical laboratory with the least possible delay
• Specimen collection is performed in the emergency room - hospital room - extended care rooms - and out-patient specimen collection area
• Specimen collection is performed under emergent situations such as cardiac arrest - stroke - critically ill or noncooperative patients
• Identifies tests that require special handling conditions and appropriately performs proper specimen collection
• Takes emergency care procedures in the event a patient has a reaction to blood collection procedures including fainting - hematoma - and anxiety
• Prepares specimens - such as labeling and decanting
• Ensures that specimens are maintained at the proper temperature and conditions to ensure sample integrity (on ice - protected from light) - as required by the test ordered
• Trains new employees and students in specimen collection and computer duties
• Assists the technologist/technician with other miscellaneous and clerical duties - as assigned
• Incumbent also answers telephone inquiries
• Work Schedule: Intermittent - An intermittent work schedule does not have regular and recurring work hours/tour of duty
• Work will be sporadic or at irregular intervals
• Hours to be further discussed with supervisor during interviews
• Virtual: This is not a virtual position
• Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician - Phlebotomist/PD80451A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Approved Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers
• This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest
• As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care - you will operate in a model with three core elements - seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran
• This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community
• This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.