This position serves as a Medical Technician in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine under Diagnostic Services at the Veteran Affairs Black Hills Health Care System (VABHHCS)

Duties

Major duties include but are not limited to: Performs the full-range (moderate and high complexity) of any/all laboratory shifts independently and responsibly. Calibrates, standardizes, adjusts, and otherwise maintains elaborate and complex instrumentation with very fine settings. Performs a broad range of very difficult and highly complex tests and examinations which span all laboratory specialty areas daily. Evaluates quantitative biochemical, physiologic, and morphologic testing results with other laboratory results to verify the accuracy of the results. Determines the need for and perform additional tests to clarify or confirm abnormal/critical patient results independently. Attains and sustains a sufficient level of proficiency and competency to perform the full-range of laboratory work. Serves as a "floating" technician and will fill in wherever needed in other laboratories and/or departments such as Phlebotomy, Chemistry and Toxicology, Hematology and Coagulation, Microbiology and Urinalysis, and Transfusion Medicine. Performs highly specialized testing involving very fine distinctions and/or measurements on elaborate and complex instrumentation with very fine settings. Approves, certifies, and reports to clinicians the results of very difficult and complex tests and examinations with only cursory review and infrequent spot checks of the individual tests by a pathologist or supervisory technologist. Prepares for and complies with all regulatory guidelines, policies, regulations, and laws. Prepares assigned sections for regulatory inspections Assists with daily uploads to verify, print, and code the Anatomic Surgery and Cytology reports. Prints manifests to accompany samples and packages them for transport to reference labs in accordance with existing Department of Transportation policies and regulations. Processes specimens using necessary laboratory techniques to prepare samples for specific analysis. Receives and accessions requests for lab testing. Evaluates requested tests/procedures to determine the suitability of specimens for analysis and requesting new specimens if determined to be unsatisfactory. Collects blood from patients in the Blood Drawing Room, on the Wards, Intensive Care Unit, emergency room, and Urgent Care using aseptic techniques, following standard precautions, and using personal protective equipment. Performs other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0600-1430 Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Position Description/PD#: Medical Technician/PD20358A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Critical Skills Incentive (CSI): Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Bargaining Unit: Yes

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 10/27/2023. 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-07 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-06. 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. This position has an Individual Occupational Requirement. You must meet one of the following: Experience in technical medical laboratory support work such as performing laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings OR Experience in 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. In addition to the Individual Occupation Requirement 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-06 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 laboratory tests and examinations (chemical, microbiologic, hematologic and blood banking) and preparing reports of findings; or 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. This experience must be documented in your resume to receive credit.. OR, Education: Applicants may substitute education for the required experience. To qualify based on education for this grade level you must have successfully completed one year of progressively higher-level graduate education that provided you the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of this position. (Transcripts Required) OR, Combination: Applicants may also combine education and experience to qualify at this level. You must have an equivalent combination of specialized experience and graduate education beyond one-half year. (Transcripts Required) You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position: Analytical ReasoningClericalDiagnostic Medical TestingTechnical Competence 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. Note: 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. 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. 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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address VA Black Hills Health Care System 113 Comanche Road Fort Meade, SD 57741 US
• Name: Kelsey Charley-Germain
• Phone: 651-405-5689
• Email: [email protected]